Definition

Proper noun: * Romanesque: A style of architecture that emerged and was prevalent in Europe from approximately the 10th to the 12th century, succeeding Roman architecture and preceding the Gothic style. It is characterized by massive quality, thick walls, round arches, sturdy piers, groin vaults, large towers, and symmetrical plans.

Adjective: * Romanesque: Of or pertaining to the Romanesque style of art and architecture.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:

  • The abbey is a prime example of Romanesque from the 11th century.
  • Scholars study the transition from Romanesque to Gothic in medieval cathedrals.

• Adjective:

  • The church features characteristic Romanesque arches and a heavy, solid appearance.
  • We admired the Romanesque sculptures on the cathedral's tympanum.

Advanced Usage

• Romanesque Revival: A 19th-century architectural movement that drew inspiration from the original Romanesque style.
  • Many university buildings from the late 1800s were constructed in the Romanesque Revival style.

Variants and Related Words

• Romanesque architecture: The full term for the architectural style.
• Norman architecture: The Romanesque style as it developed in England following the Norman Conquest, often used synonymously in an English context.

Synonyms

• Norman (specifically in an English context)
• Pre-Gothic

Antonyms

• Gothic
• Baroque
• Modernist

Related Phrases and Contexts

• Romanesque art: Encompasses the painting, sculpture, and other arts of the period, often closely tied to ecclesiastical architecture and characterized by a symbolic, non-naturalistic approach.
  • The manuscript illumination is a fine specimen of Romanesque art.
• Romanesque church/cathedral: The most common type of building associated with the style.
  • The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela is lined with important Romanesque churches.

Noun

1. a style of architecture developed in Italy and western Europe between the Roman and the Gothic styles after 1000 AD; characterized by round arches and vaults and by the substitution of piers for columns and profuse ornament and arcades