Romanesque Architecture, the debased style which succeeded Roman architecture from about the time of Constantine (350 A.D.) till the revival in the 11th century. Roman Architecture (q.v.), itself a transitional style, fades gradually into the Romanesque. When Constantine gave the Christians freedom of worship, he gave architecture a new start; and noble buildings resembling the Roman Basilica (q.v.) were built as churches all over the empire. These consisted of three- or five-aisled halls—the aisles separated by rows of columns. In Rome the columns, entablatures, and other ornaments were frequently taken from the ruins of ancient buildings which abounded there. The new style is therefore closely allied to the ancient one in the imperial city; but in Ravenna, Jerusalem, Provence, and the remoter districts, where few ancient remains existed, a simpler and ruder copy of the ancient work is found. There is always, however, a certain resemblance to the old forms which distinguishes the Romanesque from the round-arched Gothic which succeeded it. The piers along the aisles are always single columns, generally with caps intended to be Corinthian, and wide arches; the aisles are wide, with open wooden roof; and there are remnants of entablatures, mouldings, &c., which recall the ancient Roman work. The early Christians also derived their round churches from the Romans. They were probably originally tombs, copied from such buildings as the Minerva Medica (see ROMAN ARCHI-
TECTURE), and were the most sacred places, where the burial-service was said, and the sacraments administered. Hence they afterwards became Baptisteries (q.v.), and were finally absorbed into the church (see RHENISH ARCHITECTURE), which then contained within itself everything connected with the Christian service.
In Rome there are still some thirty basilicas, and the Romanesque style may be said never to have died out there. As we recede from the centre we find its influence gradually weaken, and succumb to the Northern Gothic style. Thus, in Lombardy and Provence it was superseded by the Lombard (q.v.) and Romance styles in the 11th and 12th centuries; while in Byzantium and the East it gave way to the Byzantine style about the time of Justinian. Amongst the finest examples remaining are St Paul's (see BASILICA) and Sta Maria Maggiore at
Rome, and at Ravenna St Apollinare; the interior decoration of which last (see fig.) is very beautiful. The mosaics of the apse, the painted walls, and the inlaid pavements of the Romanesque churches are amongst their finest features. In colour they always excel.
In Tuscany there is a late form of Romanesque, of which the cathedrals at Pisa and Lucca, San Miniato at Florence, and many churches in those cities are examples. They are intermediate specimens, built during the 11th century, when the cities became prosperous, and have a certain amount of Gothic feeling; but, although beautiful in coloured decoration, they have not the simple grandeur of the early basilicas; and, although more decorated externally than these, they have not the bold and purpose-like appearance of Gothic elevations.
See, besides the standard works on architecture, Okley, Christian Architecture in Italy (1860); Freeman, Historical and Architectural Sketches (1876); and The Architecture of Provence and the Riviera (1888), by the present writer, D. MacGibbon.