| Norman Architecture, named so due to its roots in | | | | that architects safely installed huge windows to let in |
| Normandy, arose in the Middle Ages. It began in the | | | | an enormous quantity of light, giving cathedrals their |
| early 11th century and ended by the 12th century, | | | | celestial quality. |
| following the Saxon architectural movement and | | | | Yet, Romanesque and Norman Architecture also |
| preceding the Gothic movement. Norman architecture | | | | blazed new trails by installing much taller buildings, |
| is a form of the prevailing Romanesque Architecture | | | | such as castles and cathedrals, which were the |
| that was propagated by the Normans (or Vikings) | | | | largest structures in Europe at that point. These |
| who conquered England. Its development gave rise | | | | buildings were usually square and inhabited by guards |
| to large and impenetrable cathedrals, fortresses, | | | | who worked as night watchmen, scanning the |
| castles, and fortifications. | | | | surrounding landscape for intruders. |
| The archetypal monastery building arose during this | | | | With these taller buildings came much denser walls to |
| movement, with its squat buildings that were either | | | | give the needed support to these great heights. |
| rectangular or circular. For instance, the renowned | | | | Inside these buildings, there were also large columns |
| abbey Mont-Saint-Michel was built in the Norman era. | | | | that bolstered structural support. These walls would |
| In fact, the majority of Norman Architecture is | | | | become much thinner with the advent of flying |
| religious structures, from village churches to royal | | | | buttresses, which arose in the Gothic movement. |
| cathedrals. A hallmark of Norman churches is their | | | | One of England's first pieces of Norman Architecture |
| cross-like shape, deriving from the Roman basilica | | | | was London's Westminster Abbey. Though this |
| pattern. These churches also had bell towers, or | | | | structure is now largely Gothic, it began as a Norman |
| campaniles, which were built nearby the main church | | | | construction. Many Gothic structures, in fact, began |
| buildings. | | | | as Norman buildings that were later elaborated on by |
| The quintessential medieval castles are also a | | | | Gothic architects. Many central towers (keeps) on |
| distinctly Norman innovation. They arose not only in | | | | castle and cathedral grounds were also Norman. |
| England but also in Scotland, Ireland, Normandy, and | | | | These square, dense-walled structures were used as |
| even Italy. In Italy, however, Norman features were | | | | dungeons as well as defense fortresses. The Tower |
| combined with Byzantine and Arabic styles, which | | | | of London (also called the White Tower), which |
| made for less gloominess. | | | | served as the royal dungeon, is another penultimate |
| Norman Architecture is actually an outgrowth of | | | | example of Norman Architecture. Like all Romanesque |
| Romanesque Architecture, which began in Lombardy, | | | | buildings, it was tall in its day, reaching about 90 feet |
| Italy. Romanesque derives much of its architecture | | | | high. It also contained extremely thick walls, spanning |
| from classic Roman styles, such as arches, vaults, | | | | about 15 feet wide, to support that height. It is, like |
| columns, and arcades. It greatly utilized the rounded | | | | many Romanesque buildings, a fortress-like building. |
| arch, a Roman invention. It also used a great variety | | | | While Gothic Architecture produced extremely tall, |
| of vault styles. The prevailing type was the barrel | | | | magnificent structures, these structures were |
| vault, a curved vault used widely in cloisters. | | | | essentially continuations of Norman Architecture. |
| The building materials used in Norman Architecture | | | | Gothic Architecture utilized pointed arches rather than |
| mainly included stones, so as to give the buildings | | | | Norman rounded arches, along with ribbed vaults that |
| greater stability. These stones were uncut because | | | | were combinations of Norman barrel vaults. |
| there were no real architectural jobs, such as mason | | | | Therefore, Gothic Architecture as we know it may |
| jobs, in the Norman era. Therefore, buildings were | | | | not have taken place without its grounding in Norman |
| made up of large, irregularly shaped stones that | | | | Architecture. |
| contributed to their bulky look. | | | | Today, most people immediately associate Norman |
| Norman roofs were vaulted, like their Roman | | | | and Romanesque architectural styles with the |
| predecessors. Vaults allowed for more balanced | | | | fairy-tale medieval period. Architects have learned |
| weight distribution across the roof. Norman buildings' | | | | that these castles and cathedrals were not so much |
| adornment was minimal, though some architects used | | | | royal residences as densely armed fortifications. In |
| their chisels to carve a series of arches into walls. | | | | truth, most Norman structures have been the sites |
| These were not actual arches, but carvings giving a | | | | of much bloodshed and suffering. The "Dark Ages," |
| trompe de l'oeil effect. Moreover, some architects | | | | by which the Middle Ages was alternately known, |
| carved moldings onto stone surfaces. A minority of | | | | may have been due in part to the dimness of |
| architects even became so adroit with their chisel | | | | Norman buildings, as a result of their extremely small |
| that they sculpted animals onto reliefs over | | | | windows. |
| doorways, or tympanums. Arches and columns were | | | | Today's architects are not rebuilding Norman |
| also minimally decorated elements. As the Norman | | | | Architecture, except for historical reproduction |
| movement reached its peak in the 12th century, | | | | purposes. Church builders, moreover, take more |
| however, it gave rise to more ornamentation. This | | | | inspiration from the Gothic period than any other |
| ornamentation gradually culminated in the first stained | | | | architectural period. However, most architects |
| glass windows in the 12th century, directly before | | | | certainly regard the Norman movement as an |
| the Gothic Architecture took hold. | | | | architectural watershed. Norman Architecture realized |
| Norman Architecture is additionally distinguished by | | | | unsurpassed heights and first renewed the |
| very small windows. Before the Gothic movement, | | | | magnificence of classical styles. Though taking place in |
| architects avoided installing large windows because it | | | | a dark period, it manifested the collective desire to |
| increased the chances of building collapse. Therefore, | | | | reawaken human greatness, as people perceived it in |
| people who resided in Norman buildings were in | | | | classical architecture. Part of Norman Architecture's |
| extremely dim surroundings, using candles as their | | | | legacy was to have passed on this desire in large |
| only source of light. It wasn't until the Gothic period | | | | measure to the succeeding Renaissance era. |