A portal is a hole in the wall of a building, gate, or fortress, typically used as a magnificent entry to a significant construction. The voussoir, tympanum, an ornate mullion or trumeau between doors, and columns with saint sculptures in a church's westwork are all examples of portal components.
Some Romanesque churches feature an extensive sculptural scheme which covers the area surrounding the portal and sometimes much of the facade. The sculptural schemes were designed to convey the message that Christian believers should recognize wrongdoing, repent, and be redeemed.
The churches along pilgrimage roads housed weary travelers, provided opportunities for prayer and meditation along the spiritual journey, and even sold trinkets and souvenirs to remind pilgrims of their trip. This meant that churches developed some unique needs, and architectural styles had to change pretty quickly.
Abstract. Romanesque portals are more than simple reflections of biblical, liturgical, paraliturgical or exegetical texts. They are in themselves texts — performative texts.
A portal is an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, especially a grand entrance to an important structure.
What was the goal of portal sculpture on medieval cathedrals? the portrait.
Often the pilgrimage became an act of repentance. The greater the distance and the hardships endured became measures of the devotion and sincerity of the pilgrim. They were a desire to provide suitably majestic environment for the display of relics as well as competing for pilgrims and their donations.
Romanesque churches characteristically incorporated semicircular arches for windows, doors, and arcades; barrel or groin vaults to support the roof of the nave; massive piers and walls, with few windows, to contain the outward thrust of the vaults; side aisles with galleries above them; a large tower over the crossing ...
Romanesque portals function as entrances to church interiors. The doorway, often divided by a pillar known as a trumeau, is flanked by jambs at either side. Above the door are a lintel and a broad, rounded arch. Within this sits the semicircular space called a tympanum.
In Romanesque architecture, the tympanum constitutes the area between the lintel over a doorway and the arch above. During the 11th and 12th centuries in Europe, tympana over church portals were decorated with intricate and stylized relief sculpture.
Lintel: a horizontal beam spanning an openings, as over a window or door, or between two posts.
MedievalThe Romanesque period occurred during the Medieval, or Middle Ages. It started around the mid-10th century CE until the 12th Century CE. It originated in different parts of Europe, predominantly France, Italy, England, and Northern parts of Europe like Germany.
it's a continuum. it goes part and parcel with the contemporary technology and design capabilities. Romanesque is known for small windows, heavy walls, thick structure. The advent of new technologies, as well as new heights in courage, allowed Gothic architecture.
Most Romanesque churches were related to monasteries. Remember that it was in the libraries of these monasteries that were the majority of Roman knowledge, which will enable the construction of certain buildings.