HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1

Term Paper Topic: The Analysis and Comparison between Pisa

Cathedral (Romanesque) and Reims Cathedral (Gothic)

Dao Hoang Minh Anh

Lecturer: Ph.D. Alexander Stumm

January 21st, 2022
Vietnamese-German University
Anhalt University of Applied Science
Architecture Department
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION 2

THE ANALYSIS 3
1. Romanesque Building: Pisa Cathedral 3
The Plan 3
The Exterior 4
The Interior 5
2. Gothic Building: Reims Cathedral 6
The Plan 6
The Exterior 7
The Interior 8
3. Comparison between Pisa Cathedral and Reims Cathedral 9

CONCLUSION 10

REFERENCE 12

1
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

INTRODUCTION

Throughout history, architecture has grown and evolved into many

distinctive styles. Two of the most well-known architectural styles that have a
significant influence on global religious creative works, arts, and culture are
Romanesque and Gothic architecture, both of which first appeared in the
medieval period (Bony, J., 1983). The Romanesque style emerged around the 10th
and 11th centuries (MasterClass, 2021) while Gothic architecture was a prominent
style in Europe from the late 12th through the 16th century (Curl J. S., Wilson S.,
et al, 2015). The following essay will discuss in detail two famous Romanesque
and Gothic buildings, which are the Pisa Cathedral in Italy and Reims Cathedral
in France respectively.

The aim of the essay is to inspect the context of history, plan layouts,
exterior, and interior designs, cultural influences, and aesthetic elements then
compare the similarities and differences in styles between the buildings. Pisa
Cathedral and Reims Cathedral were chosen as the subjects of research because
they reflect one of the finest achievements and excellent representations of
Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

The available historical investigations and research materials such as

architecture reference books and journals are used to achieve the best results
and objectivity in the analysis of the two cathedrals.

2
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

THE ANALYSIS

1. Romanesque Building: Pisa Cathedral

One of the earliest instances of Romanesque architecture is the Pisa

Cathedral, also known as Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria
Assunta or Duomo di Pisa Italian. It is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral
dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary, located in Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa,
Italy. Many historians have defined the style of Pisa Cathedral as Pisan
Romanesque due to its distinctive design that set it apart from other Romanesque
churches (Walkin D., 2005). Pisa Cathedral was designed by Buscheto and the
construction start in 1063 and was finished in 1092, the building cost was funded
by the gains from the battle against the Muslims in Sicily in 1063 (Morris C.,
1991).

The Plan

3
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

The plan of Pisa Cathedral has a symmetrical, unified shape typical in

Romanesque architecture, with the nave spanning from West to East and the
perpendicular transept. The cruciform basilica is laid up with double aisles and
galleries bordering the nave, four single aisles and galleries flanking the
transepts. At the crossing, a circular dome is erected on squinches and short
pendentives, referencing Byzantium's centered church designs, while timber
trusses cover the rest of the church. The transept can be treated as smaller
basilicas and the oval crossing dome of Pisa inspired Florence to build an even
more grandiose dome for its church (Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L., 2019,
p.192). On both sides of the transept, there are small chapels at either end that
have passages connecting to the central dome. The Eastern side of the Cathedral
is divided into two parts by an apse at the center.

The Exterior

The overall facade of Pisa Cathedral with the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the background

From the exterior, it can be seen that Pisa Cathedral was built with thick
walls and small windows, which is another common feature in the Romanesque
style. High marble arches and Corinthian columns around the building are
decorated with alternating lines of dark and light marble to create variety in

4
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

dimension, which was influenced by Islamic architecture style. The ground

floor's blind arches with lozenge forms are similar to characteristics in Armenian
architecture (Valli F. M., 2016). There are four levels of loggia above the three
portals, separated by cornices with marble intarsia, behind which open single,
double, and triple windows. The large bronze doors on the Western side of the
building were created in the 17th century by several Florentine craftsmen. The
entrance of Saint Rainerius is adorned with 24 bronze relief carvings depicting
New Testament tales. Above the doors are four open galleries, with the Madonna
and Child at the top and the four evangelists in the angles (Valli F. M., 2016). The
cathedral is accompanied by two neighboring constructions, a circular baptistery,
and the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The Interior

The view inside the nave with coffered ceiling

5
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

The interior has a spacious, tall central nave as well as four side aisles, two
on each side. The elevation is divided into two parts: the nave arcade zone on the
ground floor and the clerestory above it. The coffered timber ceiling is
gold-plated, but the pavement is built in the cosmati method. The interior is
unique for Christian churches since it was influenced by Moorish architecture.
Lancet arches, which are prevalent in mosques, were employed here, as well as
contrasting black and white marble. Moorish and Islamic elements may also be
seen on the cathedral's façade: the dome is elliptical rather than round. The
presence of two elevated matronea in the nave, with solid, monolithic granite
columns, is a clear indication of Byzantine influence (Touring Club Italiano,
1994).

2. Gothic Building: Reims Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Reims, also known in English as Reims Cathedral, a prime

example of High Gothic, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Reims, France. The
cathedral was built as the dedication for the Virgin Mary. The construction
started in 1211 until 1354 to replace a previous church destroyed by fire in 1210
(Branner R., 1961). Jean d’Orbais was in charge of the initial plan design and
construction work, Jean le Loup, Gaucher de Reims and Bernard de Soissons
continued building and designing other elements of the Cathedral (Naert D.,
1996). Since 1991, Reims Cathedral has been designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site (Kurmann P., Villes J. A., 2001, p.25).

The Plan

The nave of Reims Cathedral, which extends from the west end of the
church to the transept, is where regular parishioners pray. It is almost half the
length of the church and has an outstanding span and stylistic unity. It is a little
narrower than the adjoining transept and apse. Because it was originally
designed to have four towers and a larger central tower, the transept is both
broader and higher than the nave.

6
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

The four towers at the transept's ends were planned but never finished.
There was a maze at the Western side of the nave, however, it was destroyed in
the 18th century (Naert D., 1996). The choir, the part of the cathedral typically
dedicated to the clergy, is significantly shorter than the nave but much broader
and higher. It has a double ambulatory at the east end that leads to the five
chapels. The ambulatory is separated from the choir and altar by a decorative
grille. The five horseshoe-shaped chapels at the Eastern end are placed between
the massive supporting buttresses outside the interior. The chapel on the axis,
which is accompanied by an extra ceiling vault, is the longest (Kurmann P., Villes
J. A., 2001, p.73).

The Exterior

The west facade, with the design of two three-storeyed towers of equal
height and three portals, is significantly impressive as it represents royalties. The
porches of the portals protruding from the main wall showcase many delicate
sculptures that illustrate the stories in the Bible to the illiterate churchgoers
(Kurmann P., Villes J. A., 2001, p.27). The west facade also has two rose windows,
one at the level of the clerestory, the other under the central portal’s archivolts,
both of which emphasize the impressive greatness of the construction. The
overall design of the cathedral employs many pointed arches, from the portals to
the windows and even inside the building, which are clear indications of Gothic
architecture.

7
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

The picture shows two towers on the Westside and the Northside of the nave

The nave’s north and south walls are structurally strengthened by eleven
flying buttresses on each side. These offset the external load of the ceiling vaults,
allowing for the enormous height, thin walls, and numerous windows that flood
the nave with light. The whole exterior of Reims Cathedral is ornamented with
arcades, pinnacles, spires, and an abundance of statues, sculptures that mark the
characteristics of the highest form of Gothic architecture (Kurmann P., Villes J. A.,
2001, p46).

The Interior

The church's elevation was separated into three parts: high arcades on the
ground level, a narrower gallery called the triforium on top of that, and tall
windows equal in height to the galleries above the triforium. The arcade pillars
were made up of colonettes packed together around a pillar, ascending into the
vaults' high arches. The colonettes' various lines accentuated the impression of
height and verticality. The capitals of the columns were a very unique feature in
Reims as they were designed with small exquisite floral carvings and imaginary
creatures (Kurmann P., Villes J. A., 2001, p.65-66).

8
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

The view inside the nave of the Reims Cathedral, looking east toward the choir

Another important feature of Gothic architecture in Reims Cathedral is

stained glass windows, which were intricately designed, with depictions of many
biblical stories and figures as well as small rose designs (Kurmann P., Villes J. A.,
2001, p.75).

3. Comparison between Pisa Cathedral and Reims Cathedral

As can be observed from the analysis above, there are some similarities
between Pisa Cathedral from Romanesque architecture and Reims Cathedral
from the Gothic style. The resemblances can be traced back to plan layouts of the
two buildings, which contain all the elements and parts typical in the
constructions of churches, such as the nave, transept, apse, chapels, aisles, the
shape of the cruciform with the nave spanning from West to East and the
perpendicular transept. Both cathedrals implemented the uses of vaults and
arches, which highlights the connection between the styles of architecture.
Furthermore, the designs of the Pisa Cathedral and Reims Cathedral both include
towers and multi-storeyed exteriors. The size, weight, and strength of the two
buildings were significantly accentuated by the use of columns and masonry
materials.

9
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

However, there are many differences between Pisa Cathedral and Reims
Cathedral due to their styles, locations, cultures, and influences. The semicircular
arches and barrel vaults are the main features of Pisa Cathedral, but they
imposed some geometric restrictions and structural difficulties (Fazio M., Moffett
M., Wodehouse L., 2019, p.189). In contrast, the pointed arch’s flexibility in Reims
Cathedral allowed uneven regions to be vaulted while keeping a uniform ceiling
height. Due to the geometric freedom provided by the combination of rib vaults
and pointed arches, independent elements of church plan designs in Pisa
Cathedral (nave, aisle, long transept, chapel) could be integrated into a coherent,
ordered composition in Reims Cathedral (Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L.,
2019, p.213). Pisa Cathedral incorporated uninterrupted thick walls like most
Romanesque buildings to support the weight of the vaulting overhead, therefore,
openings and windows are minimized to prevent structural instability (Fazio M.,
Moffett M., Wodehouse L., 2019, p.189). Meanwhile, Reims Cathedral favors the
skeletal systems with load concentrated at specific points and the implementation
of flying buttresses to alleviate the total load, as a result, the walls could have
more windows and decorations such as stained glass windows and rose windows
to draw more light and space, as well as reduce the solid building mass to
enhance the aesthetic quality of the building (Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L.,
2019, p.213).

CONCLUSION

After analyzing the plan layouts, interiors, and exteriors of Pisa Cathedral
and Reims Cathedral, it can be concluded that they share some similarities
despite their locations and historical contexts. The reason for the resemblances
between the two cathedrals is that Gothic architecture emerged from
Romanesque architecture, it still reserved some original aspects of the latter style
with many additional changes that promoted verticality and light (Fazio M.,
Moffett M., Wodehouse L., 2019, p.221). However, these changes also set Gothic
buildings, mainly Reims Cathedral, from Romanesque constructions such as Pisa
Cathedral. It should be noted that Pisa Cathedral and Reims Cathedral all possess
unique beauty and grandiosity that stand as one of the greatest examples of their

10
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

respective styles. The innovations in Gothic architecture do not imply that the
heavier, grimmer Romanesque work was inferior or underdeveloped. Instead,
Romanesque architects and master builders in northern Italy, specifically Pisa,
openly embraced and delighted in the grand enormity of stone masonry.

11
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

REFERENCE

Bony, J. (1983). French Gothic Architecture of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries.
Berkeley: University of California Press.

Branner R. (January 1961). Historical Aspects of the Reconstruction of Reims Cathedral,

1210–1241. Speculum. 36 (1): 23–37.

Curl J. S., Wilson S., et al, (2015). The Oxford Dictionary of Architecture. Oxford University
Press. Retrieved from
https://books.google.com.vn/books?hl=en&lr=&id=e-KrCQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1
&dq=Curl+J.+S.,+Wilson+S.,+et+al,+2015&ots=irKnYHupQB&sig=phBFXEcNxC8f9JZ
-C8ZxE1tbzTg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false (17.01.2022)

Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L., (2019). Buildings across Time: An Introduction to
World Architecture. McGraw Hill Education. p.189

Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L., (2019). Buildings across Time: An Introduction to
World Architecture. McGraw Hill Education. p.192

Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L., (2019). Buildings across Time: An Introduction to
World Architecture. McGraw Hill Education. p.213

Fazio M., Moffett M., Wodehouse L., (2019). Buildings across Time: An Introduction to
World Architecture. McGraw Hill Education. P.221

Kurmann P., Villes J. A. (2001). Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. Éditions du Patrimoine,

Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p25

Kurmann P., Villes J. A. (2001). Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. Éditions du Patrimoine,

Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p.27

Kurmann P., Villes J. A. (2001). Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. Éditions du Patrimoine,

Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p.46

Kurmann P., Villes J. A. (2001). Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. Éditions du Patrimoine,

Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p. 65-66

Kurmann P., Villes J. A. (2001). Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. Éditions du Patrimoine,

Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p.73

Kurmann P., Villes J. A. (2001). Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. Éditions du Patrimoine,

Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p.75

12
History of Architecture 1 Report - Dao Hoang Minh Anh

MasterClass (2021). Romanesque Architecture Guide: 6 Examples and Key Characteristics.

Retrieved from
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/romanesque-architecture-explained#what-is
-romanesque-architecture (17.01.2022)

Morris, Colin (1991). The Papal Monarchy: The Western Church from 1050 to 1250. Oxford
University Press. p. 147.

Naert D. (1996). Le labyrinthe de la cathédrale de Reims [Labyrinth of the Reims

Cathedral] (in French). SIDES Edition.

Touring Club Italiano, 1994. Guida Rapida D'Italia, vol. 3. p. 186.

Valli F. M. (2016). Pisa: lo spazio e il sacro. Preface by Gianfranco Ravasi, Edizioni

Polistampa, Firenze.

Watkin, D. (2005). A History of Western Architecture. London: Laurence King Publishing.

p. 148.

13