Exploring Romanesque Architecture in Catalonia
By Peter Garwood
Exploring Romanesque Architecture in Catalonia was first published in Great Britain in February 2012 by Adslife.
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This text only online digital edition was first published in February 2012.
Text © Peter Garwood & Christine Garwood February 2012.
The moral rights of the late Peter Garwood & his daughter Christine Garwood are to be identified as the original author and next of kin manuscript supervisor, respectively, of this work and their copyright claim has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage, or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author, his authorized agent, and/or the stated publishers.
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Paperback edition ISBN 978-1-907163-43-2
This new compilation edition has been supervised by Christine Garwood.
EXPLORING ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE IN CATALONIA
By Peter Garwood
PREFACE
A new appreciation in the late 20C of the Art and Architecture of the 11-13C, and a part of the remarkable legacy left to us from those times is becoming more widespread. With the improvement of the roads in northeast Spain, and the provision of accommodation of all types, it is now possible for all, young and old, to see some of these hitherto virtually unknown examples of Romanesque Architecture.
Although the Pyrenees form a natural barrier between France and Spain, the modern frontier between these two countries only approximates to the line of the watershed. Notable exceptions to this are the Aran Valley and Andorra, both remote mountain regions within living memory, and still delightfully unspoilt. In the 11-12C the boundary lines were very different, France and Spain as we know them did not exist, and it is with this in mind that one should explore the Romanesque architecture of the region.
By the end of the 12C, the tide of the Reconquest had largely receded southwards from the Pyrenees, leaving behind in isolated valleys, villages with their 11C churches. Many are still there in the now peaceful valleys for us to enjoy, with their 'Lombard' towers, and sculptured stonework seemingly largely unchanged for over eight centuries.
This book, looks not only at the Spanish Catalonian region south of the Pyrenees, but also just over the border into the French Catalan region of the Roussillon. This large area had been re-conquered by Christian forces by the end of the 12C, and adjacent to the kingdoms of Navarre and Aragon.
I have attempted to give some idea of the variety and scope of Romanesque architecture in the these lands, and it will be appreciated that the style cannot sensibly be confined within the limitations imposed by the 200 years of the 11-12C, The time taken for new building methods to reach the more remote areas also makes dating an unreliable yardstick of the style, which in any case evolved during these centuries.
Delays in construction may have also resulted in a church planned and started as 'pure' Romanesque being completed with Transitional, and even Gothic elements, which it would be foolish to ignore. I have, therefore, included examples, which are Romanesque in spirit, even though they may have only been completed in the 13C.
When travelling in the Pyrenean regions as defined in this book, it becomes apparent that the architecture of the 11-13C was much more of an art than an engineering science, (although it is this as well). The sculptural content of a church was often as important as the structure, (even its absence is significant), and the growth of sculpture in the teaching of the scriptures, became ever more important throughout the 12C.
The travel section of this book is intended to form the basis of individual exploration, and is therefore set out as a guide. The map indicates a guide on how to locate the churches mentioned within the text. Also each route is delineated in diagram form, although it is not suggested that these be adhered to, but their arrangement is such as to allow the independent traveller to pick out those parts of the routes, which are of help. Published road maps, large-scale editions of which should also be used are used (at least 11400000, i.e. 1cm: 4 km).
* In addition, and to facilitate easy reference, we have included a glossary of architectural terms and a map of the regions mentioned, has been included in the earlier part of the book, whilst at the back, we have listed a church index and a gazetteer appendix.
Most of the architecture shown is of churches, since these structures were of primary concern to the people whose spiritual needs they served, and the very best materials and craftsmen possible were employed. Hundreds of churches have vanished, but fortunately for us, hundreds remain. Churches also, almost exclusively have sculptured decoration, whereas bridges and castles (except for castle chapels) are by their very nature more utilitarian. Bridges, however, retain their usefulness longer than castles and also have structural interest and grace, (a fine example is that at Besalu/Gerona).
In recent years there has been a growth of Spanish Regionalism, which has resulted in many of the place names in maps being given in the local language. Lerida has become Lleida, Cataluna is now given as Catalunya, and so on. Because the area covered by this book is limited to Catalonia I have given place names and those of churches in the Catalan spelling, although even here there are variants, depending on where you are. I have also used the anglicised form of some names e.g. Catalonia rather than Catalunya when this is commonly accepted.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to record my appreciation of the scholarship and efforts of the many who have interested themselves in the preservation of the numerous Romanesque buildings. We can all be grateful to those enlightened persons, both private and official, who despite wars, limited resources and sometimes-local disinterest, and even opposition, have managed to preserve and restore so much.
My thanks are also due to those many people to whom I have spoken on my travels such as members of the clergy, assistants at the doors of museums, those who keep the keys of country churches, and those who just happened to be there at the time. Not to be forgotten are the writers of the guidebooks and the mapmakers whose efforts have all helped in one way or another to make this book possible.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The Gazetteer forms the principal part of this book, where place-names are given in alphabetical order. Where place-names are the same as that of the principal church, then these are given as such. Not every Romanesque church has been listed, but all those of special interest have included, and even simple churches have sometimes been included.
All the photographs have been taken by the author who has therefore first-hand knowledge of all the architectural examples given in this book. The date of each photograph has been included, and it will be seen that they are all recent.
A general index is included, and the examples of various features are listed within it. Other cross-references are also given. Two Appendices are given, one being a short architectural gazetteer of terms used in this book, and the other a reference list of architectural parallels in France.
In recent years there has been a growth of Spanish Regionalism, which has resulted in many of the place-names in maps being given in the local language Lerida has become Lleida, Cataluna is now given as Catalunya, and so on. Because the area covered by this book extends beyond the limits of one particular local language, to be consistent I have used the standard spelling for identification (unless custom dictates otherwise, such as the use of Catalan in Andorra and elsewhere), giving the local equivalent wherever it seemed appropriate. I have also used the anglicised form of some names e.g. Navarre (rather than Navarra), where this is commonly accepted.
A short list of architectural terms has been appended, and included in the general index are sections listing places where particular architectural features may be found (e.g. Cloisters).
The location of place names is facilitated by the used of a grid reference which is identifiable with the Michelin map of Spain to a scale of 1/1000000 (1 cm =1 km) Sketch maps of the Provinces give the road numbers on roads which may be used to reach any of the places listed.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Born in Wimbledon in 1924, Peter Garwood has made a lifetime’s study of early churches both in England and on the continent, especially along the Pilgrim routes in France and the remote areas of Catalonia and Aragon. All have remarkable similarities, for a ‘common market’ of Europe is no new thing. Perhaps surprisingly, in view of his interest in the Architecture of the Medieval world even as a boy, he read Physics and Mathematics at University and hold degrees from both London & Exeter, was formerly an Associate of the institute of Physics, London and a Member of the Association of Exploration Geophysicists of Tulsa, Texas USA.
He married in 1951, his wife, Theresa, and they have three daughters, the eldest holds a B.A. (London) in Fine Art, the second a B.Ed (Bristol), in Psychology, and third a B.Sc (Cardiff) in Archaeology. All three are married.
Engaged in Geophysics in South Africa and Australia as a young graduate and then as a consultant to a South African mining conglomerate, he researched and developed new techniques in the mining industry. During this time, he was asked to establish a physics department at the College of Technology, Johannesburg, lectured in Physics, and was chief examiner in Physics for the newly introduced Engineering ‘Sandwich Courses.’ He later took up a post at the Boys’ Grammar School, Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, and headed the Department of Mathematics there for 17-years, during which time, he and his wife travelled extensively in France and Spain.
He retired in 1983 and continued to lecture on medieval architecture in Guernsey and Spain, and was a contributor of newspaper articles on the subject, returning to live in England in 1991. At Sidbury he found a remarkable church, largely unknown, even in Devon, and researched and wrote a new guide as the result of his experience.
He considers it is important, however, that we should all be aware of our heritage more especially as we are now closer to the Continent of Europe from which both our ancestors and our architecture came.
INTRODUCTION - CHAPTER 1
The Islamic tribes of North Africa, notably the Berbers, and known in Spain as the Moors, made a successful invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in July 711, their landing place now being known as Gibraltar. Within seven days the Gothic Army under Roderick was routed and the invading' army reached the Pyrenees by 713. Only when Charles Martel, commander of the Christian forces of Western Europe, met the Moors south of Poitiers in 734 was the tide of Islam stemmed, but it was not until the end of the 8C that the Moors were pushed back south of the Pyrenees. Another two centuries were to elapse before the lands north of the river Ebro were totally in Christian hands. The 9th and 10th centuries saw the beginnings of a distinctive style of architecture, now known as Romanesque, which expanded in the 11C and had its flowering in the 12C. This gave way to the so-called Gothic styles of later centuries through the Transitional period of the 13C.
Many Christian churches of the Visigoths were destroyed during the Moorish advance, but the conquerors also showed a praiseworthy tolerance in allowing Christian observance in territory, which they controlled, although there are records of some atrocities. The Christians likewise had little objection to leaving the settled Moors to stay undisturbed as the Reconquest progressed, provided they gave at least lip-service to conversion to Christianity.
As a result, Christian churches were constructed in regions under Moorish military control in the 9th and 10 centuries, and conversely, many Moorish craftsmen were employed in the construction of cathedrals and monasteries in the 11-12C. Examples of both exist, and of the former in particular there is a whale group in a unique Mozarabic-Romanesque style in the district of El Serrablo, in the valley of the upper Gallego near the town of Sabifianigo, Province of Huesca, once a part of the old Kingdom of Aragon.
On the feast of Epiphany, 6th January 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic Monarchs, entered Granada, thus ending the occupation of any part of Spain by Islam. By this time churches, castles and civic buildings had not been constructed in the Romanesque style for almost two centuries, and only a few examples of even the Transitional period containing Romanesque elements can be found south of the river Ebro. Tarragona cathedral is a good example of the evolution of church architecture, having been conceived as a Romanesque cathedral and commenced in 1194 (late Romanesque), its structure was largely completed in the Gothic style in the 13-14C. Lleida (Lerida) became noted in the 13C, producing distinctive sculptured decoration known as that of the Lleidan School.
The spiritual drive of the crusade to free Spain from the Moors, together with the growth of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela resulted in the monastic expansion in Spain of the 11-12C. As the land of Spain was Reconquered, castles and towns were built, or rebuilt, and the Benedictines, Augustinians, Cluniacs, Cistercians, and other monastic orders established monasteries south of the Pyrenean mountains. It should be remembered, however, that there was never a clearly defined border, but always a vague, disputed area between Moors and Christians.
By the end of the 12C, the tide of the Reconquest had largely receded southwards from the Pyrenees, leaving behind in isolated valleys, villages with their 11-12C churches, Many are still there in the now peaceful valleys, their remoteness and unimportance having enabled them to survive many minor political disturbances and even major ones. The depredations of Napoleon's troops during the Peninsula War of 1808-13, the clerical uprisings which followed it, and the general unrest of the mid-19C did great damage to the architectural heritage of Catalonia, and the Civil War of 1930-36 caused the ruin of whole villages even in the mountain regions. That these disasters have left us with anything worth examining is remarkable, but it is quite astonishing that according to published figures of the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, in Catalonia alone there are over 2000 churches, castles and fortified houses which are either totally Romanesque or have Romanesque features. Frescoes, illuminated manuscripts, sculptures, woodcarvings and painted wooden panels may also be added to this list, making Pyrenean Spain a unique treasure house of 10-13C Art. We are all indebted to the work carried out throughout this century by the Spanish Authorities in preserving this unique heritage, and where it was not possible to preserve the buildings themselves, whole interiors have been reproduced in museums where original frescoes of the 10-13C are displayed.
The 'Museum of Catalan Art in Barcelona is acknowledged to have the finest collection of Romanesque Art in the world, and museums in Gerona, Vic, Solsona, Le Seu d'Urgel and Jaca also have important Romanesque artefacts. However, it must not be forgotten that it is in the small towns and villages themselves that many Romanesque churches are to be found with their Lombard bell-towers and apses; often constructed of fine ashlar, and sometimes with 12C sculpture. The beautiful locations, even spectacular sites, and the difficulty of even reaching many of the villages in the mountains, makes the search for these Romanesque buildings, some over 1,000 years old, a rewarding task.
Although the Pyrenees form a natural barrier between France and Spain, the modern frontier between these two countries only approximates to the line of the watershed. Notable exceptions to this are the Aran Valley and Andorra, both remote mountain regions within living memory, the former still delightfully unspoilt. In the 11-12C the boundary lines were very different, France and Spain as we now know did not exist, and it is with this in mind that one should explore the Romanesque architecture of the valleys.
In these regions of the Pyrenees there lie encapsulated within its churches; with all their diversity, the history, aspirations and way of life of the inhabitants. Many of the routes through the mountains linking remote communities are known to have existed since ancient times, some are still only tracks, whilst others have become well-known, and now carry roads between France and Spain. Three tunnels have been built this century to facilitate communications.
(1) The Vielha tunnel linking Vielha in the Valley of Aran to El Pont de Suert, south of the peak of the Maladeta. (2) The Bielsa tunnel between St-Lary-Soulan in France, and the Spanish town of Bielsa. (3) The Cadi tunnel beneath the Sierra del Cadi, which considerably shortens the route between Puigcerda and Barcelona. But despite these modern inroads into the serenity of the mountains, there remain valleys, which have changed little, if at all, in a thousand years.
The last fifty years or so have seen the development of the motorcar. A long period without a war in Europe, and the consequent rise in tourism has led to the improvement of the roads. Previous isolation has meant that within these mountains and their foothills there remain the ancient valley communities, largely undeveloped still, whose populations have tended to remain static throughout the centuries.
This situation now seems to be changing, with their economies improved by visitors who want to relax in the tranquillity of the Pyrenees.
In consequence of past history and the nature of the terrain, there remain many examples of Romanesque church architecture which it was neither necessary to alter, nor difficult to maintain. These churches form a remarkable and fascinating record of 11-12C architecture, and the purpose of this book is to introduce its readers to some of the more important architectural treasures of the region by looking into the valleys of the Spanish Pyrenees, and also through the foothills to the south into the alluvial plain of the river Ebro. This is the large area, which was Reconquered by Christian forces by the end of the 12C, being then part of the kingdoms of Navarre and Aragon, and a large part of the now autonomous region of Catalonia.
INTRODUCTION – CHAPTER 2
HISTORICAL INFLUENCES ON ARCHITECTURE
Two developments, one at each end of the mountain chain of the Pyrenees was of paramount importance in the 11-12C. That in the east was used during the Crusades to the Holy Land of the ancient trade routes from Provence through Lombardy to Byzantium. The other, in the west, was the influence of the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and the Reconquest of Spain from the domination of the Moors. At the same time the expansion of monasticism in France influenced the whole of the Pyrenean lands. The old Visigothic churches, which had not previously been destroyed by the invading Moors, were almost all swept away, and the new Romanesque styles symbolised a new beginning for the second millennium.
The lands freed from the Moors were available for the Benedictines and their offshoots, principally the Cluniacs, Cistercians, Augustinians, and Premonstratensions, to establish their monasteries. Examples of foundations of importance which still exist in Spain were the monastery of San Salvador at Leyre (then Cluniac), the cathedrals at Jaca, Seu d'Urgel, Ripoll, and Gerona, and the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes (Benedictine). The monasteries of St-Martin-du-Canigou, and St-Michel-de-Cuxa then within the territory of the Count of Barcelona, also had very great influence on the development of the Catalan-Romanesque style of architecture. Although now in France, these former monasteries are still essentially Catalan-Romanesque.
The variation on the Romanesque theme which exist in both the humblest churches to the wealthy monastic-churches and cathedrals, are a fascinating- study, and within these pages I have attempted to give some idea of the variety and scope of Romanesque architecture in the Pyrenean lands.
Firstly some definition must be given of the term Romanesque in this context, since it will be appreciated that the style cannot sensibly be confined within the limitations imposed by the 200 years of the 11-12C. The time taken for new building methods to reach the more remote areas also makes dating an unreliable yardstick of the style, which in any case evolved during these centuries. Delays in construction may have also resulted in a church planned and started as 'pure' Romanesque being completed with Transitional, and even Gothic elements, which it would be foolish to ignore. I have, therefore, included examples, which are Romanesque in spirit, even though they may have only been completed in the 13C.
The word Romanesque means 'Roman-like' and the round arch of Roman invention features prominently. In this book we are concerned with buildings, (principally churches) in the region, which became known as the Spanish March during the 11-13C, but Romanesque architecture throughout Europe has many common characteristics. As the 12C progressed, arches began to be pointed at their apex, and these styles are termed 'Transitional', as they developed into the high-pointed arches of the later 'Gothic' style.
It should be noted that the term 'Gothic' has nothing whatever to do with the Goths, it was adopted in the l8C as a derogatory term during the period of 'Renaissance’ started in l4C Italy, when master-builders and architects turned to the Classical models for inspiration.
Within a somewhat elastic framework depending on the location within Europe, the generally accepted dating for the Romanesque architectural style is taken as' being during the 10-12C, with its flowering during the early years of the 12C. Towards the end of the 12C and in the early years of the l3C a Transitional style can be identified, and whilst the dividing lines between Romanesque-Transitional - Gothic do tend to be somewhat blurred, the use of the term Transitional is quite indicative of the style, whatever the actual date.
INTRODUCTION – CHAPTER 3
FEATURES OF ROMANESQUE CHURCHES IN THE PYRENEAN REGIONS
Without doubt it was in Catalonia that the greatest drive in the building of churches took place in 11-12C Spain. So important are the works then produced that they occupy a unique place in the history of architecture, and give rise to a distinct School of Catalan-Romanesque Art. However, the western Pyrenees should not be ignored, for it is here that French influence was the greatest, largely due to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and this blended with Moorish traditions to produce some very fine architectural works.
The recognisable elements of Romanesque church-building in the regions of the Pyrenees, may be taken to be: (a) The round-headed arch originated by the Romans (hence-Romanesque), and used extensively both structurally and in doorways and window openings. (b) The bell-towers. (c) The apses. (d) The prominence often given to the principal portal. (e) The use of elaborate corbel-tables and/or Lombard banding. (f) The inclusion of sculptured capitals. The interpretation of some or all of these elements in a particular place depended on its importance, the size and wealth of the community, and other similar factors. Thus a picture may be built up of the communities, which were served by a particular church.