- Brick Romanesque
Brick Romanesque ( _de. Backsteinromanik) is an architectural style and chronological phase of architectural history. The term described Romanesque buildings built of brick; like the subsequent
Brick Gothic , it is geographically limited toNorthern Germany and theBaltic region . Structures in other regions are not described asBrick Romanesque but as "Romanesque brick-built church" or similar terms.In comparison to Brick Gothic, Brick Romanesque is a less established and less frequently used term. One the one hand, this is caused by the fact that the Baltic region was only beginning to develop its own stylistic identity during the Romanesque period, on the other by the relatively low number of surviving buildings. Many of the major Brick Gothic edifices had Brick Romanesque predecessors, remains of which are often still visible. Nearly all preserved buildings are churches. The buildings contrast with earlier stone-built churches (
Fieldstone church es or "Feldsteinkirchen"), which were constructed ofglacial erratic s andrubble . Such rounded stones limit the potential size of a building; the materail and technique do not permit the construction of structures larger than a village church for static reasons. Monumental constructions only became possible through the growing use and perfection ofbrick building.St. John's Church ("Sankt-Johannis-Kirche") in
Oldenburg (Holstein) is considered to be the oldest brick church inNorthern Europe . The first monumental churches wereRatzeburg cathedral andLübeck Cathedral , both begun shortly after 1160 underHenry the Lion . Lübeck Cathedral was later converted into a Gothichall church (1266 to 1335).Jerichow Abbey with its convent church of which construction started in 1148 played an influential role for the brick architecture in theMargraviate of Brandenburg . ForScandinavia , the stylistically independentRoskilde Cathedral , started in the 1170s and used as the burial church for Danish monarchs, is of special importance. A last flourish and the transition to the Gothic style is marked by theCistercian Lehnin Abbey in the Margraviate of Brandenburg.List of Brick Romanesque churches
Denmark Sweden Bibliography
* Wolf Karge: "Romanische Kirchen im Ostseeraum." Rostock, Hinstorff 1996. ISBN 3-356-00689-4
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