Portuguese Romanesque architecture

The Old Cathedral of Coimbra with its fortress like appearance and battlemented. The two central openings are deeply recessed.

The Romanesque style of architecture was introduced in Portugal between the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century. In general, Portuguese cathedrals have a heavy, fortress-like appearance, with crenellations and few decorative elements apart from portals and windows. Portuguese Romanesque cathedrals were later extensively modified, among others the Old Cathedral of Coimbra, although it only had some minor changes.[1]

Chronological and geographical distribution of Romanesque buildings in Portugal are intimately connected with the territorial organization emerging from the Reconquista, being the fundamental reason for the differences between a locally influenced artistical phenomenon in the North of the country and a more "international" kind in buildings like Coimbra and Lisbon cathedrals.[2] Romanesque architecture first developed in Minho and Douro regions (with Braga Cathedral being its reference) spreading later southwards to Coimbra. It is in the rural areas of the northwest and center regions that Romanesque buildings are more concentrated, being more dense in the margins of rivers Douro and Mondego.[3]

The famous round church (rotunda) of the Convent of Christ was built in the second half of the 12th century. Like some other templar churches throughout Europe, was modelled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
  1. ^ Yarwood, Doreen (2010-06-01). A Chronology of Western Architecture. Courier Corporation. ISBN 9780486476483.
  2. ^ "Primeiras Impressões sobre a Arquitectura Românica Portuguesa" (PDF). Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto. Carlos Alberto Ferreira de Almeida. 2001.
  3. ^ "ARQUITECTURA ROMÂNICA E GÓTICA NO MINHO" (PDF). Repositório da Universidade do Minho. Paula Bessa.