Ottonian architecture
Ottonian architecture is an architectural style which evolved during the reign of Emperor Otto the Great. The style was found in Germany and lasted from the mid 10th century until the mid 11th century.[1][2]
History
[edit]Ottonian architecture draws its inspiration from Carolingian and Byzantine architecture.[1][2] Ottonian architecture also draws from Christian art.[3] This style of architecture is an example of a combination of Christian architecture as well as Germanic and Mediterranean styles.[4] So influenced by Carolingian architecture, Otto I even transported marble columns from Italy to use in his churches in Germany. Though it has very similar characteristics to Carolingian architecture, the difference is in the Ottonian architects who used classical elements in state of the art ways to create what is known as Ottonian architecture.[5] Apart from some examples influenced by the octagonal Palatine Chapel at Aachen such as Ottmarsheim (11th century, Alsace) and the apse of the abbey of the Holy Trinity at Essen, religious architecture tends to diverge from the centralised plan. Inspiration though from the Roman basilica remains concurrent, and Ottonian architecture preserves the Carolingian double ended feature with apses at either end of the church.[citation needed]
Ottonian architecture, especially in the creation of churches, are influenced by the Roman basilica. The churches from this era feature long naves and apses.The architectural engineering of their buildings relied heavily on mathematics, which can be seen in how Ottonian structures measurements are calculated by square unit and in how symmetrical the interior and exterior layouts are.[4] A distinct feature of this style are thin strips on the outer walls of buildings made out of stone. This design feature was derived from Italy and Roman architectural styles. This can be especially seen churches from this period and is typically just used as a design feature.[6] Saint Micheal's Church, Hildesheim is one of the rare Ottonian churches that still has its distinctive architectural style.[7] In the Ottonian and Carolingian churches, the use of several altars, transepts, as well as crypts became more prominent.[8] Ottonian architecture plays a role in the rituals of the Holy Roman Empire, such as the coronations of Emperor's.[9] Brother of Otto the Great, Bruno the Great, worked to design, construct as well as reconstruct many buildings in the Ottonian architectural style. For example, churches such as St. Martin, St. Gereon, St. Cecilia, and St. Pantaleon were all projects he had influence and worked on as well as many more.[10]
Function
[edit]Surviving Ottonian architecture reveals the function of the of the construction of these large buildings was primarily religious and governmental.
Ottonian kings, heavily influenced by the rule of Charlemagne and his empire, sought to emphasize the importance of the Christian faith. Beginning with Otto I, they achieved this by unifying their roles both as kings and religious leaders of the time, connecting the previously isolated churches of the prior Saxon rule through generous land grants to the churches.[11][12] The size and setting of these buildings became paramount for their importance as they served to legitimize royal and Christian authority.[13] The ability to gather a large audience to bear witness to the rituals and royal ceremonies of the time increased in importance as Ottonian kings attempted to maintain the grandeur and scale of the Carolingians. This may have lead to the adoption of churches to serve both as a places of worship and gathering halls for official ceremonies.[14]
The architecture of these buildings also facilitated the monastic tradition. Places like St. Michael's Church the under the Bishop Bernward served both as a location for the creation of relics and manuscripts and as a place for the storage of these holy creations.[15] Other cathedral schools, such as the one in Mainz became renowned for their production of illuminated manuscripts, including The Codex Sangallensis 398.[16] Dispite Otto III's personal pilgrimage's to Rome and Aachen, very little documented pilgramages occurred in the years of the Ottonian Dynasty (919-1024).[17] However, locations would receive more visitors when pilgrimage gained popularity in later years.
Examples
[edit]Church at St. Micheal's
[edit]One of the best preserved examples of Ottonian architecture is The Church of St. Micheal located in Hildesheim, Germany. Famously commissioned by Bishop Bernward, construction started in 1010 and was finished by 1033 after Bernard's death. The church had gained fame for housing a number of artworks and reliquaries before they were later moved to the Cathedral at Hildesheim.[18]
Church of Saint Pantaleon
[edit]The Church of Saint Pantaleon was constructed in Cologne, Germany. Originally, in the 9th century the cite of this building was occupied by a small church outside of the city of Cologne.[19] Later, renovations to transform the church would be made by the patron Archbishop Bruno, the younger brother of Otto the Great.[19] This church, connected closely to the Ottonian royal family, served as the burial spot for both Bruno in 965 and the wife of Otto II in 991.[19]
Abbey Church of Gernrode
[edit]The Abbey Church of Gernrode, also known as Saint Cyriakus was commissioned by Margrave Gero. Its architecture differs from many other examples of Ottonian architecture because the corners of the building do not form true right angles.[18] Despite its irregular shape the building maintains the Ottonian standard baslica layout. Other notable features of the church include the 'Lombard' style interior arches which are only stylistic and a flat wooden ceiling.[18]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Curl, James Stevens (2006). A dictionary of architecture and landscape architecture (2 ed.). Oxford [England]; New York: Oxford University Press. Entry: Ottonian Art. ISBN 9780191726484.
- ^ a b "Ottonian". Art & Architecture Thesaurus. Getty Research. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ "Western Architecture - Ottonian Period". Britannica. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Ottonians - Boundless Art History". Lumen. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ "Pre-Romanesque Architecture - Document - Gale in Context: World History".
- ^ Schapiro, Meyer (December 1959). "A Note on the Wall Strips of Saxon Churches". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 18 (4): 123–125. doi:10.2307/987901. JSTOR 987901.
- ^ "St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim".
- ^ Jiménez, Javier Martínez. Remembering and Forgetting the Ancient City. Oxbow Books. pp. 109–136.
- ^ Hause, Melissa Thorson (1992). "A Placed in Sacred History: Coronation Ritual and Architecture in Ottonian Mainz". Journal of Ritual Studies. 6 – via JSTOR.
- ^ Sanderson, Warren (May 1970). "The Sources and Significance of the Ottonian Church of Saint Pantaleon at Cologne". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 29 (2): 83, 84. doi:10.2307/988643. JSTOR 988643.
- ^ Leyser, Karl (1979). Rule and conflict in an early medieval society: Ottonian Saxony. Edward Arnold. ISBN 978-0-7131-6218-9.
- ^ Thompson, James Westfall (April 1918). "Church and State in Mediaeval Germany. II". The American Journal of Theology. 22 (2): 199–232. doi:10.1086/479921. ISSN 1550-3283.
- ^ Hause, Melissa Thorson (1992). "A Place in Sacred History: Coronation Ritual and Architecture in Ottonian Mainz". Journal of Ritual Studies. 6 (1): 133–157. ISSN 0890-1112. JSTOR 44398530.
- ^ Warner, David A. (April 2001). "Ritual and Memory in the Ottonian Reich: The Ceremony of Adventus". Speculum. 76 (2): 255–283. doi:10.2307/2903447. ISSN 0038-7134. JSTOR 2903447.
- ^ "Medieval Treasures from Hildesheim ed. by Peter Barnet, Michael Brandt, and Gerhard Lutz (review)". Parergon. 32 (1): 216–218. 2015. doi:10.1353/pgn.2015.0002. ISSN 1832-8334.
- ^ RodríGuez Viejo, JesúS (April 2019). "The Performative Manuscript: Art, Agency and Public Ritual in Ottonian Mainz". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 70 (2): 229–264. doi:10.1017/S0022046918002646. ISSN 0022-0469.
- ^ Warner, D. A. (2003). Otto III, Emperor (2nd ed.). Gale. p. 715. ISBN 9780787676940.
- ^ a b c Bithell, Jethro, ed. (2019-06-26), "German Architecture and Sculpture", Germany (1 ed.), Routledge, pp. 534–562, doi:10.4324/9780429278044-14, ISBN 978-0-429-27804-4, retrieved 2024-11-18
- ^ a b c Sanderson, Warren (1970). "The Sources and Significance of the Ottonian Church of Saint Pantaleon at Cologne". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 29 (2): 83–96. doi:10.2307/988643. ISSN 0037-9808. JSTOR 988643.
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