Description
Book SynopsisTransylvania has some of the most valuable monuments of medieval architecture in Europe. The oldest church was built in the 10th century, but most others came into being only after 1200. Later changes have considerably modified the appearance of still-standing buildings. Written sources are lacking for answers to questions about the identity of the builders and patrons. Countering the idea that only standing structures can reflect the history of medieval churches in Transylvania, this book uses archaeological sources in order to answer some of those questions and to bring to light the hidden past of many monuments.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Maps and Figures Introduction Part 1: Resources and Historical Background 1 Resources 1.1 The Heritage 1.2 Historiographical Overview 1.3 The Archaeological Record: Excavations and Publications 1.4 Summary of the Chapter 2 Introduction to the Historical and Administrative Background 2.1 General Historical Background 2.2 Administration 2.3 Religious Organization 2.4 Summary of the Chapter Part 2: Shaping the Religious Landscape 3 Christianisation and the Emergence of Religious Architecture 3.1 General Background 3.2 Preliminaries to Early Religious Architecture 3.3 Cemeteries and Churches 3.4 Summary of the Chapter 4 The Formative Period: Byzantine and Romanesque Churches before 1200 4.1 Byzantine Style Churches 4.2 A Glimpse into the Beginnings of Catholic Architecture 4.3 Summary of the Chapter 5 The Major Religious Site of Alba Iulia 5.1 General Historical Background 5.2 The Rotunda 5.3 The Pillared Church (10th–11th Centuries) 5.4 The First Roman-Catholic Cathedral (11th–12th Centuries) 5.5 The Second, St Michael Cathedral 5.6 Summary of the Chapter Part 3: The Catholic Churches 6 The Shaping of the Religious Landscape: Mid-12th Century – Early 14th Century 6.1 General Background 6.2 Stylistic Considerations and Heritage 6.3 The Single-Nave Church in Eastern Transylvania 6.4 Romanesque Basilicas in the Saxon Colonization Area 6.5 Round-Planned Churches 6.6 Summary of the Chapter 7 The Romanesque-Gothic Architecture: Cistercian Gothic 7.1 The Cistercian Monastery in Cârța 7.2 The Spread of Early Gothic: General Considerations 7.3 Ground Plan Considerations 7.4 Summary of the Chapter 8 Gothic Architecture up to Mid-15th Century 8.1 General Historical Background 8.2 Making the Gothic Churches 8.3 Summary of the Chapter 9 The Major Religious Site of Sibiu 9.1 General Historical Background and Religious Heritage 9.2 The Parish Site 9.3 Small Churches and Other Features within the Parish Site 9.4 Summary of the Chapter 10 The Fortified Churches 10.1 General Considerations 10.2 The Emergence and Development of Fortified Churches 10.3 General Planimetric Considerations 10.4 The Fortress 10.5 Building, Living, and Fighting within the Cemetery: The Impact of the Fortress on the Religious Site 10.6 Summary of the Chapter Part 4: The Orthodox Churches 11 The Archaeology of Orthodox Churches 11.1 General Consideration and the State-of-the-Art 11.2 Early Development: Social and Cultural Context 11.3 Architectural Features 11.4 Church Construction Sites: Craftsmen, Materials, Technical Features 11.5 Lights and Shadows: Looking to the Interior 11.6 Summary of the Chapter 12 Conclusions Bibliography Index
