Brick Romanesque 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 to Central Europe. Structures in other regions are not described as Brick 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. On 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 churches), which were constructed of glacial erratics and rubble. Such rounded stones limit the potential size of a building; the material 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 of brick building.
Import of technique and style Already in the antique Roman Empire huge brick buildings had been erected north of the Alps, but present-day Denmark and present-day northern Germany east of Elbe River never had been part of that empire, and west of the Elbe its rule had been too short to build more than some military camps. Even in the northern Roman provinces, the techniques of building in brick were forgotten with the decay of the empire.
But in Langobardia Major, northern Italy, there was a continuity of building in bricks from late Antiquity to early Middle Ages. In Early Lombard Romanesque style, technique and shapes, later on, typical for the Baltic Sea were already completely developed. During the 12th century, Northern Germany and Denmark, at that time the major power of North Sea and Baltic Sea, imported the techniques and many elements of style from the Padan Region.RDK-Labor: digitized text of Reallexikon zur Deutschen Kunstgeschichte (1937), Backsteinbau by Otto Stiehl (chapters I–III) and Hans Wentzel (chapters IV–VI)
St. John's Church (Sankt-Johannis-Kirche) in Oldenburg (Holstein) is considered to be the oldest brick church in Northern Europe. The first monumental churches were and Lübeck Cathedral, both begun shortly after 1160 under Henry the Lion. Lübeck Cathedral was later converted into a Gothic hall church (1266 to 1335). Jerichow Monastery with its convent church of which construction started in 1148 played an influential role for the brick architecture in the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For Scandinavia, the stylistically independent Roskilde Cathedral, started in the 1170s and used as the burial church for Danish monarchs, is of special importance. The last flourish and the transition to the Gothic style is marked by the Cistercian Lehnin Abbey in the Margraviate of Brandenburg.
Denmark Place Building Main period of construction Special featuresImageKalundborgChurch of Our Ladycirca 1170–1200central structure on Greek cross plan; central tower and 4 side towers of nearly the same height Ledøjecirca 1225 Nyborg Nyborg Castle about 1170 mid 13th century to 1416 main residence of the Kings of Denmark RingstedSt. Benedictbuilt 1163–1170one of the earliest brick churches in Northern Europe, basilicaRoskildeCathedralmainly 1170–1280UNESCO World Heritage Site, burial church of Danish monarchsSorøAbbeyafter 1161former Cistercian basilica
Germany
West of Weser River Place Building Main period of construction Special featuresImage (Großefehn, East Frisia) Bassum begun in Romanesque, completed in Gothic style, hall church (incorporated to Leer, East Frisia) 1st quarter of 13th century (Weser estuary) choir in the 11./12th century begun in cubes of granite and completed in brick, nave and tower (13th century) completely of brick Bücken (Weser) stone building of the 11th century enlarged in brick in the 13th century Bunde (East Frisia) about 1200 begun in Romanesque style Canum (Krummhörn) 2nd half of the 13th century (Rheiderland) early or mid 13th century Dunum (Esens, East Frisia) 1200–1220 Emden about 1200 Romanesque, later enlarged in Gothic style, 1943 completely destroyed by bombs, new building in 1948/49 (Wilhelmshaven) about 1250 Romano-Gothic, tower added in 1875 Freepsum (Krummhörn) about 1260 (Stadland) 1263 Northern wall mixed with fieldstone, choir newer Hage (East Frisia) 1220 (Syke) early 13th century Hinte (East Frisia) Bell house of the 13th century Romanesque bell house, late Gothic nave (Rheiderland) 1st half of 13th century (Großefehn, East Frisia) (a parish of Weyhe) tower about 1250 nave in 1906 replaced by a Gothic Revival one (Rheiderland) early or middle 13th century nave about 1840 very much altered Norden (East Frisia) 1200–1220 or 1230–1250 Western part of the nave Romanesque, Gothic enlargement (transept and choir) Pilsum (Krummhörn) 13th century Sengwarden (Wilhelmshaven) about 1250 gothified in the 15th century (Großefehn, East Frisia) Suurhusen (Hinte, East Frisia) nave mid 13th century, later a bit altered, (leaning) tower built about 1450, but in Romanesque style Victorbur (Südbrookmerland, East Frisia) 1st half of 13th century aisleless church Wiegboldsbur (Südbrookmerland, East Frisia) about 1250 Bad Zwischenahn in the 12th century begun in fieldstone, afterwards cubes of granite, then Romanesqueer brick building, then Brick Gothic has an adjacent western tower and an isolated belfry
Between Weser and Elbe Place Building Main period of construction Special featuresImageAnhalt Castle (near Harzgerode) 1123 and 1147Ascan hill castle, only little relics Arendsee 1184–1240, consecrated already in 1208 Beuster Collegiate church (Stiftskirche) 12th c. (choir completed in 1172) Blockland, Bremen tower 13th century Romano-Gothic, nave remodeled in 1743 to very moderate Baroque Diesdorf 1161–1220late Romanesque near Behrendorf probably late 12th century Königsmark probably 12th century originally a basilica Village Church tower Romanesque, nave altered to Gothic Mandelsloh (incorporatedto Neustadt am Rübenberge) 1180basilica of brick with a tower of boulers (incorporated to Dessau-Roßlau) consecrated 1198originally triple-aisled basilica. Side aisles demolished in the 17th century. Southernmost Brick Romanesque in Central Germany. Osterholz-Scharmbeck 1185–1197 later converted to a Gothic hall church, large alterations in 18th c. Salzwedel 13th c. basilica Verden tower of since c. 1160 Gothic nave of sandstone, else Brick Gothic onset in the mid 12th century tower and chancel Romanesque, nave GothicWittingen about 1250 nave romanesque, tower & choir Gothic
East of Elbe River Place Building Main period of construction Special featuresImageAltenkirchenbegun probably about 1185near previous Slavic cult place of the god Svantevit on Cape ArkonaAltenkrempe1190 to 1240Bad SegebergBergen auf Rügen Eutin 1180s to early 13th century GadebuschLate Romanesque, begun about 1220JerichowJerichow Monastery1148–1172former Premonstratensian collegiate church, oldest brick structure East of the Elbe RiverLehninLehnin Abbeycirca 1185–1235, altered up to 1260LübeckCathedral1163–1230Romanesque nave, Gothic choirLübow1st half 13th centurypossibly residential church of nearby Mecklenburg Castle (Wust-Fischbeck)circa 1200Möllnearly 13th centurybasilicaNeubukowdouble-naved hall churchNeuklosterSt. Mary's, church of before 1227Oldenburg (Holstein)mainly built 1156–1160oldest brick church in Northern EuropeRatzeburgmainly 1160–1220oldest fully preserved brick church east of ElbeRehnaLate Romanesquesingle-naved monastery churchRiesebycirca 1220/1230Sagard 1210choir replaced at about 1400 and tower added at about 1500 in Gothic styleSchaprode1st half 13th centurySchlagsdorf1st half 13th centurySchleswigSchleswig Cathedral1134 – c. 1200built of granite, tufa and brick; Gothic additions 1275-1300; tower 20th centurySchönhausenconsecrated 1212 Bad Segeberg Vietlübbe (near Dragun)early 13th centuryLatin cross plan Wustcirca 1200tower added in the 18th century
Poland Place Building Main period of construction Special featuresImageInowrocław St. Mary's Church12th and 13th centurybrick towersKamień Pomorski after 1175 to 1250Kołbacz Abbeybegun shortly after 1200former Cistercian basilicaLublin Lublin Castle Donjon 12th centuryupper parts in brick, lower in limestoneOliwa Abbey after 1178 former Cistercian MonasteryPłock Płock Cathedral1130–1144rebuilt several timesPoznań Church of Saint John of Jerusalem outside the wallsc. 1187one of the first brick-built churches in Poland Sandomierz Church of St. Jacob 13th centuryStrzelno Holy Trinity Church 12th century – 1216brick parts 15th or 16th centuryRomanesque and brick, but no Romanesque brick: the Romanesque original parts, erected since before 1133, are of red graniteŚwięta Katarzyna Wąchock Wąchock Abbey after 1179brick and sandstoneWrocław about 1220–1230 probably before the Battle of Legnica
Sweden Place Building Main period of construction Special featuresImageVinslövconsecrated 1192oldest brick building in present-day South Sweden (then Danish)LinköpingCathedral1230 onwardstook 250 years to build, so most visible parts Gothic
Bibliography Wolf Karge: Romanische Kirchen im Ostseeraum. Rostock, Hinstorff 1996 (in German).
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