Visigothic art and architecture

The Visigoths entered Hispania (modern Spain and Portugal) in 415 and they rose to be the dominant people there until the Umayyad conquest of Hispania of 711 brought their kingdom to an end.

Chapel of São Frutuoso in Braga, Portugal
Church of San Juan Bautista in Baños de Cerrato (province of Palencia)
Visigoths remains in the Crypt of San Antolín of the cathedral of Palencia
Ruins of Basilica of Santa María de Batres in Carranque (province of Toledo)

This period in Iberian art is dominated by their style. Visigothic art is generally considered in the English-speaking world to be a strain of Migration art, while the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking worlds generally classify it as Pre-Romanesque.

Branches of Visigothic art include their architecture, crafts (especially jewellery), and their script.

Visigothic architecture

The only remaining examples of Visigothic architecture from the 6th century are the church of San Cugat del Vallés in Barcelona, the hermitage and church of Santa Maria de Lara in Burgos, Saint Frutuoso Chapel in (Braga), the church of São Gião in (Nazaré) and the few remnants of the church at Cabeza de Griego, Cuenca. However, their style developed over the next centuries, though the prime remaining examples of it are mostly rural and often run-down. Some of the characteristics of their architecture are:

  • Generally basilican in layout, sometimes a Greek cross plan or, more rarely, a combination of the two. The spaces are highly compartmentalised.
  • Horseshoe arches without keystones.
  • A rectangular, exterior apse.
  • Use of columns and pillars with Corinthian capitals of unique design.
  • Barrel vaults with cupolas at the crosses.
  • Walls of ashlar blocks, occasionally alternating with Roman brickwork.
  • Decoration commonly of animal or plant motifs.

Examples include:

See also

References
  1. "Group of Mozarabic buildings on the Iberian Peninsula". Retrieved 2019-06-15.
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