Romanesque

The Romanesque period was a time modeled after the Roman period starting with Charles the Great who was the emperor in 800 AD. He encouraged building using the technology of Roman structures as well as preserved and copied Roman literature. The religious movement during this time was strong, over 1500 churches were built between 1000 and 1100. There were three main reasons of the influx of churches being built. First, the movement into towns and cities created a need for more churches. Second, there was a wildly felt relief and thanksgiving that the world had not ended as many had feared, and lastly there was a major increase in pilgrimages giving which led to towns feeling the need to build ever grander churches.

Romanesque architecture is characterized by:

• thick heavy walls to support stone roofing
• a blocky earthbound appearance
• the introduction of radiating chapels
• dark interiors due to massive walls and few windows
• growing sophistication in vaulting - barrel, groin, and ribbed

Ribbed Vault

One of the churches built during this time was the Cathedral Complex in the Pisa, Italy (Piazza dei Miracoli) or more commonly know as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is a basilica planned church that like the Early Christian period, used spolia to create it. 

EC: Why the leaning tower of Pisa leans: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZgC8icFVU