Catalan meridional gothic: houses, churches, palaces

From a historiographic point of view, the concept of meridional gothic is usually related to the specific aspects and variations presented by the religious buildings of the south of France, Catalonia and Italy compared to the well known cathedrals of the Île-de France; perhaps, traditionally considered as the highest expression of the European late medieval times buildings construction. More or less defined typologically and formally along the first half of the XX century, the so-called meridional gothic has become an obliged reference as the theoretical frame when it comes to analysing or studying a great part of the architecture identified as gothic.

As a whole, the origin of the concept in itself, especially as a reference and comparison factor related to building and the building solutions of the north of France, has been, somehow, and important obstacle at the time of studying, defining and even understanding architectural proposals and originalities developed (both in project and building techniques) during the XIV and XV centuries —and in the first half of the XVI century— within the territorial frame of the old Aragon Crown; remarkably in Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Isles. In fact, a great part of recent studies and researches in and on gothic buildings in these territories —not only in their religious expressions but also in their civil and domestic expressions as well— have shown an important degree of architectural originality and also the existence of totally different building processes from those of the north. In short, it shows the existence of certain knowledge and building capacity that was deeply rooted and defined from a territory that has its own structural and consolidated tradition, which was capable of using those available materials that were also part of their local building tradition.

This seminar intends to approach these ideas from a polyhedral and inter-disciplinary point of view that covers from the structures to the decorative and constructing finishing, from the formal and building typology to the materials used and why, and how and why our buildings are the way they are.

Attendance is free and limited to the conference room capacity (140 people), so confirmation is required through e-mail to the following address: marius.vendrell@ub.edu