The present volume is a photographic essay on Early Medieval and Romanesque architecture in
Italy and Croatia captured through an architect's eyes. It is intended to highlight and bring
to life those design elements found in Medieval architecture that are unique to the region
rather than to serve as an architectural history narrative. The texts provided describe
specific architectural design strategies or the spatial phenomena that are experienced by
contemporary visitors. Ideally the photographs are what tell the story most vividly.A
conscious decision was made early in the project to include a group of significant monuments of
Medieval building art that have come down to us on the Italian Peninsula the veritable
birthplace of Romanesque architecture. Thus San Miniato al Monte in Florence Sant'Abbondio in
Como and Santa Maria la Nuova in Monreale which are Proto-Romanesque Lombardian and
Sicilian-Norman respectively in style are each considered relevant to this volume and thus
included here. Additionally the Basilica Euphresiana in Porec is also included in order to
encompass the wide arc of Medieval architecture found on the Italian Peninsula and Adriatic
seashore. In the process of culling a dozen or so monuments for this book what became clear
was how diverse the creations of these medieval master builders were despite a limited palette
of material and technique as well as how critical a role the personality and will of patron
clergy played in building these places of worship. The religious fervor of Medieval society
the tenacious drive of patron clerics and the artistic innovations of master builders and
their workshops never cease to amaze us today. Mit dem vorliegenden Band legt der koreanische
Architekt Jong-Soung Kimm den 3. Band seiner Fotoesssay zur romanischen Architektur in Europa
vor. Im Mittelpunkt dieses Bandes steht die frühmittelalterliche und romanische Architektur in
Italien und Kroatien - gesehen mit den Augen eines Architekten. Der Autor will keine
architekturgeschichtliche Abhandlung liefern vielmehr stellt er jene gestalterischen Elemente
heraus die für das Mittelalter einzigartig sind und erweckt diese zum Leben. Die Begleittexte
beschäftigen sich mit den spezifischen Entwurfsstrategien der mittelalterlichen Baumeister und
bestimmten räumlichen Phänomenen die heute Besucher faszinieren.
