Norman Architecture vs Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque was influenced by Norman Architecture — draws on the heavy, fortress-like Norman branch for its squat proportions and robust towers.
Norman Architecture
The robust Romanesque the Normans built across England, Normandy, and Sicily — vast, fortress-like cathedrals and keeps with round arches and bold, incised ornament.
- Massive cylindrical piers and thick walls
- Round arches and twin-towered west fronts
- Geometric chevron (zigzag) and billet mouldings
- Small windows and dim, powerful interiors
- The rectangular stone castle keep
Richardsonian Romanesque
A muscular American revival of Romanesque forms — heavy rusticated stone, broad round arches, and powerful massing — named for architect H. H. Richardson.
- Rough-faced, rusticated ashlar stonework conveying massive weight
- Wide semicircular Romanesque arches over doors, windows, and arcades
- Squat, polished colonettes with cushion or foliated capitals
- Heavy clustered massing anchored by a round, conical-roofed tower
- Deep window reveals and contrasting bands of colored stone
At a glance
| Norman Architecture | Richardsonian Romanesque | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 11th–12th century | 1870–1900 |
| Discipline | Architecture | Architecture |
| Region | England, Normandy, Sicily | United States, Canada |
| Family | Medieval, Romanesque | Victorian, Revival |
| Formal traits | round-arch, massive, fortified | rusticated, round-arch, massive, towered |
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