A Medieval House from Street Level

Title

A Medieval House from Street Level

Description

The beautiful late medieval house at this site retains features that demonstrate the fundamental style of medieval architecture, although later construction has decreased their prominence. The dual arches, filled by a later added material, are representative of the surface view of medieval houses. These would have provided the main entrance to the house from the road, now replaced by two wooden doors inset in the arches. The use of a column as a supporting element is also a feature of this period. The portico created by these arches, when coupled with similar porticoes at other houses along the street, might have created a continuous portico allowing cover for passersby. The multiple stories of this house are accurate to its medieval incarnation: the ground floor of medieval houses might have been used as a shop or workspace, with upper floors reserved for residential purposes. Oftentimes, skinny facades meant that buildings were more developed in depth. Altogether, the row house template seen in the house would have been a common staple of the abitato of medieval Rome.

Abstract

The beautiful late medieval house at this site retains features that demonstrate the fundamental style of medieval architecture, although later construction has decreased their prominence.

Creator

Ben White (2017)

Source

Krautheimer, Richard. Rome : Profile of a City, 312-1308. Princeton, N.J. , Chichester: Princeton University Press, 2000.

Identifier

medievalhouse_2015

Spatial Coverage

Arco della Pace 10/11, Roma RM

Description

The beautiful late medieval house at this site retains features that demonstrate the fundamental style of medieval architecture, although later construction has decreased their prominence. The dual arches, filled by a later added material, are representative of the surface view of medieval houses. These would have provided the main entrance to the house from the road, now replaced by two wooden doors inset in the arches. The use of a column as a supporting element is also a feature of this period. The portico created by these arches, when coupled with similar porticoes at other houses along the street, might have created a continuous portico allowing cover for passersby. The multiple stories of this house are accurate to its medieval incarnation: the ground floor of medieval houses might have been used as a shop or workspace, with upper floors reserved for residential purposes. Oftentimes, skinny facades meant that buildings were more developed in depth. Altogether, the row house template seen in the house would have been a common staple of the abitato of medieval Rome.

Creator

Ben White (2017)

Source

Krautheimer, Richard. Rome : Profile of a City, 312-1308. Princeton, N.J. , Chichester: Princeton University Press, 2000.

Geolocation