AP Art History : Romanesque Architecture

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Art History

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #852 : Ap Art History

Semi-circular arches from the first millenneum CE are a common feature of European churches in the style of architecture known as __________.

Possible Answers:

Gothic

Romanesque

Classical

Byzantine

Correct answer:

Romanesque

Explanation:

Romanesque churches dominated European architecture from sometime in the mid-to-late first millennium CE until about 1200. Romanesque churches were massive stone edifices that were marked out by having their doors and windows constructed out of simple semi-circular arches. Romanesque architecture was largely supplanted by the much more ornate and imposing Gothic style in the late Middle Ages.

Example Question #853 : Ap Art History

The sides of a door or window frame, often decorated with sculpture in medieval churches, is called a _____________.

Possible Answers:

tympanum

jamb

cornice

portal

Correct answer:

jamb

Explanation:

The side of a window frame or doorway in a medieval church is called a jamb. In medieval churches, the portal (or entrance way) often was elaborated with decorative sculpture on every available surface, including the jamb and the tympanum, the semi-circular or triangular wall space over a door.

Example Question #1 : Answering Other Questions About Romanesque Architecture

Of the following choices, which is a recognizable aspect of Romanesque architecture?

Possible Answers:

Ribbed vaults

Flying buttresses

Rounded arches

Stained glass windows

Correct answer:

Rounded arches

Explanation:

Rounded arches are perhaps the most recognizable feature of Romanesque architecture-not only because they are recognizably "Roman-like" and are similar to the rounded architectural forms found on classical Roman ruins, but also because they stand in stark contrast to the pointed arches of Gothic architecture.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors