Romanesque architecture in the Czech Republic is the first stage of architectural development on the Czech territory with preserved buildings. From the previous, Great Moravian phase, only archaeological finds have survived. In the period of the Romanesque style, the first stone structures were built in the Czech Republic, especially the churches and monastery buildings, and the first castles and city buildings (fortifications, houses) at the end of the period. The Romanesque architecture was built on the Czech territory from the end of the 9th century until the middle of the 13th century, when the Gothic style gradually began to be promoted.

First Buildings (10th Century)
At the end of the 9th century and the 10th century, the first stone structures were built, of which only a few remnants were preserved, often hidden under later reconstructions.

After the baptism of Prince Bořivoj, the Premyslid leader († 889) in Moravia, the Premyslids built the first stone churches in their settlements. They continued to develop the architectural tradition of large-Moravian buildings – the common form was the rotunda with apse. The oldest stone building in Bohemia was the Church of Sts. Kliment on the Left Hradec, after the transfer of the Premyslid’s residence to the Prague Castle, then the Church of the Virgin Mary. At the Prague Castle there were two other buildings of the churches.

The first was the Basilica of Sts. Jiří, completed in 921, the first larger stone building in the castle. The rotunda of St. He welcomes four apses on the ground plan of the cross.

Outside of the Prague Castle, the first churches were built on the Vysehrad Castle (not preserved – St. Jan Evangelist’s Rotunda, St. Clement’s Church, St. Lawrence’s Basilica), Starý Plzenec (St. Peter’s Rotunda, still standing) and Staré Boleslav unspoiled church of St. Cosmas and Damian). From this period also comes the rotunda of St. Peter and Paul at the fortified settlement in Budch, the oldest preserved building on the Czech territory (later built with a tower); close to this rotunda there are the foundations of another building from the same period, the Church of Our Lady.

Major Slavs belonged to important families of the 10th century (to the killing of the Premyslid in 995). Also at their headquarters in Libica, the first church was founded in the years 962-995 ; unlike the Premyslid territories, they did not take over the large-Moravian influences, no rotunda is known from their territory.

Between 973 and 976, a bishopric was established in Prague. The first bishop was Sas Dietmar I., thanks to which the first German architectural influences came to the Czech environment. They were shown during the adaptation of the church of St. He welcomed the Prague Castle, which was promoted to the Bishop and also to the reconstruction of St. Basil’s Cathedral. George, where the house of the Benedictine Lady was set up for unmarried princely daughters.

Domaining of the style (11th century)
During the 11th century, the Romanesque style became familiar with us. An important step is the arrival of the Benedictines, the first monastic order on the Czech territory. There are mainly monumental buildings (basilicas, monasteries), where architectural novels such as crypt, two-layered layout, or a transverse boat appear. By the end of the 11th century there was a gradual development of the domestic architectural tradition, as well as a new group of great-grandchildren, who built their own churches in the conquered territories.

First Monasteries – Benedictines
Already at the end of the 10th century, representatives of the first monastic order, Benedictines, came to us. They build – often in places of abandoned Slavic castles – new monasteries, usually with a monumental monastery church in the form of a triple basilica. The first monastery on the Czech territory is the monastery in Břevnov (founded in 993), whose construction preserved the Romanesque crypt of the basilica (before 1045); as the second monastery in 999 is the Island of Davle (today only the remains of the foundations). In 1032 Oldřich founded a Benedictine monastery in Sázava (a group of monks settled around 1009 around the hermit, the future of St. Prokop), whose first structure has preserved a ground plan (square, with four apses). Other Benedictine monasteries were founded in Opatovice nad Labem (the abbey was promoted in 1086)

Benedictine monasteries also arise in Moravia ; the first monastery in Rajhrad in 1048, the monastery in Hradisko near Olomouc founded in 1078 and the monastery in Třebíč founded in 1101. However, there were no remnants of the early simple monastery basilicas of this period.

Buildings of the Premyslids
Significant, partially preserved buildings were created by the activities of the Přemyslids. At Pražský hrad, the rebuilding of the St. Vitus rotunda, completed in 1039, was fortified by Břetislav I (1034 – 1055). The most important building was the new building of the Episcopal Basilica of Sts. Vitus, Wenceslas and Adalbert (the predecessor of today’s cathedral). Its construction was started in 1060, the holy day was under the rule of Prince Vratislav II. in 1096. It was a monumental three-nave basilica with two choirs (following the example of German buildings, such as the Augsburg Basilica) and the Eastern Cross. The ornamental motifs of north-Italian origin appeared on the site for the first time. At the same time, the construction of the Basilica was carried out by the reconstruction of the Bishop’s Palace, the part of which is still preserved in the neighborhood of the cathedral.

Prince Vratislav II. relocated to frequent disagreements with his brother, Bishop Jaromir, on Vysehrad. Thanks to this, there was a significant construction activity – the fortification, the bridge and the rebuilding of the princely palace were built. Two Romanesque basilicas were also built; basilica sv. Peter and Paul withdrew later reconstructions, from the three-nave basilica of St. Laurel (built according to the Alsace models) has kept a small torso.

Outside of Prague, Břetislav I founded the chapter in Boleslav, where the three-nave basilica of St. Wenceslas (holy of 1046). The church was later rebuilt, apart from the original plan, the Roman crypt was preserved (from the 11th century is the older part of the church, which has four rows of four columns with cubic heads). Prince Spytihnev II. (1055-1061) founded in 1057 the Litoměřice chapter, where the Basilica of St. John the Baptist was built. Stephen (demolished during Baroque rebuilding in the 17th century).

The oldest monuments in Moravia include the St. Catherine (originally the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary), built at the Přemyslid funeral castle in Znojmo ; probably at the end of the 11th century it was enriched by unique painting decoration.

First Men’s Churches
Since the second half of the 11th century, a core of future nobility has begun to form from the group of princes around the prince. Individual grandparents receive from the king to rent the territory on which they build their yards. Among the mostly wooden buildings are new stone churches. In some courtyards there were large basilicas (Litomyšl, Prosek, Sázava – not preserved), but mostly small buildings, which did not differ significantly from older churches; the only new element is the decoration of Romanesque portals. Already in the 11th century, the tribune (according to German designs, in the tower), in which the family of the great-great-grandmothers participated in the western part, often appears.

Most of the churches originated at that time around Prague and Central Bohemia. Examples include St. Longina na Rybníčku (today New Town), rotunda in Krusina (now Pankrác), rotunda in Týnec nad Sázavou (at the preserved castle tower), churches in Hostivař, Dobrichov (sacristy of today’s church), Čáslav (St. Michael’s Church, preserved as a sacristy dean’s church), etc.

The High Stage (12th Century)
The twelfth century is the peak period of the Romanesque style in the Czech lands. Churches, whose network continues to grow strongly (particularly in central Bohemia), are mainly created. In addition, the number of the princes, who at the end of the 12th century assumed ownership of the leased land under Prince Conrad (1092), is a real nobility. In their yards there are often monumental buildings. The expansion of construction activity occurred behind King Vladislav II. (1140-1172) and his contemporaries, Bishop of Prague, Daniel, and Olomouc Bishop Jindřich Zdík. New monastic and knightly orders were proclaimed in the Czech lands – the Premonstratensians, the Johannites, and especially the Cistercians whose monasteries further enriched our architecture and brought new patterns and impulses.

Buildings of the Přemyslids (Sobeslav, Vladislav II.) And bishops
The repairs of the Prague Castle began behind Soběslav (the stone wall with towers, the palace of the castle), but the greatest activity occurred for King Vladislav II. The castle palace was rebuilt according to the pattern of the German jaws; to this day, the Basilica of St. Jiří. Significant buildings were built outside the Prague Castle, especially the first stone bridge in Prague, called by Vladislav’s wife Juditin bridge, with the preserved Lesser Town Bridge Tower (with the Romanesque relief of the promotion of Vladislav II to the King).

In Moravia there were exhibited episcopal mansions at that time. In Olomouc, Jindřich Zdík built a new three-nave basilica of St. Wenceslas (1100-1131), to which he transferred his seat from the (now extinct) church of St. John the Baptist. Petra. The basilica masonry forms the basis of today’s dome; to this day, parts of the Bishop’s Palace have been preserved with beautifully profiled compound windows (Rhine influence). A similar dome at the Brno castle (now Petrov) was later extinct.

Monasteries, New Monastic Orders
At the beginning of the 12th century the building activity of the Benedictine Order continued. In 1115 Prince Vladislav I founded the monastery in Kladruby ; the construction of the monumental three-nave basilica of Our Lady with a transverse ship stretched until 1233 (preserved until today in the sensitive Baroque style of J. Santini). In Ostrova u Davle, a monastery basilica, built after 1180 (today only the foundations), is under way after a fire in 1137. The basilicas of other benedictine monasteries in Teplice (female, founded 1158), Louňovice pod Blaníkem (founded 1159), Postoloprty and Vilémov (Havlíčkobrodsko, founded 1120) were completely destroyed during the Hussite wars.

During the reign of Vladislav II. we have been called with new monastic orders. In 1140 a Premonstratensian monastery was established in Strahov, Prague. There was built a monumental three-nave basilica with a two-bolt facade, a transverse boat in the east and three apses. The building was consecrated in 1182, and many elements have been preserved in Baroque rebuilding to this day. The church, built along the lines of the German Premonstratensian basilica, became a model for many younger buildings. In the same year (1140) the Premonstratensian Monastery in Doksany was founded. In the construction of the local three-nave basilica, the Italian designs for the first time (apse on the sides of the side boat, the tower or dome above the crossing, blind arcades as a division of the wall), architectural sculpture was used. The Doksany Building Works were of great importance in northwest Bohemia, where the so-called # Doksan group of churches (see below) was created under its influence. In 1148 Benedictine Premonstratensians (from 1139) moved to the monastery in Želivi, where they built a magnificent three-nave basilica (now a Gothic building, adapted in Baroque J. Santini).

A tribute basilica with a transverse ship and three apses was built between 1165 and 1182 at Judith Bridge.

In 1142 a Cistercian monastery was founded in Sedlec near Kutná Hora. The Roman basilica of this monastery was later destroyed (the present building is Gothic, with Baroque rebuilding). In 1144, another Cistercian monastery was founded in Plasech, where the three-nave basilica was built between 1154 and 1204 (the disposition and masonry in Baroque rebuilding are preserved today). Only fragments of the building were preserved from the Cistercian monastery in Nepomuk (1142 – 1153).

From the Moravian monastery buildings of the 12th century none were preserved – the basilica in Třebíč, Hradisku near Olomouc (from 1151 premonstratensian, the holy church 1197), Dolní Kounice (female premonstratensian monastery, founded 1181) and Louka near Znojmo (Premonstratensian monastery, founded 1190).

Village Churches
In the 12th century, the number of churches increased considerably; There were several reasons. As part of the church reform, the territory of the Kingdom was divided into separate parishes in which parish churches were founded. There was also the internal colonization of the country, where the desolate territories were settled, the new villages were set up, the cities were established. In addition, the aristocracy was established, which took over the assets that were lent to its property. This has prompted agile construction in many places in the country.

Although most of the manor and village churches of small dimensions, monumental buildings were created in several places. An example is the perfectly preserved Romanesque Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Tismice in Cologne from the end of the 12th century. It is a three-aisled structure with a two-sided facade and three apses in the east, in which the pillars and columns alternate (apparently influenced by the monastery church in Ostrova u Davle).

Among the small buildings there are two distinct types of churches – central buildings (mostly rotunda with apse and tower) and one-nave longitudinal structures. The enrichment of these more or less older types was architectural embossed decoration, absorbed by large contemporary buildings. It focused primarily on the columns under the tribune, the victory arc between the ship and the apse, the external embossment of the walls (lizény, arctic frieze, blind arcades), the division of the windows (larger and often associated, towers usually in two rows of triple windows) and entry portals.

Central Construction
Czech aprons are still being built for the Czech lands, newly enriched by a western prismatic or cylindrical tower, in which a tribune can be inserted. Věžička nad rotundou is fitted with a lantern. The occurrence of rotunda on the territory of Bohemia and Moravia is a peculiarity of this environment, based on the oldest known rotunda on the Great Moravian fortifications ; The question is whether this is a continuity or a renaissance sign.

The most well-preserved buildings of this type include St. Jiří na Řípu (with a cylindrical tower, holy 1126), the church of St. Marí Magdalény in Přední Kopanina (with prismatic tower), rotunda sv. Crosses in Old Town in Prague. Other preserved buildings – the church of St. Martina in Kostelec u Křížků (rotunda with apsidou is presbytery of today’s church), St. Jiří in Hradešín (the rotunda now forms the western part of the ship) etc. In Moravia are known rotunda in Podolí u Jemnice (preserved tower), Šebkovice, Velký Újezd (extinct), Štěpkov, Častohostice, Plaččice, Žďárné u Boskovice.

An extraordinary and unique building is the Church of St. Prokop in Záboří nad Labem. It is a Romanesque palace chapel, domed on both floors on four pillars, with a Romanesque hallway and a unique portal, revealing French influences (later modified in Baroque).

Also in Moravia there were two buildings with unconventional disposition. Church of St. Petra and Pavla in Řeznovice (near Ivančice) is built on the ground plan of a square with three semicircular apses and an octagonal visor above the boat, the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Černvír was also built on the ground plan of the square, with apses in the east and west.

Longitudinal structures
All longitudinal Romanesque churches are more or less the same – the rectangular rectangular ship is adjacent to the half-circle or horseshoe apse in the east, and the prismatic tower on the west. The ship is flat-bottomed, in the west of the ship is a tribune, underneath one or two arches of a cross vault without ribs on pillars or pillars. Access to the tribune is either from a tower or a staircase in wall thickness.

The well-preserved examples of this type of church from this period include, for example, the Church of Our Lady in Mohelnice nad Jizerou, Petra in Poříčí nad Sázavou, the Church of St. Jakub in Jakub near Kutna Hora (with a unique embossed façade decoration), Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary in Plaňany (with Gothic presbytery); the church of St. Martina in Prague-Řepy, the Church of St. Havla in Zbraslav (tower and adjacent part of the ship). Only tiny remains have been preserved from churches in Vinoři (tower), etc.

In Moravia there are preserved churches in Přibyslavice, Bořitov, Lukovany, Újezd u Černé Hory, Červená Lhota, Jakubov, Přeskačích etc.

First castles
Already at the beginning of the 12th century the first castles began to form on the Czech territory. The oldest of our castles is Přimda (reminded in 1124), which preserves the mighty prismatic tower. Important buildings included the construction of the Bishop’s Castle in Roudnice nad Labem (after 1180 according to the French designs, with 7-8 cylindrical towers per perimeter and later completely rebuilt).

Stone Houses
In the twelfth century, the first stone houses in our country were built. They usually have one or three rooms on the ground floor with a vault or a ceiling, or four arrays arched on the central pillar. The floor rooms were flat, the front walls (smooth). Beautiful examples have been preserved in the Old Town of Prague (houses No. 16 and Řetězová 222).

Late style (end of 12th century, first half of 13th century)
At the end of the 12th century there is a struggle for power in the Czech kingdom, there are no strong personalities and new impulses in architecture. Prague is losing its dominant position, the center of gravity of new construction companies moves to the nobility and to the periphery of the country. In addition, during the first half of the 13th century, the new Gothic style began to slowly be promoted.

Monastery Buildings
One of the most valuable Romanesque monuments is the Basilica of the Premonstratensian Monastery in Milevsko from 1184 to 1187 ; the three-lane is similar to the sister building in Strahov, only inside the pillars are replaced by columns. Despite the later rebuilding, the church preserved the Roman character. A number of other monasteries, founded at the end of the 12th century, retained only a few remains (1182 – Johanite Commandments in Manětín and Kadani, before 1184 – the Cistercian Monastery in Mnichovo Hradiště, before 1188 – the Crossroads of the Holy Sepulcher in Prague and the Saints).

On the contrary, in Moravia, the most important monastic structures were built in this period, still preserved to this extent. In the above-mentioned monastery of Louka near Znojmo under the basilica was built a double- crypt with the shape of discontinuous heads of columns, partly preserved apsida the basilica chapel. In 1205, the Cistercian monastery at Velehrad was inhabited from the Monastery in Plase, where the construction of the church began in 1220. From the monumental Basilica of the Virgin Mary, masonry and apses are preserved at the end. During the construction of the monastery church there appeared complete innovations for the Czech environment, especially a six-piece ribbed vault (in the presbytery and shoulders of the transverse ship). Late monastic structures even more characterized dualism – the contemporary use of the Romanesque and Gothic style (see below).

Village Churches
The larger buildings of this period belonged to the Sts. Yilji in Milevsko, from which the tower and the northern part of the ship have been preserved; the combined windows of the tower feature a very fine and plastic decoration, a similar chapel in Cheb’s jaw.

Otherwise, the structures of previously mentioned types continue to be built, the single-tribune churches prevail. Romanic forms are now emerging mainly in the peripheral regions of the country, especially in the northwest and southern Bohemia, and in the Central Bohemia, the activities of the docsaner works. Elsewhere, they do not excel with either number or architectural concepts. The preserved examples of buildings outside the area include, for example, the Church of St. Martina in the wall in Prague.

Churches of Central Bohemia, Doksanská huť
As early as the 12th century, individual buildings were created in the territory of Central Bohemia, created or influenced by the Doksanese works, building the Premonstratensian Monastery in Doksany. The entire group of churches has a complete artistic character, different from other buildings. However, the individual motifs do not develop, they are rather lived and gone. Architectonically interesting solutions are the preserved churches in Poříčí nad Sázavou (with prismatic tower on the sides of the entrance as to the basilica, supported by a crypt) and in Kondraci (with small cylindrical towers on the sides of the entrance, once again the basilica) Other important preserved buildings include churches in Čečelice (with an interesting window pillar), Cítov (with blind arcades and beautiful southern portal), Holubice (rotunda with apse), Kostomlaty pod Řípem (longitudinal with apse), Kyjech u Prahy (longitudinal, with a tower in the width of the boat), Čelákovice, with the portal), Žabonosech (the front part of the ship with the tribune and the portal), Chřenovice (tower and ship with the portal), Hrusice (with a richly decorated portal)

Churches of Northwest Bohemia
The churches of northwest Bohemia form a large, artistically formed group. The relief of the exterior walls and the massive unfolding of the tribune are distinctive. They follow the architecture of Saxon, Frank, and at that time Reich- Cheb.The construction of the monastery church in Teplé (founded in 1193, the holy church of 1232), which has survived the eastern conclusion and the two-floored facade, was a major influence on the group. In this church, for the first time, a new disposition appeared – the atrium (hall) triple-nave, which differ from the basilikes so far by the same height of the main and side boats. In 1192, a Cistercian monastery was established in Mašťov, which was transferred to Osek for a disadvantageous location ; there was a monumental basilica with arched arcades, preserved today in Baroque rebuilding.

From the small buildings of this area are the most important monuments (which are one of the most preserved Romanesque monuments in all). St. Nicholas in Vinci and the Church of St. Nicholas in Potvorov. Until today, they have been preserved in virtually unchanged form, with a richly embellished interior, a distinctive tribune and a beautiful entry portal. Other preserved buildings of this area include the churches in Želkovice (rotunda with lantern), Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou, Vroutka, Údlice (with the blind arcade on the apse), etc.

Churches of South Bohemia, the Strakonic Works
In the 13th century, South Bohemia became a member of the Austrian and German families. There were influences from both the north (Milevsko, Strakonice) and from the south, from the area of the owners. It was of great importance for the area of the establishment of the Jankovit Command in Strakonice, where a complex of buildings was built from 1225. A characteristic feature is the decoration of portals and windows with a berry element. Under the influence of the ironworks, a part of the castle chapel was built at Blatná Castle, as well as churches in Volenice (preserved part of the masonry and southern portal), Chelčice (southern portal), Kvášňovice, Dobrši (part of the masonry and the western portal), Újezdci u Bělčice, Radomyšl (western two arches), etc.

Moravian Tribune Churches, Carpenters
Also in Moravia a number of tribune churches were established, but they did not reach the level of a group of churches from northwestern Bohemia (eg Star Hvězdlice). Under the Austrian influence, a late version developed, churches with an elongated rectangular chancel (already with a cross ribbed vault), supported by corner supporting pillars. These buildings are the most common in South Moravia.

Also under Austrian influence, a specific Moravian Karner structure was created. It was a palatial cemetery chapel, mostly a circular ground plan with a shrine in the upper part, with an apse on the semi-circular, polygonal or bay-shaped. Examples include buildings in Vranov nad Dyjí, Hrádek, Moravské Budějovice, Bítov, Stonařov, Šatov, the Old Town near Uherské Hradiště (on the hexagon floor plan) and elsewhere.

Castles, palaces
Especially in Central Bohemia, castles of various types (with perimeter walls, caves, temporary castles, bergfrit disposition) are being built. Our castles with Romanesque foundations and outside the previously mentioned Přimda and Roudnici include. Hlavačov, Angerbach, Křivoklát, Jivno, Týřov, Zbiroh, Krašov, Loket (the rotunda) and others. In South Bohemia were built castles Zvíkov (since 1234)Jindrichuv Hradec (mentioned in 1220), Landstejn others. The Moravia were built castles Hukvaldy, Lukov, New Castle near Olomouc, Breclav, Jemnice, Mikulov, Znojmo (unpreserved), Veveří, Green Mountain at Pustiměř (bishop, disappeared), castles Bukov, Hrádek near Tasov, Brumov and others.

Interdependence with Gothic, Transient Style
Late Romanesque buildings are beginning to appear new, Gothic elements; while the overall appearance of architecture remains Romanesque. This style is often referred to as Roman-Gothic or Transitional. Typical new features include arched arcs used in windows, portals, or arcades. These features are characterized by monasteries in Předklášteří near Tišnov (1233 – 1239), Žďár nad Sázavou or Oslavany (1225 – 1228).

The most remarkable creation of the Romanesque period is the monastery basilica of St. Prokop in Třebíč. In this building, the most conspicuous is the style of embarrassment and shape disparity. The obsolete ground plan of the South German type with the conservative presbytery (with its unique dividers between the vault fields – French influence) contrasts with modern elements – column gallery, rose window, sculptural decoration. In its time, the architecture of the church influenced a number of smaller, mostly unprotected buildings, such as the younger parts of the Velehrad monastery, the oldest part of the Dominican church in Jihlava or the churches in Třebíč, Horní Újezd, Čáslavice and Měřín (the triple kernel and decorative portal are preserved here).

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