La orientación de las iglesias románicas en la Península Ibérica

Juan Pérez Valcárcel; Victoria Pérez Palmero

doi:10.3989/aem.2019.49.2.14

Authors

Juan Pérez Valcárcel Universidad de A Coruña https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6440-5432
Victoria Pérez Palmero Universidad de A Coruña https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3364-5580

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/aem.2019.49.2.14

Keywords:

Romanesque churches, church orientation, sunrise, orientation measurement, symbolic orientations, functional orientations

Abstract

Pre-Romanesque churches in Hispania (Spain and Portugal) generally face east, but very significant deviations can sometimes be observed. In contrast, almost all Romanesque churches in Hispania are oriented towards the east with deviations that vary from possible positions of the sunrise in only a very few cases. Only in the Late Middle Ages do Gothic churches appear with clearly different orientations. However, most are not oriented towards precise geographical east, but can display variations of more than 30 degrees north and south. This is precisely the variation in the position of sunrise in the course of the year, and it allows us to calculate the particular day when they were laid out within a few days. This article will attempt to define what the criteria used were and if that day had any symbolic, liturgical or functional significance. The measurement system required for an accurate determination of the day and the factors to be taken into account in the calculation to achieve the appropriate precision are also analysed. The conclusions of the study are also included.

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