Editing Medieval architecture (section)

==Functions==
===Religious architecture===
{{Further|Architecture of cathedrals and great churches|Gothic cathedrals and churches}}
[[File:Santa María La Blanca ^ sinagoga en TOLEDO - panoramio edited.jpg|thumb|The [[synagogue of Santa María la Blanca]], Toledo, built {{Circa|1200}} and later converted into a Catholic church.]]
Many surviving medieval buildings originally served a religious purpose. The architecture of the buildings depended on the religion it served, the region it was located in, and the styles during the time. For example, mosques often had [[History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes|domes]], whereas churches usually had bell towers. Although some examples of medieval [[Historic synagogues#Europe|synagogues]] and [[List of the oldest mosques#Europe|mosques]] survive, particularly in Spain, Christian churches and monasteries are the most common survival throughout Europe.

A number of different types of medieval church survive: parish churches, such as in [[Medieval parish churches of York|York]]; cathedral churches; such as across [[Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England|England]]; and abbey churches, such as across [[List of English abbeys, priories and friaries serving as parish churches|England]]. Most surviving churches are [[Gothic cathedrals and churches|in the Gothic style]], and share a number of features — stained glass, vaulting, buttresses, and an altar at the east end. Churches usually took the [[Cruciform|shape of a cross]], with a [[nave]], [[chancel]], [[Transept|transepts]] and [[Aisle|aisles]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bucher |first=François |date=1972 |title=Medieval Architectural Design Methods, 800-1560 |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.2307/766593 |journal=Gesta |language=en |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=37–51 |doi=10.2307/766593 |issn=0016-920X |jstor=766593|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Churches often had reliquaries to display precious relics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bonser |first=Wilfrid |date=1962 |title=The Cult of Relics in the Middle Ages |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1258503 |journal=Folklore |volume=73 |issue=4 |pages=234–256 |issn=0015-587X |jstor=1258503}}</ref> Their design often had religious symbolism, such as [[Sunday Christ]] paintings and biblical narratives in stained glass.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Alexander |first=Jonathan J. G. |date=1993 |title=Iconography and Ideology: Uncovering Social Meanings in Western Medieval Christian Art |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23923571 |journal=Studies in Iconography |volume=15 |pages=1–44 |issn=0148-1029 |jstor=23923571}}</ref> The surviving churches are almost entirely made out of stone.

===Military architecture===
[[File:Zolyomcivertanlegi1.jpg|thumb|[[Zvolen Castle]] in [[Slovakia]] strongly inspired by Italian castles of the fourteenth century]]
{{Further|Medieval fortification|Castle}}
[[File:Motte & Bailey.svg|thumb|A diagram of a [[Motte-and-bailey castle|Motte and Bailey Castle]] ]]
Surviving examples of medieval [[Secularity|secular]] architecture mainly served for defense, these include [[Fortification|forts]], [[castle]]s, [[tower house]]s, and [[Defensive wall|fortified walls]]. Fortifications were built during the Middle Ages to display the power of the lords of the land and reassure common folk in their protection of property and livelihood. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Warner |first=Philip |title=The medieval castle: life in a fortress in peace and war |date=1971 |publisher=Taplinger Pub. Co |isbn=978-0-8008-5186-6 |location=New York}}</ref>In the early Middle Ages, fortifications were made from wood and earth, these were called [[Motte-and-bailey castle|Motte and bailey castles]]. These consist of a [[stockade]] or [[palisade]] surrounding an enclosed courtyard and man-made mound. This fortification acted as a passive obstacle that potential enemies would have to face to attack the civilization. However, this method of fortification had its downside including being vulnerable to fires so more methods of fortification were created.

Military architecture began to start being created with stone in the [[11th century]], it was also used to indicate wealth and power of the area protected with it. Stone was much more durable and was fireproof. They also began to adopt the use of cylindrical ground plans. There were many benefits to a cylindrical shape, it reduced blindspots, they were more resistant.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kaufmann |first1=Joseph Erich |title=The Medieval fortress: castles, forts and walled cities of the Middle Age |last2=Kaufmann |first2=Hanna Wanda |date=2001 |publisher=Combined Publishing |isbn=978-1-58097-062-4 |location=Conshohocken (Pa.)}}</ref> Some examples of cylindrical fortifications are the [[gate tower]]s at [[Harlech Castle]] and the [[Mende, France|Tour des Pénitents.]]

Medieval Fortifications also displayed many different defensive elements including, [[Hoarding (castle)|hoardings]], loopholes or crosslets, and [[moat]]s. Hoarding and loopholes were both beneficial for the [[Archery|archers]] or missile throwers, allowing them to see their targets better. Windows gained a cross-shape for more than decorative purposes, they provided a perfect fit for a [[crossbow]]man to shoot invaders from inside safely. [[Moat]]s were used as a defensive mechanism for keeping attackers further away from the fort, while most were kept dry, moats were much more effective when wet.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Oulmas |first1=Mohand |last2=Abdessemed-Foufa |first2=Amina |last3=Avilés |first3=Angel Benigno Gonzalez |last4=Conesa |first4=José Ignacio Pagán |date=January 2024 |title=Assessing the Defensibility of Medieval Fortresses on the Mediterranean Coast: A Study of Algerian and Spanish Territories |journal=ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |language=en |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=2 |doi=10.3390/ijgi13010002 |doi-access=free |issn=2220-9964|hdl=10045/139477 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

===Civic architecture===
{{Main article|Romanesque secular and domestic architecture|Gothic secular and domestic architecture}}
While much of the surviving medieval architecture is either religious or military, examples of civic and even domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe. Examples include [[manor house]]s, [[town hall]]s, [[almshouse]]s and bridges, but also residential houses. Walled towns were constructed across Europe, including in [[Austrian walled towns|Austria]].
The Civic landscape of Europe was built up of the crown, the church, [[Guild|guilds]], [[Mayor|mayors]], and the elite. It was also largely running off of ceremonies that connected these relationships. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Hanawalt |first=Barbara |title=Ceremony and civility: civic culture in late medieval London |date=2017 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-049043-0 |location=New York, NY}}</ref> The examples of the civic architecture mentioned in the last paragraph were mostly owned by the elite or government buildings. For example, [[Manor house|manor houses]] were owned by [[Bishop|bishops]] and located closely in relation to churches. These buildings, due to their higher class ownership, were more large in scale with elements that displayed wealth. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Thompson |first=Michael W. |title=Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales |date=2018 |publisher=Routledge Taylor & Francis Group |isbn=978-0-429-45084-6 |edition=Reissued |location=Abingdon New York,NY}}</ref> They also provide an insight into the social history of the area it sits in through its architecture due to them adapting throughout the years to accommodate what the owner needed most. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Luengas-Carreño |first1=D. |last2=Crespo de Antonio |first2=M. |last3=Sánchez-Beitia |first3=S. |date=2020-07-24 |title=Typological Study and Cataloguing of Late Medieval Manor Houses of the Basque Country (Spain) |url=https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLIV-M-1-2020/65/2020/ |journal=The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences |language=English |volume=XLIV-M-1-2020 |pages=65–71 |doi=10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIV-M-1-2020-65-2020 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020ISPAr44M1...65L |issn=1682-1750}}</ref> Majority of these buildings were made of stone while some were also wood framed. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Barley |first=Maurice W. |date=January 1988 |title=Nottinghamshire Medieval Manor Houses. |url=https://www.brepolsonline.net/doi/10.1484/J.NMS.3.163 |journal=Nottingham Medieval Studies |language=en |volume=32 |pages=165–175 |doi=10.1484/J.NMS.3.163 |issn=0078-2122|url-access=subscription }}</ref>