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RE: Villamuriel de Cerrato: church-fortress of Santa María la Mayor

in Architecture+Design3 years ago

Hello @juancar347. Church and fortress architecture - what a fabulous combination! What is also interesting about this historic landmark is you get to witness the architectural transition of its design character from the Romanesque style to eventually the prevailing Gothic signature. I'm also fascinated by the raw stonework visibly encompassing both the exterior and interior ceilings and walls, giving the edifice its special monotone flair. Any idea what type of stone was used for this sacred building dear friend?

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The end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century, the period to which this building belongs, was a decidedly special period, the transition from Romanesque to Gothic, an architectural awakening towards new challenges. I couldn't tell you exactly what type of stone it is, although I would say it is granitic in nature. It is typical of this area, and was already used by the Visigoths, as can be seen in the nearby Visigothic church of San Juan de Baños. Unlike the berroqueña stone, more typical of Ávila and the province, identifiable by its high iron content, which gives it that special and bloody color, many of the temples in this peninsular area use more or less this type of ashlar. Although if you advance a few kilometers to the north, in the direction of Cantabria, you will see that the stone varies, it is more clayey, therefore softer and has a different coloration, more earthy, easily noticeable in temples such as that of Moarves de Ojeda, San Andrés de Arroyo or Santa María de Mave. Thank you very much for your comment and an affectionate greeting.

Oh, that's wonderful! Thank you for the comprehensive response. It's certainly better to take advantage of locally sourced stones rather than import these raw materials from distant locations. It's more economical, plus it saves time and effort as a result. Moreover, these stones also have distinctive colorations depending on where they were collected from while adapting to their natural geography. All the best and happy Wednesday!