Knotted column
|
| A window of the apse at the Trento Cathedral illustrates a set of knotted columns. |
[edit] Introduction
A column is a structural element that transmits load from above to a supporting structure below. The word ‘column’ is associated in particular with elements that have a central shaft that is round in section.
A knotted column is a stone support that is carved in the shape of two or four columns joined by a knot. The knot in the columns is meant to represent various spiritual messages associated with humanity and its relationship to the Holy Trinity.
[edit] History
This architectural treatment was most frequently used during the Romanesque period, although there is some evidence it was also used during the Byzantine era.
Knotted columns are most commonly found in Northern Italy and other parts of Europe. They are often used as supporting structures on the exterior of buildings and in cloisters, but they can also serve a decorative purpose within the building on freestanding structures.
This type of decorative treatment appears on the pulpit of a Romanesque church located near Arezzo in Tuscany. The same motif appears in the central column of the church’s apse.
|
| The pulpit of the Church of San Pietro di Gropina. |
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.
A carbon case for indigenous slate
UK slate can offer clear embodied carbon advantages.
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.