The Plan of St. Gall a study of the architecture & economy of & life in a paradigmatic Carolingian monastery |
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PREFACE |
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The Plan of St. Gall | ||
PREFACE
THE PLAN AND
ITS BUILDINGS: A PRELIMINARY ORIENTATION
THE PLAN OF ST. GALL is one of the principal
treasures of the library of the former monastery of St. Gall
in Switzerland (Stiftsbibliothek, Ms. 1092) where it has
been since the ninth century. A large sheet of vellum
(30½ × 44 inches; 77 × 112 cm.) sewn together from five
separate pieces, it exhibits on the smooth side the outlines,
drawn in red ink, of all the buildings required for the life
and work of an exemplary Carolingian monastery. The
drawings are annotated by a wealth of explanatory titles
written in brown ink which define the purpose of each
structure, the function of its individual rooms, and the
nature of its furnishings. The style of the script discloses
that the Plan was made in the scriptorium of the monastery
of Reichenau.
In addition to its descriptive legends the Plan is provided
with a dedicatory note or letter of transmittal explaining the
circumstances that led to the creation of the Plan. From this
letter we can infer that the Plan was drawn up at the request
of Abbot Gozbert, who presided over the monastery of
St. Gall from 816 to 836. We are well informed by other
historical sources that Gozbert rebuilt the church of the
monastery of St. Gall during the last six years of his abbacy
(830-836) and appears to have intended to reconstruct the
monastery in its entirety. The Plan obviously was made to
serve as guide in this project.
The author of the Plan, to judge by the tenor of his letter
of transmittal, was a churchman of higher rank than Abbot
Gozbert. His name is not revealed in the letter, but the
fact that the Plan was drawn in the monastery of Reichenau
suggests that it was Haito, bishop of Basel, from 803-823,
and for most of that period (806-823) simultaneously
abbot of the monastery of Reichenau.
The wording of the dedicatory note, plus a variety of
technical details, make it clear that the Plan was not an
original but a copy made by tracing. Nothing is known
about the conditions that gave rise to the prototype plan:
however, the paradigmatic nature of the scheme suggests
that it was a product of the monastic reform that flourished
under the reign of Louis the Pious, and reached its climax
in two synods held in his palace at Aachen in 816 and 817
by the leading bishops and abbots of the empire. The
primary purpose of this reform was to establish universally
binding rules for the spiritual and temporal conduct of
monastic life. The scheme shown on the Plan aimed in the
same manner at the establishment of a guiding rule that
could be followed in the architectural layout of a monastic
settlement.
The Plan of St. Gall reveals that at the time of Louis
the Pious the layout of the buildings required for such a
settlement had already reached its classical medieval form—
a form that it retained with only minor variation to the very
close of the Middle Ages. Not every monastery subsequently
built comprised all the buildings shown on the
Plan, but the Plan contained every building that one could
expect in a prototypic medieval monastery.
The nucleus of this aggregate of dwellings and workshops
is the great monastery Church whose imposing bulk rises
dramatically above that of any other building in the settlement.
western apses, and two detached circular towers. In front
of the Church there is a semicircular atrium with a covered
gallery and porches for the screening of visitors (No. 1, f,
g, h) and behind it, at the eastern end, there is another
open atrium for the use of the novices and the sick. A
double-storied lean-to (No. 1, a) built against the Church
in the corner between the northern transept arm and the
fore choir contains the monks' Scriptorium on the ground
level and the Library above. In the corresponding space on
the southern side of the Church there is a similar annex
(No. 1, b) with the Sacristy on the ground floor, and, above
it, the room for the liturgical vestments. From the Sacristy
a crank-shaped passage leads to an annex for the preparation
of the holy oil and holy bread (No. 2).
Attached to the southern flank of the Church are the
buildings of the monks (Nos. 3-9). These are ranged along
the perimeter of a large cloister yard and are connected
with each other by arcaded galleries. Together they form a
complete enclosure separating the living quarters of the
monks from the areas in which the serfs and the guests are
housed. The east side of the cloister yard is taken up by a
double-storied building (No. 3) that contains on the
ground floor the Monks' Warming Room, and above it,
their Dormitory. A passage on the south end of the
Dormitory leads to the Monks' Privy (No. 4). On ground
level a second passage connects the Warming Room with
the Monks' Laundry and Bathhouse (No. 5). The southern
side of the Cloister is occupied by another double-storied
building (No. 6) that contains on the ground floor the
Monks' Refectory, and above it, their Vestiary. From the
west end of the Refectory a crank-shaped passage leads into
the Monks' Kitchen (No. 8). The south end of the Kitchen
is, in turn, connected by a long passage with the Monks'
Bake and Brew House (No. 9), which lies outside the
claustral compound. On the west side of the Cloister yard
there is a third two-storied building (No. 7), with the
Monks' Cellar on the ground floor and the monastery's
Larder above. Between this building and the Church is the
Monks' Parlor (No. 1, j). It is here that the brothers are
permitted to meet with visiting relatives and friends, and
where the ritual of the washing of the feet is held.
Likewise reserved for monastic use exclusively are the
houses for the novices and the sick. They form two separate
conventual settlements (No. 17), each complete in itself,
one attached to the south, the other to the north side of a
double chapel that lies in the eastern prolongation of the
principal church. Each has a cloister surrounded by a full
complement of living facilities, the layout of which repeats
on a smaller scale the layout of the claustrum of the regular
monks. Two small detached buildings (Nos. 18 and 19)
contain their baths and kitchens.
The House of the Physicians (No. 16) stands north of the
Infirmary. It contains, in addition to the doctor's own
quarters, a ward for those who suffer from acute illness and
a small pharmaceutical storeroom. East of the physician's
house there is a small medicinal herb garden (No. Z) and
west of it the House for Bloodletting and Purging (No. 15).
On the other side of the group of buildings that contain
the Novitiate and the Infirmary there is the Monks'
Cemetery (No. Y), which also serves as an orchard.
To the north of the Church, in a tract of land that is
clearly outside the claustral precinct and forms a transitional
zone between the monastic and the secular world,
there are the Abbot's House (No. 13) and the Outer School
(No. 12). The Abbot's House consists of a principal building,
which is his residence (No. 13), and an annex (No. 14)
with the Abbot's kitchen, cellar, and bath. The Outer
School (No. 12) is the place where secular youths and the
future clerics are housed and trained.
To either side of the western end of the Church, in
suitable proximity to the road that gives access to the
settlement, are the monastery's two principal facilities for
the reception of visitors, viz., to the north the elaborately
furnished House for Distinguished Guests (No. 11),
primarily used for the accommodation of the Emperor and
his court, and to the south the more modest Hospice for
Pilgrims and Paupers (No. 31). Each of these establishments
is provided with its own annex, supplying space for
cooking, baking and brewing (Nos. 10 and 32). The vassals
and knights who travel in the Emperor's following find
accommodations in a building of unusually large dimensions,
located in a large plot of land in the northwestern
corner of the monastery site (No. 34). This building
unfortunately was erased, together with its explanatory
titles, in the twelfth century by a monk who superimposed
upon this area of the Plan the last three paragraphs of the
Life of St. Martin, the bulk of which he had written on the
back of the Plan. Next to this building, on the southern
side of the entrance road is a house for Visiting Servants
from the monastery's outlying estates and for the Servants
Travelling with the Emperor's Court (No. 38). A third
facility for visitors, the Lodging for Visiting Monks, is
installed in a lean-to built against the northern aisle of the
Church, contiguous with the transept (No. 1, c). A
continuation of that lean-to toward the west contains the
Lodging of the Master of the Outer School (No. 1, d) and
the Porter's Lodging (No. 1, e). A similar lean-to built
against the southern aisle of the Church, west of the
Monks' Parlor (No. 1, j), contains the Lodging of
(No. 1, i).
The remaining tracts of land to the east, south, and west
of the Church and Claustrum are occupied by the houses
for the serfs and servants who are in charge of the monastery's
economic, industrial, and agricultural operations.
South of the Cemetery in the eastern sector of the
monastery is the House of the Gardener (No. 20) and the
Monks' Vegetable Garden (No. X). Still farther south, in
the southernmost portion of this tract, is the House
of the Fowlkeepers (No. 22) and two circular enclosures,
one for chickens (No. 23) and the other for geese (No. 21).
Next to them, moving from east to west, in the large
rectangular tract that lies to the south of the claustral block,
there follow in sequence first, the large monastic Granary
(No. 24) with its cross-shaped threshing floor; next, a
building of even larger dimensions, the Great Collective
Workshop with living quarters for the shoemakers,
saddlers, cutlers, shieldmakers, turners, and curriers (No.
25) and an annex, in which the goldsmiths, blacksmiths,
and fullers are installed (No. 26). Still farther west there
is the Monks' Bake and Brew House (No. 9) and to the
south of this, three smaller square buildings house the
Mill (No. 27), the Mortar (No. 28), and the Drying Kiln
(No. 29). Between the latter and the Hospice for Pilgrims
and Paupers is a large rectangular building containing
workshops and living quarters for the coopers and wheelwrights,
as well as a small granary for the storing and
threshing of the grain used by the brewers (No. 30).
West of this there is an even larger rectangular structure
for the horses and oxen and their keepers (No. 33). What
is left of the large rectangular tract to the west of the
Church is entirely reserved for the care of the monastery's
livestock. It includes a House for Sheep and Shepherds
(No. 35), a House for Goats and Goatherds (No. 36), a
House for Cows and Cowherds (No. 37), a House for
Swine and Swineherds (No. 39), and a House for Brood
Mares and Foals and Their Keepers (No. 40). All of these
houses are carefully fenced off from each other and from
the adjoining sectors of the monastery.
One of the great limitations of the Plan of St. Gall is that
with only a few exceptions it confines itself to rendering the
buildings in linear ground projection. It tells nothing about
the elevation of the buildings and their method of construction.
To settle the problem of their three-dimensional
appearance in visual and constructional terms is one of the
primary goals of this study.
W.H.
STAINED GLASS, MONASTERY OF LORSCH
ix century
Darmstadt Landesmuseum
H. 31cm, w. 28cm
Plan of St. Gall with buildings identified by numbers and keyed to
trilingual index. Building numbers of the Plan correspond to building
numbers referred to in the preceding text and throughout this work.
Illustration of the Plan shown in red is 0.25 times the original. See also,
caption for Plan that accompanies "Catalogue of Explanatory
Titles," Volume III, Appendix I, page 13.
The dotted black outline represents the boundary of the parchment
on which the Plan is drawn. The original parchment has a
dimension of 44 inches between positions marked by asterisks.
INDEX TO BUILDING NUMBERS OF PLAN
VERZEICHNIS DER GEBÄUDENUMMERN IM PLAN
INDEX DE LA NUMÉROTATION DES ÉDIFICES DU PLAN
1. Church
Kirche
Église
a. Scriptorium below, Library above
Schreibstube im Erdgeschoss, Bibliothek im Obergeschoss
Scriptorium au rez-de-chaussée, bibliothèque à l'étage
b. Sacristy below, Vestry above
Sakristei im Erdgeschoss, Kammer für die liturgischen
Gewänder im ObergeschossSacristie au rez-de-chaussée, vestiaire à l'étage
c. Lodging for Visiting Monks
Wohnung für durchreisende Ordensbrüder
Logis pour les moines de passage
d. Lodging of Master of the Outer School
Wohnung des Vorstehers der Äusseren Schule
Logis du maître de l'école extérieure
e. Porter's Lodging
Wohnung des Pförtners
Logis du portier
f. Porch giving access to House for Distinguished Guests
and to Outer SchoolZugangshalle zum Haus für die vornehmen Gäste und zur
Äusseren SchuleVestibule d'accès à l'hôtellerie des visiteurs de marque et
à l'école extérieureg. Porch for reception of all visitors
Empfangshalle für alle Besucher des Klosters
Vestibule d'entrée pour tous les visiteurs du monastère
h. Porch giving access to Hospice for Pilgrims and Paupers
and to servants' and workmen's quartersZugangshalle zum Pilger- und Armenhaus und zu den
WirtschaftsgebäudenVestibule d'accès à l'hospice des pauvres et aux communs
i. Lodging of Master of the Hospice for Pilgrims and
PaupersWohnung des Verwalters des Pilger- und Armenhauses
Logis du maître de l'hospice des pauvres
j. Monks' Parlor
Sprechraum der Mönche
Parloir des moines
k. Tower of St. Michael
Turm des hl. Michael
Tour Saint Michel
l. Tower of St. Gabriel
Turm des hl. Gabriel
Tour Saint Gabriel
2. Annex for Preparation of Holy Bread and Holy Oil
Zubereitungsraum des heiligen Brotes und Öles
Annexe pour la préparation du pain et de l'huile sacrés
3. Monks' Dormitory above, Warming Room below
Schlafsaal der Mönche im Obergeschoss, Wärmeraum
im ErdgeschossDortoir des moines à l'étage, chauffoir en-dessous
4. Monks' Privy
Abtritt der Mönche
Latrine des moines
5. Monks' Laundry and Bathhouse
Bade- und Waschraum der Mönche
Bain et buanderie des moines
6. Monks' Refectory below, Vestiary above
Speisesaal der Mönche im Erdgeschoss, Kleiderraum
im ObergeschossRéfectoire des moines au rez-de-chaussée, garde-robe
à l'étage
INDEX TO PLAN: VERZEICHNIS ZUM PLAN: INDEX DU PLAN
7. Monks' Cellar below, Larder above
Wein- und Bierkeller der Mönche im Erdgeschoss,
Voratskammer im ObergeschossCellier des moines au rez-de-chaussée, garde-manger
à l'étage8. Monks' Kitchen
Küche der Mönche
Cuisine des moines
9. Monks' Bake and Brew House
Bäckerei und Brauerei der Mönche
Boulangerie et brasserie des moines
10. Kitchen, Bake, and Brew House for Distinguished
GuestsKüche, Bäckerei und Brauerei für die vornehmen
GästeCuisine, cellier, boulangerie et brasserie des visiteurs
de marque11. House for Distinguished Guests
Haus für vornehme Gäste
Hôtellerie des visiteurs de marque
12. Outer School
Äussere Schule
École extérieure
13. Abbot's House
Abtshaus
Maison de l'Abbé
14. Abbot's Kitchen, Cellar, and Bathhouse
Küche, Keller und Badhaus des Abtes
Cuisine, cellier et bain de l'Abbé
15. House for Bloodletting
Aderlasshaus
Local pour les saignées et purgations
16. House of the Physicians
Ärtztehaus
Maison des médecins
17. Novitiate and Infirmary
Noviziat und Krankenhaus
Couvent des novices et infirmerie
a. Chapel for the Novices
Kapelle für die Novizen
Chapelle des novices
b. Chapel for the Sick
Kapelle für die Kranken
Chapelle des malades
c. Cloister of the Novices
Kloster der Növizen
Cloître des Novices
d. Cloister of the Sick
Kloster der Kranken
Cloître des malades
18. Kitchen and Bath for the Sick
Küche und Bad des Krankenhauses
Cuisine et bain de l'infirmerie
19. Kitchen and Bath for the Novices
Küche und Bad des Noviziats
Cuisine et bain du couvent des novices
20. House of the Gardener
Gärtnerwohnung
Maison du jardinier
21. Goosehouse
Gänsehaus
Enclos pour les oies
22. House of the Fowlkeepers
Haus der Hühner- und Gänsewärter
Maison des gardiens du poulailler et des oies
23. Henhouse
Hühnerhaus
Poulailler
24. Granary
Kornscheune
Grenier
25. Great Collective Workshop
Haupthaus der Werkleute
Ateliers et logis des artisans
26. Annex of Great Collective Workshop
Nebenhaus der Werkleute
Annexe du logis des artisans
27. Mill
Mühle
Moulin
28. Mortar
Stampfe
Mortiers
29. Drying Kiln
Darre
Four à sécher les fruits et le grain.
30. House of Coopers and Wheelwrights, and Brewers'
GranaryKüferei, Drechslerei, und Getreidehaus für die Brauer
Maison des tonneliers et charrons, et aire de battage
du grain pour la brasserie31. Hospice for Pilgrims and Paupers
Pilger- und Armenhaus
Hospice des pèlerins et des pauvres
32. Kitchen, Bake, and Brew House for Pilgrims and
PaupersKüche, Bäckerei und Brauerei für die Pilger
Cuisine, boulangerie et brasserie des pèlerins et des
pauvres33. House for Horses and Oxen and Their Keepers
Haus für Pferde und Ochsen und ihrer Wärter
Étable à boeufs, écurie et logement des bouviers et
palefreniers34. House for the Vassals and Knights who travel in the
Emperor's Following (identification not certain)Haus für des Kaisers Gefolgschaft (Identifizierung
nich gesichert)Maison pour la suite de l'empereur (identification
incertaine)35. House for Sheep and Shepherds
Haus für die Schafe und Schafhirten
Bergerie et logements des bergers
36. House for Goats and Goatherds
Haus für die Ziegen und Ziegenhirten
Étable aux chèvres et logement des chevriers
37. House for Cows and Cowherds
Haus für die Kühe und Kuhhirten
Étable aux vaches et logement des vachers
38. House for Servants of Outlying Estates and for
Servants Traveling with the Emperor's Court
(not certain, cf. No. 34)Haus für die Knechte von abliegenden Besitzungen
und für Knechte in der Gefolgschaft des Kaisers
(unsicher, cf. No. 34)Maison des domestiques de ferme et des serviteurs
faisant partie de la suite de l'empereur (incertain,
cf. No. 34)39. House for Swine and Swineherds
Haus für die Schweine und Schweinehirten
Porcherie et logement des porchers
40. House for Brood Mares and Foals and Their Keepers
Haus für die trächtige Stuten und Füllen und ihrer
WärterÉcurie des juments et poulains et logement des
palefreniersW. Monks' Cloister Yard
Klostergarten der Mönche
Cloître des moines
X. Monks' Vegetable Garden
Gemüsegarten der Mönche
Jardin des moines
Y. Monks' Cemetery and Orchard
Friedhof und Obstgarten
Cimetière et verger
Z. Medicinal Herb Garden
Garten für Heilkräuter
Jardin médicinal
SILVER COIN. ABOUT 804
Phillip Grierson Collection, Cambridge
The Plan of St. Gall | ||