Walls design and construction during the first gothic of Córdoba

Abstract

The first Christian Churches of Córdoba constitute a homogeneous set, which was started up during a short period of time at the end of the XIIIth century. These facts make them an ideal set of buildings to study their typical constructive solutions, among which the wall systems are of outstanding importance. Using grand stonework, they are built adapting the Christian techniques from the North of the Iberian Peninsula to the local traditions and they make use of the available Islamic stones. This fact influenced the stonework, by the alternate positioning of the stones, one longitudinally and the next transversally. Nevertheless, the wall was gothic of three parts, with two stone walls, and an inner filling. This constructive system, together with the foundation characteristics, the mortar used, or the possible use of the measuring stick of Burgos as the measure unit, are the reflection of a new way of building in the city, and show evidence of the possible intervention of castillian stonemasons. The dimensional analysis of the architectural set allows the detection of the underlying logic and coherence in the assignment of the wall widths. There is graduation among them according to their circumstances and their positions within the building, as well as dimensional coincidences among the different buildings for the same type of wall. All of these show evidence of preestablished rules, probably very easy. Finally, the objective knowledge of all these aspects contribute interesting data about the building process, that frequently prioritizes the apses; and also, in almost destroyed buildings like the S. Andrés Church, it is possible to elaborate rigorous hypothesis for its reconstruction.