Buildings in North Spain/Portugal between 7th and 11th Century

[NurgleHH]

Hello,
maybe someone here can help me. I searched the web for pictures of spanish and portuguese buildings between 7th and 11th Century for Crescent&Cross. But I had problems to find some.

Later Centuries are no problem, but earlier is problematic. Maybe someone has some websites...

Thank you

[rumacara]

This is a subject that its not so simple to deal with.
Information is very scarse.
Lets see if this helps.

On the 7th to 9th centuries most of Spain and Portugal had a germanic influence on its architecture appart from the arabic one.
Both countries suffered invasion/occupation from the germanic peoples (Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, etc) so the buildings would have a similarity to those used in germania, perhaps with more stone buildings, available in the Iberian peninsula.
From the 10th century on, a more French/Burgundian influence would be present.
If you search for main buildings like the ones used by the church and small and medium castles you will find in google but the peasants houses you wont so you have to use common sense and go for a mix of stone and thatch or wood and thatch with some areas using clay and thatch.
Although not found some scholars think that we may have had some influence on the normans in building some norman type chateaux à motte specially in the north of Spain and Portugal.

I can advise the following books:
Editions Heimdal - La Vie Quotidienne au XIeme siecle.

It deals more with normans but it has a lot of usefull information.

Editions Histoire & Collections - The lIfe of a Knight 1171-1252

Lots of information on the medieval people and its life.

Both books are full of pictures from reenactors and many structures alike.

[NurgleHH]

Thank you, this helps much. I will look for the book, saw some nice buildings this year visiting the north of portugal. Only the military museum in the castle in Braganca was very small.

[rumacara]

Well, if you visit Portugal again do please send me a pm so that we take a beer and talk a little.

If i find more suitable information i will post here or pm you.

If you go for military structures do choose small castles (more square types) and small watch towers on high places or close to river crossings. Those where the type of defenses during the reconquista.

[NurgleHH]

My girlfriend is portugues and my daughter half. So maybe next year again, but we are little bit tired about family-holiday in the north. So next year porto again or lisboa.
Maybe you now this small village - Puebla de Sanabria - near the border in spain? I think you mean this kind of village.

Going to the top was a little bit like reenacting a warhammer fantasy roleplay. Great. 

[rumacara]

Unfortunatelly i dont know that vilage. Its near Valencia do Minho? Or close to Ciudad Rodrigo?
You have some very cool vilages in Asturias and Galicia wich gives you some nice ideas for scenarios.
An idea for your vacations next year is to travel to the north of Spain (interior) by car and stop whenever you wish and can.
I live in Lisboa but i´m from the middle of the country (Coimbra - Arganil).

If you search for the vilage of Monsanto (close to Castelo Branco) you get an idea of a medieval vilage plus a bonus of a templar castle. Many of the houses where built in the rocks. A place/area of Portugal to visit.

[NurgleHH]

An idea for your vacations next year is to travel to the north of Spain (interior) by car and stop whenever you wish and can.

Made it 3 years ago. Based in the north (Braganca) we travelled several times to the north (spain). Very nice area. But next year we want to come to the "middle". Porto is very nice, simular to Hamburg. I should go to lisboa, never saw it.

Hope to find some ideas of early middleage in the middle.

[rumacara]

Can you read portuguese?
If so do try to get the following book.

Editor - Esquilo
Reconquista Cristã - Pedro Gomes Barbosa

Its about the reconquista during the origins of Portugal from the IX century to the XII.
Best read about the reconquista for me.
You have very few illustrations and photos but a must have book about the subject.
All in there. Political, social, religious, military reasons, tactics, defensive and offensive tactics, force sizes and battles/squirmishes fought. Weapons used, areas of most strategic importance.
Most important of all a book well searched and written.

[NurgleHH]

Sorry, it is not enough for reading portugues. Had the problem in the military museum. They had some nice book, but only in portugues. Nothing in english or german.
In the moment I'm looking for architectual books, but it is hard to find something.

[rumacara]

I have the same problem here.
What it may help us are some archeological books and theses.
I faced the same problem with celtiberian houses and i did find some drawings and descriptions.

[NurgleHH]

That is bad, but so I know I was not wrong. Look in the net for pictures. The big buildings are easy to find (church, castles), but simple buildings for the normal people is hard to find.

[rumacara]

Indeed. The only ones easy to find are the dark ages normans, saxons and vikings.
If you have info regarding the ones used by the visigoths, goths, vandals take some ideas from them for the 7th and 8th centuries. They shouldnt be so diferent.

[Turbo-Ben]

Hey Nurgle,

I will check the Bib when I'm back at uni but I will need some time.
I will not be there till the end of September but if you are still interested then I will tell you what I found.

[Atheling]

Italeri do a few kits that are 1/72 or 1/76 (I forget which) that might be of some use?

Darrell.

[NurgleHH]

Hey Nurgle,

I will check the Bib when I'm back at uni but I will need some time.
I will not be there till the end of September but if you are still interested then I will tell you what I found.

Yes Ben, I will be interested. I bought some Biblical at the tactica at warlord. They are nice (only the double tactics of warlord isn't nice - 8 miniatures but 4x2). So I need some fitting buildings. A zigurat is planned, but this will be the masterpiece.