Abstract

 

For the first time, the present thesis "Saalbauten und Burgen im Reich der Staufer" (Halls in castles of the Hohenstaufen empire) presents a comprehensive description of the hall as the main representative building of a castle. The author focussed on the empire of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, who held the mightiest empire north of the Alps during the Middle Ages. Her most important goal was to find an exact definition for the main building of a castle, and criteria which would distinguish it from other buildings, e.g. the dwelling-houses and dwelling-towers, for in this matter there exists as yet no consensus.

The thesis consists of two parts: the first is mainly a description of the typology, construction principles and furnishing of the hall and its different storeys. The position of the hall in the castle buildings, the division of its storeys, the differentiation of the rooms and the accessibility through stairs is examined under a typological aspect. This is followed by an analysis of the construction and furnishing of the single storeys, e.g. their ceilings, pillars, partitions, fireplaces, floorings and colours, and finally a comparative description of the façades, window types, space structuring and furnishing of the hall. The second part contains a catalogue of 28 examples from different regions of the Hohenstaufen empire, chosen from several hundreds well-known castles, according to the author’s specific definition and their degree of conservation.

Some of the main questions to be answered by this thesis were:

  1. •What exactly is a hall and which are its origins?

  2. •Where is it positioned in the complex of a medieval castle, and what are its relations to other buildings?

  3. •What are the typological, constructive and formal principles of hall architecture?

  4. •How was the hall furnished, and what can be deduced from this as to its original function and use?

To simplify comparison, large plans are provided, representing ground plans, façades and windows of the different halls on an identical scale. Additionally, there are many illustrations, drawings and photos.