Építés - Építészettudomány
Volume/Issue:
Volume 46: Issue 3-4
Pentagons in medieval architecture
Authors:
Krisztina Fehér Department of History of Architecture and Monument Preservation, BUTE K II. 82, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary

Search for other papers by Krisztina Fehér in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Balázs Halmos Department of History of Architecture and Monument Preservation, BUTE K II. 82, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary

Search for other papers by Balázs Halmos in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Brigitta Szilágyi Department of Geometry, BUTE H. II. 22, Egry József u. 1, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary

Search for other papers by Brigitta Szilágyi in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Pages:
291–318
Online Publication Date:
Sep 2018
Publication Date:
01 Sep 2018
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1556/096.2018.008
Keywords:
pentagon; medieval; architecture; Gothic; geometry; mathematics; ötszög; középkor; építészet; gótika; geometria; matematika
Restricted access

Among regular polygons, the pentagon is considered to be barely used in medieval architectural compositions, due to its odd spatial appearance and difficult method of construction. The pentagon, representing the number five has a rich semantic role in Christian symbolism. Even though the proper way of construction was already invented in the Antiquity, there is no evidence of medieval architects having been aware of this knowledge. Contemporary sources only show approximative construction methods. In the Middle Ages the form has been used in architectural elements such as window traceries, towers and apses. As opposed to the general opinion supposing that this polygon has rarely been used, numerous examples bear record that its application can be considered as rather common. Our paper attempts to give an overview of the different methods architects could have used for regular pentagon construction during the Middle Ages, and the ways of applying the form.

  • Altet 1987 Altet, Xavier Barral I : (dir.) Le Paysage Monumental de la France autour de l’an mil. Colloque International C.N.R.S. Picard, Paris 1987.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Barnes 2009 Barnes, Carl F. : The Portfolio of Villard de Honnecourt. A New Critical Edition and Color Facsimile. Ashgate, 2009.

  • Bechmann 1991 Bechmann, Robert : Villard de Honnecourt. La pensée technique au XIIIe siècle et sa communication. Picard, Paris 1991.

  • Bondurand 1887 Bondurand, Édouard (ed. and tr.) : Le Manuel de Dhuoda. Picard, Paris 1887.

  • Borwein et al. 1997 Borwein, Jonathan – Borwein, Peter – Berggren, J. L.: A Source Book. Springer, 1997.

  • Böker 2005 Böker, Johann Josef : Architektur der Gotik. Bestandskatalog der weltgrößten Sammlung an gotischen Baurissen (Legat Franz Jäger) im Kupferstichkabinett der Akademie der Bildenden Künste Wien; mit einem Anhang über die mittelalterlichen Bauzeichnungen im Wien Museum am Karlsplatz. Anton Pustet, Salzburg 2005.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bucher 1968 Bucher, François : Design in Gothic Architecture: A Preliminary Assessment. Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 27 (1968) 1. 49–71. DOI: 10.2307/988429

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bucher 1976 Bucher, François : Micro-Architecture as the ‘Idea’ of Gothic Theory and Style. Gesta. Essays in Honor of Sumner McKnight Crosby 15 (1976) 1–2. 71–89.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bucher 1979 Bucher, François : Architector. The Lodge Books and Sketchbooks of Medieval Architects. Volume 1. Arabis Books, New York 1979.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Christe et al. 1994 Christe, Yves – Losowska, Hanna – Recht, Roland – Velmans, Tania: Formen und Stile. Christentum. Taschen, Cologne 1994. ISBN 3-8228-8967-9

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Daragó 2015 Daragó, László : Romanesque Churches in Burgundy. Heritage Surveys at the BME Department of History of Architecture and of Monuments 2008–2014. Budapest 2015.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Devlin 2012 Devlin, Keith : The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci’s Arithmetic Revolution. Walker Books 2012. ISBN 978-0802779083

  • George 1933 George, Jean : Les églises de France. Charente. Letouzey et Ané, Paris 1933.

  • Elischer et al. 1941 Elischer, Gyula – Csányi, Károly – Lux, Géza: A mátraverebélyi róm. kat. plébánia-templom. Technika 12 (1941) 5.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Entz 1992 Entz, Géza : Le séjour en Hongrie de Hans Hammer, futur maître d’oeuvre de la cathédrale de Strasbourg. Bulletin de la Cathédrale de Strasbourg 20 (1992) 7–10.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Fehér et el. 2018 Fehér, Krisztina – Szilágyi, Brigitta – Halmos, Balázs: Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Sequence in Pentagonal Constructions of Medieval Architecture. YBL Journal of Built Environment 6 (2018).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Fuchs 1992 Fuchs, François Joseph : Introduction au «Musterbuch» de Hans Hammer. Bulletin de la Cathédrale de Strasbourg 20 (1992) 11–70.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Gervers-Molnár 1972 Gervers-Molnár Vera : A középkori Magyarország rotundái. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1972.

  • Gil-López 2012 Gil-López, Tomás : The Vault of the Chapel of the Presentation in Burgos Cathedral: “Divine Canon? No, Cordovan Proportion” Nexus Network Journal 14 (2012) 1. 177–189.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Goonatilake 1998 Goonatilake, Susantha : Toward a Global Science. Indiana University Press, 1998. ISBN 978-0-253-33388-9

  • Guzsik 1994 Guzsik Tamás : Középkori építészettörténeti ábraanyag, I. II. III. Budapesti Muszaki Egyetem Építészettörténeti és Elméleti Intézet, Budapest 1994.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Gyöngyössy 1995 Gyöngyössy János : Székelyföldi vártemplomok. Budapest 1995.

  • Hahnloser 1972 Hahnloser, Hans R. : Villard de Honnecourt: kritische Gesamtausgabe des Bauhüttenbuches. Akademische Druck und Verlagsanstalt, Graz 1972.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hiscock 2000 Hiscock, Nigel : The Wise Master Builder. Platonic Geometry in Plans of Medieval Abbeys and Cathedrals. Ashgate, 2000.

  • Hoppe 1995 Hoppe László : Az ötszög szerkesztése a középkorban: Hans Hammer ötszögszerkesztése. Építés-Építészettudomány 25 (1995) 1–2. 139–171.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • de Jonge 2014 de Jonge, Krista : Early Modern Netherlandish Artist on Proportion in Architecture, or ’de questien der Simmetrien met redene der Geometrien’. Architectural Histories 2 (2014) 11. 1–23.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Koepf 1969 Koepf, Hans : Die gotischen Planrisse der wiener Sammlungen. Hermann Böhlaus Nachf, Vienna, Cologne, Graz 1969.

  • Koppány 2000 Koppány Tibor : Mátraverebély. Római katolikus templom. (Tájak, korok, múzeumok kiskönyvtára 665.) Budapest 2000.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kurmann 1967 Kurmann, Peter : Saint-Etienne de Meaux d’après Villard de Honnecourt. Bulletin de la société littéraire et historique de la Brie 24 (1967) 5–23.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Marosi 1987 Marosi Erno : Magyarországi muvészet 1330–1470 körül. Volume I. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1987.

  • Meckseper 1983 Meckseper, Cord : Über die Fünfeckkonstruktion bei Villard de Honnecourt und im späteren Mittelalter. Architectura 13 (1983) 31–40.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Nagy 2002 Nagy, Mihály : Typological Considerations on Christian Funerary Buildings in Pannonia. Zalai Múzeum 11 (2002) 7–30.

  • Scriba et al. 2015 Scriba, J. C.–Schreiber, P. : 5000 Years of Geometry. Mathematics in History and Culture. Birkhäuser, 2015. ISBN 978-3-0348-0897-2

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sedlmayr 1992 Sedlmayr János : Két különleges mérmuves ablak a soproni Szent Mihálytemplomon. Muemlékvédelem 36 (1992) 1. 17–22.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sedlmayr 2000 Sedlmayr János : Anjou-kori magyarországi mérmuvek. Muemlékvédelem 44 (2000) 3. 163–170.

  • Sedlmayr 2001a Sedlmayr János : Magyarországi érett gótikus mérmuvek (1380–1460). Muemlékvédelem 45 (2001) 1. 38–43.

  • Sedlmayr 2001b Sedlmayr János : Magyarországi késo gótikus mérmuves ablakok. Muemlékvédelem 45 (2001) 2. 96–102.

  • Shalby 1977 Shalby, Lon R. : Gothic Design Techniques: The Fifteenth-Century Design Booklets of Mathes Roriczer and Hanns Schmuttermayer. Southern Illinois University Press, 1977.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shortell 2002 Shortell, Ellen M. : The Plan of Saint-Quentin: Pentagon and Sqare in the Genesis of High Gothic Design. In: Ad Quadratum. The Practical Application of Geometry in Medieval Architecture. Ed.: Wu, Nancy Y. Ashgate, 2002. 123–148.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sódor 1978a Sódor Alajos : Az építészeti tervezés alaptendenciái a középkorban. Egyetemi jegyzet, Muszaki Egyetem Építésztetörténeti és Elméleti Intézet Muemléki Osztály, Budapest 1978.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sódor 1978b Sódor Alajos : Matthes Roriczer 1496-ban megjelent fiatorony könyve. Építés-Építészettudomány 10 (1978) 3–4. 381–421.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sódor 1981 Sódor Alajos : Hans Schmuttermayer kései középkori fiatorony könyve. Építés-Építészettudomány 13 (1981) 1–2. 193–209.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sódor 1982 Sódor Alajos : Matthes Roriczer „Geometria Deutsch” és „Wimpergbüchlein” címu könyveirol (1486–1490). Építés-Építészettudomány 14 (1982) 3–4. 373–405.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Spiess 1959 Spiess, Herwig : Mass und Regel. Eine mittelalterlische Messordnung an romanischen Bauten in Kloster Eberbach. Dissertation. Aachen 1959. 30–36.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Toman et al. 2000 Toman, Rolf – Beyer, Brigit – Borngässer, Barbara: (eds)Gótikus stílus. Építészet, szobrászat, festészet. Vince, Budapest 2000.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wu 2002 Wu, Nancy Y. : The Hand of the Mind: The Ground Plan of Reims as a Case Study. In: Ad Quadratum. The Practical Application of Geometry in Medieval Architecture. Ed.: Wu, Nancy Y. Ashgate, 2002. 149–168.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Archéologie 2010 Archéologie en Bourgogne. DRAC Bourgogne, Dijon 2010. ISSN 1771-6640

  • Plan Collection Plan Collection and Archives of the BME Department for History of Architecture and of Monuments

  • Collapse
  • Expand
Cover Építés - Építészettudomány
Építés - Építészettudomány
Print ISSN:
0013-9661
Online ISSN:
1588-2764

Senior editors

Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sajtos, István, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary

Editor(s): Krähling, János, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary

Co-ordinating Editor(s): Gyetvainé Balogh, Ágnes, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary

Editorial Board

International Editorial Board

Department of History of Architecture and of Monuments
Name of the Institute: Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Address: Műegyetem rkp. 3, K II. 82, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
Phone: (36 1) 463 1330

Indexing and Abstracting Services:

  • ERIH PLUS
  • SCOPUS

2023  
Scopus  
CiteScore 0.2
CiteScore rank Q3 (Visual Arts and Performing Arts)
SNIP 0.458
Scimago  
SJR index 0.16
SJR Q rank Q2

Építés - Építészettudomány
Publication Model Hybrid
Submission Fee none
Article Processing Charge 900 EUR/article (only for OA publications)
Printed Color Illustrations 40 EUR (or 10 000 HUF) + VAT / piece
Regional discounts on country of the funding agency World Bank Lower-middle-income economies: 50%
World Bank Low-income economies: 100%
Further Discounts Editorial Board / Advisory Board members: 50%
Corresponding authors, affiliated to an EISZ member institution subscribing to the journal package of Akadémiai Kiadó: 100%
Subscription fee 2025 Online subsscription: 164 EUR / 180 USD
Print + online subscription: 184 EUR / 220 USD
Subscription Information Online subscribers are entitled access to all back issues published by Akadémiai Kiadó for each title for the duration of the subscription, as well as Online First content for the subscribed content.
Purchase per Title Individual articles are sold on the displayed price.

Építés - Építészettudomány
Language English
Hungarian
Size B5
Year of
Foundation		 1957
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 4
Founder Magyar Tudományos Akadémia  
Founder's
Address		 H-1051 Budapest, Hungary, Széchenyi István tér 9.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 0013-9661 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2764 (Online)

Monthly Content Usage

Abstract Views Full Text Views PDF Downloads
Aug 2024 12 0 0
Sep 2024 36 0 0
Oct 2024 6 0 0
Nov 2024 2 0 0
Dec 2024 8 0 0
Jan 2025 6 0 0
Feb 2025 8 0 0