Gothic and Romanesque styles separated by a crack on the wall. Basilica of St. Isidore, Leon, Spain, 12th-16th centuries. Its Christian roots reach back to the early 10th century, when a monastery for Saint John the Baptist was erected on the site of an ancient Roman temple… [1920×1280] [OC]

…The church and monastery of what is now known as the Basilica of San Isidoro originated around 956, on a plot of land adjacent to the Roman wall of the Legio VII Gemina, to the northwest. The entire western part of the building is attached to and built upon this wall. A considerable section of said fortification is well preserved along the northwest corner.

Nothing remains from the Visigothic period, nor from the Arab period, nor from the early days of the Reconquista. The Romanesque parts we can see today were built in the 12^(th) century replacing a smaller Romanesque temple. The 15^(th) and 16^(th) centuries saw several Gothic modifications that deeply changed the building and turned it into a twin style church.

Despite the Romanesque expansions and reconstructions of the 12th century and the Gothic additions of the 15th and 16th centuries, the final result is surprisingly harmonious, although quite heterogeneous from architectonic point of view.

The building has three naves and a Latin cross floor plan. The central apse dates from the 16th century and is Gothic Hispano-Flemish in style; it replaced the original Romanesque apse. The side apses remain Romanesque with semi-dome vaults. The modifications had to be adapted to the earlier aforementioned Romanesque building, so the apses do not have the same width or alignment as the naves.

The central nave is very tall and covered with a barrel vault (as are the straight section of the apse and the transept), while the side aisles have groin vaults. The arches separating the naves have a very pronounced rise; those of the transept are polylobed, a surviving detail from the Mozarabic period…

…But allow me today to offer a personal view instead of the usual facts.

San Isidoro is one of these jewels one can easily miss. The outside of the building is beautiful but, given the temple stands in the city of León, surrounded by so many other great buildings, you might overlook it.

In what refers to Christian temples, I had always been a Gothic guy. Never cared much for the Romanesque, too sturdy, to spartan, too dark. However, I was fortunate enough to be advised to visit San Isidoro by no less than three different persons. I paid heed and Saint Isidore, changed my view of Romanesque forever.

A friend of mine told me she saw Gothic as male and Romanesque as female. I had never thought about it in these terms, and I found this way of approaching both styles beautiful. However, it was in San Isidoro when I actually saw what she meant.

San Isidoro is not dark, it is not sturdy, it is not austere. It is graceful. As my friend had told me, Gothic is more severe, more edgy, more menacing, male-ish, while Romanesque is more welcoming, roundish, soothing, female-ish… While a Gothic cathedral might want to awe you, Romanesque embraces. So beautiful. The Fear of God vs the Love of God.

I have made some research, and it seems this view is totally wrong, exactly the opposite of what it was. Romanesque God Awe-inspiring and Gothic God loving accessible… whoever can shed light is welcome.

Almost forgot to comment that the paintings on the ceiling of the crypt of St. Isidore, the Royal Pantheon which held the tombs of many a king and queen, are known as *the Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque* (just google that and you will find them). That is the main reason to visit for many. Me, I love the nave and these amazing transepts.

As usual, my apologies for inaccuracies and mistakes, particularly today.