ARTICLE / ARTIGO
CONSERVAR PATRIMÓNIO 46 (2024) 22-42 · h ps://doi.o g/10.14568/cp26824 · ISSN 2182-9942
ARP · Associação P o issional de Conse ado es-Res au ado es de Po ugal · h ps://conse a pa imonio.p
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Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi
and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S .
Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
RAFAEL MARTÍN
TALAVERANO 1*
MIGUEL CARLOS CABO
FERNÁNDEZ 2
ISMAEL GARCÍA RÍOS 2
FEDERICO LUIS DEL
BLANCO GARCÍA 2
1. Uni e sidad del País Vasco –
Euskal He iko Unibe si a ea,
Plaza Oña i, 2, 20018, Donos ia-
San Sebas ián, Spain
2. Uni e sidad Poli écnica de
Mad id, A enida Juan de He e a,
4, 28040 Mad id, Spain
* a ael.ma [email protected]
Análise geomé ica e cons u i a da es u u a de
madei a do co o e do c uzei o da ig eja de S .
Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
Abs ac
This a icle p esen s a geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o wo signi ican ca pen y wo ks
in he chu ch o San a Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid): he choi pla o m and he co e ed ceiling o
he ansep . Bo h imbe ames belong o he same his o ical pe iod (be ween he 16 h and
17 h cen u ies), and ha e simila cons uc ion solu ions, so hey could ha e been p obably made
by he same au ho . The esea ch was ocused on he se e al pieces ha con igu e hese
ca pen y wo ks. A design and cons uc ion hypo hesis was hen de eloped, including bo h he
s uc u al elemen s and some deco a i e elemen s, such as he muqa nas. This was done
h ough a su ey ca ied ou wi h a lase scanne , which has p o ided us wi h an accu a e 3D
model. This s udy aims o deepen he knowledge o hese ca pen y wo ks. We also p o ide
g aphic and w i en desc ip ions o bo h hei cu en s a e and hypo he ical in e nal
con igu a ion, which we belie e could be use ul o u u e conse a ion wo k.
KEYWORDS
His o ical a chi ec u e
Renaissance
Ca pen y
Wooden ceiling
Co e ed ceiling
Resumo
Es e a igo ap esen a uma análise geomé ica e cons u i a de duas impo an es ob as de
ca pin a ia da ig eja de San a Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid): a pla a o ma do co o e o e o em
caixo ões do ansep o. Ambas as es u u as de madei a pe encem à mesma época his ó ica
(en e os séculos XVI e XVII), e êm soluções cons u i as semelhan es, pelo que pode iam e
sido ealizadas pelo mesmo au o . A in es igação cen ou-se nas á ias peças que cons i uem
es as ob as. Foi en ão elabo ada uma hipó ese de conceção e cons ução, incluindo an o os
elemen os es u u ais como alguns elemen os deco a i os, como as muqa nas. Is o oi ei o
a a és de um scanne lase , que nos o neceu um modelo 3D igo oso. Es e es udo em como
obje i o ap o unda o conhecimen o des as ob as de ca pin a ia. Também o necemos
desc ições g á icas e esc i as, an o do seu es ado a ual como da sua hipo é ica con igu ação
in e na, que conside amos pode em se ú eis pa a u u os abalhos de conse ação.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE
A qui e u a his ó ica
Renascimen o
Ca pin a ia
Te o de madei a
Te o em caixo ões
Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S . Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
CONSERVAR PATRIMÓNIO 46 (2024) h ps://doi.o g/10.14568/cp26824
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In oduc ion
S udy o Spanish ca pen y wo ks
Ca pen y wo ks a e essen ial elemen s o a ema kable numbe o his o ical buildings.
Al hough much esea ch usually ocuses on o he cons uc i e elemen s, namely mason y ones
such as walls, pie s and aul s, i should be unde lined ha also wooden elemen s some imes
ha e a g ea in e es , and hey need p ope conse a ion and dissemina ion. Wi hin he ame
o he Renaissance Spanish ca pen y wo k, he e a e some mas e pieces which we e c ea ed
unde he in luence o he Muslim cons uc i e legacy. Howe e , many o hem ha e no been
p ope ly s udied.
A he beginning o he 80s o he wen ie h cen u y, he esea che En ique Nue e
succeeded in in e p e ing wi h high accu acy he ca pen y ea ise o López de A enas [1] and
he published an explana ion o he iangles’ me hod o he layou o he imbe ames [2].
F om i s i s manusc ip in 1619 and i s publica ion in 1633, his ex was no p ope ly
dissemina ed gi en ha he con empo a y esea che s we e no able o co ec ly unde s and
he geome ical explana ions ha he au ho included in his ea ise. Howe e , Nue e b ough
his hidden me hod o ligh and, since hen, a no iceable in e es in Spanish ca pen y wo ks
a ose [3].
En ique Nue e con inued his esea ch wi h a special in e es in he Spanish ca pen y wo ks
o he six een h cen u y. Ne e heless, his esea ch amewo k has some emp y a eas, such as
he new ca pen y layou s ha we e used in Spain du ing he ime o he Ca holic Mona chs
and Ca los I, especially ega ding he wo ks p omo ed by he Mendoza amily [4]. Some hing
simila happens wi h he imbe ames o he choi galle ies o some chu ches.
Besides he a o emen ioned knowledge gaps ega ding hese ca pen y wo ks, i should be
unde lined he ac ha some o hem ha e been damaged o los due o inadequa e
conse a ion. Some o he s ha e been sa ed by mo ing om hei o iginal loca ion o sa e
places. This is he case o he wooden ceiling o San Vicen e chu ch in Falla es (Zamo a, Spain)
which is now loca ed a he Na ional Museum o Sculp u e in Valladolid. Howe e , du ing he
disassembly o he pieces, be o e hei anspo a ion, he in e nal cons uc i e con igu a ion
was los .
Taking in o conside a ion he p e iously summa ized s a e-o - he-a , his pape aims o
con ibu e o he be e knowledge o such Renaissance imbe s uc u es ha a e nowadays
being s udied [5]. Wi h his, we also look o wa d helping he conse a ion and dissemina ion
o hem. In pa icula , he main objec i e is o analyse he co e ed ceilings o he ansep and
he choi galle y in he chu ch o San a Ma ía de Alaejos (p o ince o Valladolid, Spain), which
we e cons uc ed a he same ime and p obably by he same ca pen e (Figu e 1).
Technological and s ylis ic backg ound
Towa ds he end o he six een h cen u y and he beginning o he se en een h, Renaissance
a chi ec u al ends began o p e ail, hough in e ms o ca pen y, he old Hispano-Muslim
and Mudeja s ylis ic adi ions [6] emained pa o he o namen al epe oi e, especially in
he Tie a de Campos egion [7] and i s immedia e su oundings [8], including Alaejos. The
Se liana la icewo k [9] was easily inco po a ed and essen ially la panels we e eplaced by
co e ed solu ions wi h deep elie s. Colou disappea s om he su ace o he wood, associa ed
as i is wi h medie al adi ions, and he wood is le in i s na u al o m [10], excep o a su ace
inishing ea men like linseed oil. All su ace highligh ing is based on he dep h o he ca ing
and moulding o c oss-sec ions supe imposed on he sec ions ha o m he s uc u e, and on
he inco po a ion o co e ed ceilings o gene a e a chia oscu o e ec on he su aces. We can
see ha Villalpando's p omp ansla ion o Se lio's ea ise [11] soon sp ead widely among
ca pen e s o a ce ain le el, bu he mixing o cul u al adi ions con inued and iezes,
clus e s and muqa nas (sys em o elemen s assembled in acco dance wi h speci ic geome ic
ules, o igina ing in Eas e n Islam, which may be combined o c ea e a a ie y o a chi ec u al
con igu a ions) ceilings emained p esen and en i ely accep able.
R. Ma ín Tala e ano, M. C. Cabo Fe nández, I. Ga cía Ríos, F. L. del Blanco Ga cía
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Figu e 1. Views o he: a) galle y o he choi ; b) oc agonal dome; c) o e all plan o he chu ch wi h he loca ion o he analyzed elemen s.
Resea ch me hodology
Desc ip ion o he building
The chu ch o San a Ma ía in Alaejos (p o ince o Valladolid) is o ganized, in i s cu en s a e,
on a hall wi h a cen al na e and side aisles, each one di ided in o h ee bays. The eas end is
sepa a ed by he hall wi h a ansep , and he cen al apse ollows a polygonal layou . The main
s uc u es o he building a e made almos en i ely o b ick mason y: he pe ime al walls wi h
bu esses, he pie s and he aul s. Rega ding he co e ing sys em, wo ypes o aul s can be
dis inguished: on he one hand, he bays o he ansep and he eas end a e co e ed by s a -
ibbed aul s, p obably made o b ick; on he o he hand, he bays o he hall a e co e ed bay
ba oque ba el aul wi h lune es also made o b ick. As an excep ion o such b ick elemen s,
se e al imbe ames a e buil o e he main poin s o he chu ch: he main chapel, he c ossing
and he uppe choi a he wes end. Two o hem a e analyzed in his pape ( ha is, he imbe
ame o he uppe choi as well as he co e ed ceiling o he c ossing), while he hi d one ( he
c
b
a
Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S . Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
CONSERVAR PATRIMÓNIO 46 (2024) h ps://doi.o g/10.14568/cp26824
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oc agonal dome o e he main chapel) has been p e iously s udied [12]. The inne sides o he
walls, pie s and aul s a e co e ed by plas e , and he whole building has a oo suppo ed by a
imbe ame.
Pe haps one o he mos impac ing elemen s o he chu ch is i s owe , gi en ha i s o al
heigh eaches abou 52 m. This massi e b ick mason y s uc u e can be seen a away om he
own o Alaejos, and i con igu es a e i o ial g oup oge he wi h o he b ick owe s in his
egion.
Rega ding he his o ical con ex o his building, i may be unde lined ha i is no he
p oduc o a single phase o cons uc ion and may no be asc ibed o a single his o ical pe iod,
as i usually happens wi h almos all his o ical cons uc ions. Fo his eason, he building ha
we see oday is he esul o a se ies o ans o ma ions ha ha e occu ed h oughou his o y,
and which a e syn hesised in he main his o ical s ages o he building [13]. Fo his esea ch,
his his o ical-cons uc i e sequence has been used o co ec ly loca e and con ex ualize he
cons uc ion o he elemen s s udied he e.
P io o he cu en chu ch, he e was an ashla building which was pe haps he i s San a
Ma ía chu ch, smalle in size han he exis ing one. The i s g ea ans o ma ion o his
o iginal chu ch in ol ed he expansion o i s g ound plan o he eas , using b icks, which in
u n led o he cons uc ion o a new apse o he eas . I is his phase, which can be da ed o
be ween he mid- i een h and six een h cen u ies, which saw he cons uc ion in he main
chapel o he oc agonal dome wi h a co e ed ceiling lined wi h gold lea .
Be ween he end o he six een h cen u y and he beginning o he se en een h, majo
changes we e made o his second chu ch, wi h he p olonga ion o he la e al na es o he eas
a ound he apse om he p e ious phase, he ans o ma ion o he sou he n acade and he
cons uc ion o he g ea wes e n owe . The old s uc u es o he oo o he na e we e also
demolished and eplaced by new s a - ibbed aul s. In he ansep , a domed oc agonal
co e ed ceiling was buil , and i is his, along wi h he galle y o he choi , also da ing om his
pe iod, which o ms he ocus o his a icle.
Basis o he esea ch
The analysis o he imbe ames has s a ed wi h geome ic and cons uc i e da a acquisi ion.
Be o e his esea ch, he egional go e nmen (Jun a de Cas illa y León) commissioned a
gene al a chi ec u al su ey o he en i e building. Wi hin he ame o such wo k, a Te es ial
Lase Scanne (TLS) measu emen was ca ied on he imbe ames o he galle y o he choi
and he co e ed ceiling o he ansep . Fo ha pu pose, a Leica lase scanne was used wi h
he suppo o a o al s a ion wi h which se e al e e ence poin s we e measu ed. As a esul ,
bo h 3D poin cloud models we e ob ained wi h high accu acy, and hey could be in eg a ed
wi hin he global coo dina e sys em used o he whole a chi ec u al su ey o he building.
Such da a ha e been used as a measu e o he 3D modelling and g aphic econs i u ion ca ied
ou in his s udy. In addi ion, manual measu emen s we e aken in si u o he ex ados o he
co e ed ceiling o he ansep , and ske ches and suppo ing pho og aphs we e also used.
Besides, he his o ical con ex o bo h wo ks has been aken in o conside a ion. Gi en ha
he his o ical buildings a e he p oduc o a sequence o ans o ma ions ha ake place
h oughou hei whole li e, i is necessa y o pu in ela ionship each pa o he buildings wi h
he co esponding his o ical phase in which hey we e c ea ed. In he case o he chu ch o
San a Ma ía, a speci ic analysis was also p omo ed by he egional go e nmen o Cas illa y
León, so ha i s esul s ha e been conside ed o his esea ch as i is shown in he p e ious
sec ion.
As men ioned be o e, he con inuous sequence o ans o ma ions ha ha e aken place
h oughou he li e s o y o he building is in ela ionship wi h se e al es o a ion wo ks. Fo
ins ance, du ing he wen ie h cen u y, se e al damages we e obse ed in he pe ime al walls
o he chu ch, and due o hem, he aul o he second bay o he no h aisle had o be
econs uc ed in he 60s [13]. Mo eo e , in he las yea s o he wen ie h cen u y, du ing a
iolen s o m, a ligh ning s uck he owe , causing u he damage.
R. Ma ín Tala e ano, M. C. Cabo Fe nández, I. Ga cía Ríos, F. L. del Blanco Ga cía
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The a chi ec u al su ey p omo ed by he go e nmen o Cas illa y León was de eloped
wi hin he ame o a con empo a y es o a ion p ojec o he building, which aimed o sol e
he pa hological p oblems o he chu ch om an in eg al pe spec i e. Ou s udy o he imbe
ames also aims o p o ide mo e in o ma ion abou he building, as a ho ough knowledge o
i is one o he ounda ions o i s p ope conse a ion and es o a ion.
Analysis o he imbe ames
The p ope s udy o he co e ed ceilings o he ansep and he choi galle y has been di ided
in o h ee main issues: geome ic, cons uc i e and o namen al analyses. The 3D poin cloud
models ha e been impo ed in o a 3D modelling applica ion in o de o ca y on he geome ic
and cons uc i e analyses, as well as o gene a e a 3D analy ical model showing he cons uc i e
elemen s o he analyzed s uc u es.
The geome ic analysis has de eloped using mainly ho izon al and e ical p ojec ions o
he 3D poin cloud models, ying o iden i y alignmen s, modula ions o geome ic
ela ionships be ween he elemen s o he analyzed s uc u es. I has p o ided esul s
ega ding he geome ic concep and layou o he pa e ns which a e he main basis o he
cons uc ion. Wi hin he cons uc i e analysis, he se e al pieces ha o m he s uc u es ha e
been iden i ied. Besides, a hypo hesis o he join sys em be ween hem has been s udied. As a
esul , i shows he cons uc i e elemen s ha con igu e bo h imbe ames, as well as some
ideas ega ding he execu ion p ocess. Finally, he analysis o he o namen a ion has been
ocused on how he deco a i e elemen s and muqa nas we e concei ed.
As inal conclusions, se e al ideas ha e been unde lined ega ding he unde s anding o
such his o ical ca pen y wo ks as well as he e olu ion o he Hispano-Muslim legacy in o he
Renaissance.
The galle y o he choi
Resul s o he geome ical analysis
The plan o he geome ic design o he al a je (s uc u e o pa allel wooden beams ha o m
he amewo k o a loo ) ceilings is based on an o hogonal ne wo k o oc agons connec ed by
hei e ices, ollowing a clea ly Renaissance way o beginning cons uc ion. The oids le by
he ne wo k o oc agons p oduce a ne wo k o ou -poin ed s a s (Figu e 2a), and na u ally his
condi ions a Diophan ine (be ween na u al numbe s) p opo ional ela ionship be ween he
espec i e spaces, lea ing aside adjus men s o he plin hs and pe ime e mouldings. Gi en he
p opo ions o he holes used o se he pilas e s ha suppo he cen al na e, he ca pen e
op ed o modula ion o 3×3 angen ci cles o he lowe choi o he no h na e, and 2×3 in he
bays o he cen al and sou h na es. As a a ia ion on his la design, he inco po a ed a solu ion
– inspi ed by he Hispano-Mudeja adi ion – in ol ing he o malisa ion o penden i es
hanging in he co ne s, which ob iously al e ed he plan o he modula ion. Ha ing o i in he
modula ed design, wi h oc agons in Diophan ine p opo ions, c ea es he challenge o
adap ing i o he mason y o he chu ch, which was al eady he e be o e he ca pen y o he
galle y o he choi . To modi y he p opo ions o he ne wo k, he ca pen e used he ma gin
o manoeu e allowed by he adjus men o he con ou o he mouldings o he al a je ceilings,
as well as he p ojec ion o he galle y i sel , o ailo he measu emen s o he wooden ceilings
o some hing esembling Diophan ine p opo ions. This is e idence o he ca pen e ’s aes he ic
in en ions in his designs and his desi e o c ea e a composi ion ha demons a es egula i y
and modula ion.
S a ing om he g id o oc agons and ou -poin ed s a s, a g id o squa es sugges ed by
he o hogonal g id o he beam illing (beams and jois s) is added, as is equi ed o o malise
he s uc u e ha suppo s he al a je ceiling. The addi ion o he diagonals o he squa es
inc eases he densi y o he ibs, necessa y o co e wi h s anda d wid hs o boa d he la
ceilings ha a e no illed wi h beams.
Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S . Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
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The design could be educed o a ile con aining he g aphic in o ma ion necessa y o
gene a e he en i e layou by eplica ion, as in a chessboa d. Depending on which elemen s a e
used o gene a e he o a ions and displacemen s, wo di e en iles would be ob ained, one o
hem in he o m o a ou -poin ed s a and he o he in an oc agonal shape. Ei he o hese wo
iles would gene a e he same layou , al hough each would p oduce a di e en pe ime e
con ou [14]. In his case, he ca pen e would ha e op ed o he oc agon-shaped ile o he
design.
A he on o he choi , a an in e media e heigh , he e is a ieze deco a ed wi h a
sequence o medallions in he o m o angen ci cles. The ini ial in en ion o he ca pen e was
p esumably o achie e o all hese ci cles o be egula , keeping he adius cons an and
main aining he angen s be ween hem, limi ed as hey a e by he uppe and lowe pa allels
ha make up his ieze. Had i been a la elemen , wi hou any b eak be ween he side walls
o he chu ch, he would simply ha e had o ake he o al dis ance be ween he in e io walls o
he h ee na es and di ide ha dis ance in modula e ms in o se e al equal pa s. The alue
would be he cons an diame e o he ci cles, and his would de ine he heigh o he ieze, so
one would only ha e o y di e en in ege di isions o ob ain an accep able ieze heigh o
he design. Howe e , he i is complica ed by he ac ha he pe ime e is b oken by he
balconies su ounding he pilas e s o he cen al na e, and so wo ac o s mus be aken in o
accoun : he o al pe ime e o he new con ou and he agmen a ion in he s aigh sec ions
o he con ou , meaning ha any o he s aigh agmen s o he pe ime e is a mul iple o he
module o he diame e o he ci cle selec ed [15]. Wi h e en a basic knowledge o geome y, he
ca pen e would ealise ha i he used a hexagonal module o he can ile e ed ou line o he
balconies, he would make he ans e se and pe ime e modula ion compa ible and hus
achie e he desi ed angen s o he ci cles along he ieze (Figu e 2b). The e would emain s ill
o he possibili ies o adjus men s, oo, modi ying he con ou o he balconies by using o he
angles i he dis ances be ween he cen al pilas e s we e no consis en wi h he desi ed
modula ion. In he design as inally execu ed, no wi hs anding, he e a e misma ches in he
expec ed geome ic egula i y. Fo example, in he sec ions ha make up he balconies and
igh on he axis o symme y o he whole ieze we can see ha he medallions ha e he
app oxima e o m o wo semici cles sepa a ed by an in e media e s ip, c ea ing an ex ended
shape. This could ha e been used o adap he ini ial design o he leng h o he cons uc ed
con ou , should an e o o calcula ion ha e aken place du ing cons uc ion.
In suppo o he ca pen e , i should be no ed ha he e is ano he p oblem in addi ion o
he a o emen ioned one, and one which may jus i y he inc easing di icul y o achie ing a
con inuous ieze o angen ci cles wi hou any de o ma ion. This is he muqa nas ieze ha
is se up as a ansi ion be ween he main beams acing he choi , he beams on which he
beams o he al a je ceiling es . The design and cons uc ion o he se ies o ada ajas (each o
he p isma ic pieces ha make up a wo k o muqa nas) o p isms ha make up he muqa nas
ieze condi ion he modula ion o he con ou o he ieze p ecisely, and in such a way as o
lea e e y li le eedom o adap i s measu emen s o enable i o i p ope ly. As he ca pen e
execu ed he wo k om he bo om up, he began by placing he main beams and hei
espec i e b aces o se up a suppo base o he beams o he al a je ceiling, and only hen can
he muqa nas ieze be assembled.
This is he key momen o he adjus men o he measu emen s o he con ou o he
balconies and he p ecise leng hs o he s aigh sec ions o he beam so ha hey coincide wi h
he o al con ou and he pa ial con ou s in o which he design and composi ion o he ada ajas
will ha e o i . The mos likely scena io is ha he ca pen e ied i s o sol e his modula ion
p oblem, lea ing he modula ion o he bel o ci cles o a second phase. The aim would ha e
been o achie e pe ec ion by making he pa e n o modula ion o he angen ci cles coincide
wi h he modula ion o he ada aja composi ions. The e ical plane o he ci cle ieze lies is
supe imposed on he ou e e ical ace o he beams, eaching he uppe pa o he muqa nas
ieze. This di e ence in planes en ails a di e ence in p opo ion be ween he e ical aces o
R. Ma ín Tala e ano, M. C. Cabo Fe nández, I. Ga cía Ríos, F. L. del Blanco Ga cía
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he con ou o he balconies and he s aigh sec ions o he on o he choi , making i
impossible o p ese e he modula ion achie ed in he muqa nas ieze in he con ex o he
con ou .
Finally, i should be no ed ha he space be ween he b aces ha es on he walls and he
main beam a he on o he choi is shaped like a e ical penden i e (Figu e 3) and is co e ed
wi h a co e ed design o in e locking s ips. This s ip design is c ea ed by placing a wheel o
12 loops on o he b acke o he penden i e, combined wi h 16 loop wheels on he sha p co ne s.
The ca pen e hen made some adjus men s o he shape o he za a es (in e io polygon o e
he spokes o he wheel) o comple e he iangle o he penden i e.
Figu e 2. S uc u e o he galle y o he choi : lase scanne o hoimage and geome ical analysis; b) F on al iews o he poin cloud ob ained wi h he scanne
lase and o he 3D model wi h he geome ical analysis.
Resul s o he cons uc i e analysis
Conce ning he al a je ceiling, we can see ha he cen es o he oc agons a e placed a he joins
o he beams wi h he main jois s, o ming a design which ea u es he in e sec ion o a ne wo k
o oc agons wi h a la ice o squa es o med by he beams and main jois s. This layou hides he
ac ual cons uc ional and s uc u al p ocesses (Figu e 3). Wooden e icula jois amewo ks
canno be made using adi ional p ocedu es, as he e mus always be a dominan di ec ion o
he beams and a seconda y di ec ion o he jois s ha ac as langes.
Fo his eason, he al a je ceiling is buil using beams aligned in such a di ec ion as o
p o ide he main suppo o he e icula amewo k. S uc u al logic would ad ise
posi ioning he beams in he sho es span o he oom, o ming a i s plane o he s uc u e,
and hen adding he jois s in a ans e se di ec ion, simply es ing hem on he beams wi h no
need o any assembly o joine y. The solu ion ac ually used in ol es c ossing he jois s, and
his displays poo cons uc ional logic, since i educes he esis ance o he beams because
mo ices ha e o be se in o hem o hold he enoned ends o he jois s, as well as losing he
con inui y o he ba on he suppo s (con inui y o momen s in suppo ). I is su ely clea ha
his c oss-jois ed solu ion is only jus i ied om an aes he ic poin o iew: he aim is o achie e
a la a angemen o he ceiling beams in which he di e en s uc u al componen s a e
blu ed and he whole becomes an essen ially la geome ic layou , whe e he mi e join s o
he beams a e co e ed wi h ca ed lining boa ds ha ma ch all he pieces o he beams. This is
e y much a o malis concep and one ha is e y ypical o Manne ism.
a
b
Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S . Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
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Figu e 3. Galle y o he choi : a) sec ion o cons uc ion: b-e) p ocess o cons uc ion; he plana deco a i e g id loca ed benea h he uppe galle y loo is supposed
o be an independen s uc u e om he load-bea ing sys em loca ed abo e i .
a
b
c
d
e
R. Ma ín Tala e ano, M. C. Cabo Fe nández, I. Ga cía Ríos, F. L. del Blanco Ga cía
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On o hese main beams a e as ened wi h mo ice and enon join s o he beams o he same
size, wi h he mo ices on he main beams and he enons on he jois s. This means ha he
cons uc ion p ocess mus be based on a achmen and no on supe imposi ion: ha is, a main
beam is placed i s , hen he ans e se beams a e as ened on one side (lea ing squa e spaces),
and hen hese a e as ened o ano he pa allel beam which is awai ing posi ioning. The logical
cou se o ac ion is o ca y ou he assembly p ocess in pai s o beams, so as no o ha e o p op
up he jois s meanwhile. This is known as ski oo assembly, like he wo pa allel poles ha
hold up a s e che . As usual, i is he simples and cheapes hypo hesis ha is he mos likely
(Figu e 4).
La e on, wo jois s we e assembled diagonally wi hin he g id o main squa es. As he
c ossing is coplana wi h he es o he beams o he al a je ceiling, he issue could be esol ed
using wo solu ions ha we e common a he ime. The i s o hese is known as hal wood.
This ype o join has a signi ican d awback, namely ha i weakens by hal he esis an sec ion
a i s midpoin , which is he poin ha unde goes he g ea es s ess h ough bending. The
o he , pe haps mo e likely, is o use a diagonal wi h one hi d o mo ice in he middle and hen
se he wo pieces o he coun e -diagonal in by enoning he beam heads. The p oblem he e is
how o suppo he wo diagonals on he g id o main beams and jois s, and again he e a e wo
possible solu ions: he i s is o eso o using c oss ba s wi h mo ice and enon join s, which
weakens he sec ion o he main s uc u e o beams and jois s, and he second is o use nails o
he as ening, which seems o be mo e p obable. The emaining small coplana jois s which
comple e he g aphic design o he ceiling o he choi , could also use he mo ice and enon
me hod, bu he cons uc ion p ocess in ol ed in assembling he enons p esen s bounda y
condi ions ha a ec he whole s uc u e as i is pu oge he a he same ime. The mos likely
solu ion in his case was he e o e o eso o he use o nails.
Figu e 4. Assembly o he al a je sec ions o he choi : (A) jácena, (B) jalde a, (C) diagonal and, (D) mangue a.
Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S . Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
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37
The usual p ocedu e consis ed o p e ab ica ing he apezoidal panels o he oc agonal
domes in he wo kshop and hen aking hem o he si e and aising hem wo by wo o
assemble hem. This en ails he need o duplica e he co ne a e s so ha he s uc u e o he
ski oo ing is independen (Figu e 7b). The adi ions o co ec ca pen y imply ha he
uppe ex ados o he co ne a e s is coplana wi h he uppe ace o he ans e se a ches, o
gua an ee ha he mo ice and enon s uc u e o he peinazos ha suppo he geome y o he
co e s is done wi h he ace o he mo ices in he plane o he ski oo ing, always in pa allel
planes which a e pe pendicula o he dimensions o all he pieces. Tha would be he usual
me hod i moama ( e e ing o a co ne a e o piece used o a change o plane o he
s uc u e, made up o wo pieces a he han jus one) o double co ne a e s we e used. This
clea ly equi es knowledge o geome y and he use o a se squa e, necessa y o make he
co ec cu s in he suppo s and sec ions, as is he case o he belling o he co ne a e s, which
equi es a apezoidal sec ion. In his case, he ca pen e seemed o wan o a oid geome ic
p oblems and ins ead eso s o “di y” solu ions when assembling he join s agains he co ne
a e s (Figu e 8), duplica ing he co ne a e s in he hinges o he oc agonal dome, bu his
does no sol e he issue o he belling. He used wo s aigh pieces a ached, o ming an
in e media e plane be ween ha o he adjacen ski oo ing, and he sides o he co ne
a e s, along wi h hei boa ds, a e se in a e ical posi ion. This is a poo solu ion when i
comes o mo ices, as he lack o igh angles means ha i has o be done by ial and e o .
Reso ing o such a solu ion would ha e been a eason o disquali ica ion om he ade o a
mas e in ca pen y, bu in his case, i is mos likely ha he ca pen e was, in ac , a ca e
[20], mo e amilia wi h he cons uc ion o al a pieces, in which he geome y o he cu s is
basically esol ed in wo dimensions and whe e he e is no need o make cu s in ol ing
elemen s including h ee dimensions, as is he case wi h co ne a e s.
On he plane o he ho izon al oo panel an oc agonal ing is o med o suppo he ski
oo ing, and he ing join s a e assembled wi h h ough enons. This ing se es as a base on
which up igh ee a e se up o suppo he ceiling o a lan e n owe wi h e ical glazed
panels, al e na ing glass panels wi h o he s lined wi h wood inco po a ing a ca ed bus on
each panel, which emo es a lo o ligh . The ceiling o he lan e n owe is co e ed wi h
muqa nas in he Hispano-Muslim adi ion, en i ely co e ed wi h ada ajas. This o namen a ion
ecei es enough ligh o be clea ly isible om he loo le el o he chu ch.
The oc agonal dome s ands on a highly de eloped and o na e ieze, which su passes he
ypical o malisa ions o Hispano-Muslim a ocabes (Figu e 1b). In he lowe pa o he
s uc u e he e is a i s le el o ie beams in he o m o an oc agonal dome, and om his
pe ime e beaming he e a e some la hanging penden i es, es ing on he squa es (Figu e 7a).
The s uc u e is o malised wi h simple pa allel jois s and oblique peinazos ha o m diamond-
shaped co e s. The whole is assembled wi h mo ice and enon, wi h he enon on he peinazos.
The mi e join s o he beams a e lined wi h ca ed boa ds and he ceilings wi h la boa ding.
To he eye, i is simila o he inish o he uppe ski oo s, whe e he s uc u e o ms he basis
o he deco a i e geome y. The in ados aces o he ie beams a e lined wi h boa ds ca ed
wi h elie s o lo al mo i s, and on he abu men bel , he e is a moulded wall pla e, o suppo
a muqa nas ieze, wi h i s ada ajas es ing on he lowe ie beam. The band o ada ajas ises o e
he in ados plane o he i s ie beaming, c ea ing a new s ip a he op ha needs o be
o malised wi h mo e ie beaming in he o m o an oc agonal dome, hidden behind a ca ed
moulding co e ing he in ados. On his ie beaming he e is in u n a boa d, o malised by a
wooden ieze wi hou an incline. The uppe pa o his ieze, ca ed wi h lo al mo i s, is
comple ed by ano he moulded pe ime e bel ha se es as he base o a new muqa nas ieze,
ising abo e he e ical o he p e ious ieze. Be ween he s uc u e o he oc agonal ame
and he uppe pa o he muqa nas ieze he e is a boa d which ac s as a e ical cin a ca ea
(uppe bel o band o ieze o a ocabe, which ma ks he s a o a loop design on he sloping
oo panels), hiding he mee ing a an acu e angle o he ieze and he amewo k, and ma ks
he beginning o he s uc u e o he oc agonal dome i sel , al eady desc ibed abo e. The
R. Ma ín Tala e ano, M. C. Cabo Fe nández, I. Ga cía Ríos, F. L. del Blanco Ga cía
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s uc u e o he oc agonal dome has i s own bel o ie beams on which i es s, independen ly
o he whole se o iezes and penden i es.
Resul s o he analysis o o namen a ion
The cons uc ion solu ion o he deco a i e inishes o he in ados is e y simila o ha used
in he galle y o he choi , which leads us o belie e ha he same ca ing ca pen e was
esponsible (Figu e 9). The mi e join s o he uss beams a e lined wi h boa ds ca ed wi h
chains o low-p o ile elie s and ege al o namen a ion. The co ne a e s a e lined wi h wo
sepa a e pieces, and i is easy o see he join line ha ma ks he sepa a ion. This clea ly
indica es ha he deco a i e linings we e posi ioned ei he in he wo kshop o on-si e, be o e
he ski oo ing was hois ed up in o place, and p o es ha p e ab ica ion by ski oo ing was
he me hod used by he ca pen e . The co e ed ceilings a e made om ca ed boa ds and a
simple la c owning op, also ca ed wi h lo al mo i s. As in he al a je ceilings o he choi
galle y, he ca pen e used a ew small ci cula leu ons o co e he joining mi es o he lining
boa ds, a good way o applying he inish and concealing he cons uc ion join s.
Figu e 9. De ail o : a) he lan e n owe o he oc agonal dome o he ansep ; b) he deco a ion o he iezes.
a
b
Geome ical and cons uc i e analysis o he choi and c ossing imbe ames o he chu ch o S . Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid)
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P e ab ica ion and assembly
The sequence o assembly would ha e begun wi h he lowe ie beams, on which he
penden i es would ha e been hung. Pe ime e moulding would ha e been se up o begin o
build he muqa nas ieze, adjus ing all he equi ed ada ajas. The hickness o he moulding
could ha e been modi ied o adjus he size o he ada ajas o sui able alues in Spanish inches.
I should be emembe ed ha he conça (ada aja ha is ob ained om he c oss-sec ion o a
ec angula p ism) was cu only om he chaplón (boa d o a speci ic hickness om which he
a ious ada ajas ha o m he clus e s o cubes o a muqa nas a e ob ained) o he hickness o
he cham e , ha is, i e uni s, while he es o he ada ajas desc ibed could be cu om he
chaplón wi h a hickness o i e-se en hs o he hickness o he cham e (Figu e 7b). F om ha
poin on, he nex s ep would ha e been a e ical wooden ieze, and abo e his ano he
muqa nas ieze, suppo ed on a base o ie beams. The ie beams o he oc agonal dome would
hen ha e been inse ed in o he walls, wi h mo e impo an sec ions, and he p e ab ica ed
ski oo s would ha e been hois ed up and moun ed wi h he suppo o he bel o almiza e
(plan o ho izon al ceiling o a co e ed and amewo ked wooden oo ), on which would ha e
la e come o suppo he lan e n owe , p e iously p e ab ica ed in e ical panels. Be o e his,
he muqa nas ceiling o he lan e n owe would ha e o be aised, so ha he lan e n owe could
pass h ough he hole wi hou inciden [21].
Resul s o he analysis o he muqa nas
In he cap ion o a pho og aph o ceiling o he lan e n owe o he ansep , Nue e [22] e e s
o he image: “(…) he de ails o which a e p ac ically impossible o app ecia e owing o he
heigh a which hey a e”. Fo he pu poses o ou s udy and g aphic econs uc ion o he
muqa nas ieze o he galle y o he choi and o he wo iezes and ceiling o he lan e n owe
o he ansep , we ha e aken as a s a ing poin pho og aphs and measu emen s aken in si u.
The iezes a e designed in acco dance wi h a gene al con igu a ion o which a ia ions a e
hen applied (Figu e 10a). The lowe ieze o he oc agonal dome o he ansep and ha o he
galle y o he choi a e made up o equal modules, wi h he same composi ion o ada ajas ha
is hen epea ed. In he galle y ieze, he ails o he ada ajas ha e been sho ened in
compa ison o ada ajas cu om he usual empla es. The lexibili y o his sys em makes i
possible o adap he muqa nas o di e en condi ions o spa ial dimensions and a chi ec u al
elemen s. In his case, i seems likely ha he ela i ely low heigh o his ieze made his
solu ion necessa y. On he o he hand, he ails o he ada ajas in high pa s o he building seem
o be sho e han hose ha a e lowe down, as is he case o hose in he lowe ieze in he
oc agonal dome, which is jus o e ou me es high. Longi udinally, he module o he highe
ieze is hal he size o he lowe one, in which wo a acias (ada aja ha is ob ained om he
c oss-sec ion o an isosceles iangle p ism) ha e been eplaced by a hal -squa e on he ou e
edge so ha he albe nica could be ixed. The e is a special piece used in he muqa nas
composi ions o bo h he lan e n ceiling and he wo simila iezes: a p ism wi h a squa e
sec ion ha enables ou conças o be joined and which displays ca ed lo al o namen a ion
[23].
The oo o he lan e n owe is concei ed in acco dance wi h an o de eigh o a ional
symme y, wi h he cen al pa con igu ed in he o m o a clus e (Figu e 10b). Eigh small
domes wi h a egula hexagonal plan and many o he s wi h a non- egula pen agonal plan a e
insc ibed wi hin he ou line o an eigh -poin ed s a , he e ices o which coincide wi h hose
o he oc agon on he pe ime e o he oo . I could well be he case ha he composi ion o wo
a acias joined a he wides pa has been esol ed in he o m o a single ada aja. I would hen
be a e y pa icula ype o ada aja o med om a p ism wi h a squa e plan wi h a side
measu ing i e uni s, which could easily be cu om he chaplón o he same hickness.
R. Ma ín Tala e ano, M. C. Cabo Fe nández, I. Ga cía Ríos, F. L. del Blanco Ga cía
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Figu e 10. Plans (seen om abo e and below): a) ele a ion and pe spec i e o he iezes below he oc agonal dome and in he galle y o he choi ; b) high ieze in
he oc agonal dome.
Conclusions
This pape desc ibes he main esul s o he geome ic and cons uc i e analysis o wo o he
h ee imbe ames loca ed in he chu ch o San a Ma ía (Alaejos, Valladolid), ha is, he
s uc u e o he uppe galle y o he wes end and he co e ed ceiling o he c ossing. The hi d
one ( he oc agonal dome o he main chapel) is p obably he oldes , while he imbe ames o
he uppe galle y and he c ossing da e o a la e , wi h all indica ions poin ing o he ca pen e
o ca e being he con ac o and execu o o bo h wo ks.
This assump ion is based on he inishing ea men o bo h wo ks o joine y and he use o
ce ain cons uc ion join s, especially ha o h ough enons in he b oken join s. We can
su mise ha he ca pen e ’s expe ise was in he ield o al a pieces a he han oo usses,
based on ce ain e o s made in he use o co ne a e s in he oc agonal dome o he ansep .
A easonably expe ienced ca pen e -builde would ha e had li le di icul y in inding a way o
i he co ne a e s wi h he in ados and ex ados planes coplana wi h he o al a e s o he
ski oo ing. This is p oo ha he ask o designing and cu ing pieces in oblique planes is
nei he simple no in ui i e, and nei he is he use o hinges in he s uc u e o oc agonal
domes. Speci ic knowledge o geome y, including bo h aining and p ac ice, is equi ed i a
c a sman is o u n and un old planes and success ully use d awing ools such as he se
a
b
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squa es used wi h he loo plans and shi e s, once he inclines o he panels ha e been decided
[24].
The analysis has p o ided se e al ideas abou he geome ic design and he cons uc i e
con igu a ion o bo h imbe ames. Thanks o his, a hypo he ical 3D digi al econs uc ion
o he unseen pa s o such s uc u es has been ob ained. These esul s could help o deepen
ou knowledge o some o he mas e pieces o he Spanish Renaissance ca pen y, no only in
e ms o he cons uc ion p ocess i sel , bu also in ela ion o he geome ic esou ces and
s a egies used by he c a smen o ma e ialize he designs ha hey had in mind. A be e
knowledge o hese wo ks will also help o imp o e he conse a ion and dissemina ion o he
building, allowing mo e igo ous and accu a e wo ks in ela ionship wi h he analysed imbe
ames.
Acknowledgemen s
This esea ch has been made possible hanks o he collabo a ion o he Gene al Di ec o a e o Cul u al He i age o he
Jun a de Cas illa y León, which g an ed access o he g aphic documen a ion on he chu ch o San a Ma ía (Alaejos,
Valladolid) equi ed o ca y ou his s udy. We would also like o hank Ja ie Sánchez Ma ías, pa ish p ies o he
chu ch, and J. Ja ie Bel án Eliz, manage o he Alaejos ou is o ice, o hei help p o iding access o he collec ion
o da a.
.
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ONLINE: 2024.5.19
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