Essence of Daylight in the Cistercian Monastic Church of S. Bento de Cástris, Évora, Portugal

Martins, Ana Maria Tavares; Carlos, Jorge S.

Publication

Essence of Daylight in the Cistercian Monastic Church of S. Bento de Cástris, Évora, Portugal

2017Journal article

dc.contributor.author	Martins, Ana Maria Tavares
dc.contributor.author	Carlos, Jorge S.
dc.date.accessioned	2020-01-23T10:42:24Z
dc.date.available	2020-01-23T10:42:24Z
dc.date.issued	2017
dc.description.abstract	Natural light in the Cistercian churches is closely linked not only with the liturgical requirements at the “officium” but also with the canonical hours based on the "ora et labora" dictated by the Rule of St. Benedict. The Cistercian architecture, in its beginnings (12th century forward) is characterized by austerity, simplicity and the play of light and shadow that gives value to the monastic architectural space itself, making it perfect for a contemplative experience. In the Cistercian Monastery the church is the central piece of the monastic building. Nave, transept and apse are the main architectural components to which is added the choir. This paper contextualizes the importance and close connections of natural light, within the Cistercian Monasteries architecture. Thus the essence of daylight is analyzed within the Church of the Monastery of S. Bento de Cástris, in Évora, Portugal. This former Monastery (13th - 19th centuries) includes the church, at the southeastern corner which has not only a high choir, but also a low lateral choir (within the presbytery). Its unchanged exterior walls are made of solid masonry. Although the function of the walls is primarily structural, the windows allow the daylight to penetrate the space of the church. The church has two external façades facing northeast and southeast. The combined orientation effect of the church’s main axis and the sun trajectory determines how the sunlight reaches the interior of this architectural structure. This study presents the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the luminous environment in the church of S. Bento de Cástris, being the first based on the authors’ perception of the effect of the daylight within the different areas of the enclosed space. The appreciation of the spatial experiences was supported by quantitative daylight simulations that were conducted in selected areas within the space. With this paper is intended to contribute to the debate about the specificity of daylight, in the context of Cistercian architecture.	pt_PT
dc.description.version	info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion	pt_PT
dc.identifier.citation	MARTINS, Ana Maria Tavares, CARLOS, Jorge S.; “Essence of daylight in the Cistercian Monastic Church of S. Bento de Cástris (Évora, Portugal)” in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering; volume 245, 052012; 2017 doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/245/5/052012	pt_PT
dc.identifier.doi	10.1088/1757-899X/245/5/052012	pt_PT
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10400.6/8651
dc.language.iso	eng	pt_PT
dc.peerreviewed	yes	pt_PT
dc.publisher	IOP Publishing	pt_PT
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/	pt_PT
dc.subject	Built Heritage	pt_PT
dc.subject	Monastic Architecture	pt_PT
dc.subject	Cistercians	pt_PT
dc.subject	Daylight	pt_PT
dc.subject	Church	pt_PT
dc.title	Essence of Daylight in the Cistercian Monastic Church of S. Bento de Cástris, Évora, Portugal	pt_PT
dc.type	journal article
dspace.entity.type	Publication
oaire.awardURI	info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/5876/UID%2FHIS%2F00057%2F2013/PT
oaire.citation.startPage	052012	pt_PT
oaire.citation.title	IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering	pt_PT
oaire.citation.volume	245	pt_PT
oaire.fundingStream	5876
person.familyName	Martins
person.familyName	Carlos
person.givenName	Ana Maria Tavares Ferreira
person.givenName	Jorge
person.identifier	E-2497-2012
person.identifier.ciencia-id	2718-E82B-9E26
person.identifier.orcid	0000-0002-2591-0137
person.identifier.orcid	0000-0001-7982-9708
person.identifier.scopus-author-id	55915357500
person.identifier.scopus-author-id	35316722900
project.funder.identifier	http://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.name	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
rcaap.rights	openAccess	pt_PT
rcaap.type	article	pt_PT
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