This dissertation is a study of the links between the poem Signos que aparecerán antes del juicio final of Gonzalo de Berceo and the Spanish medieval architecture. The analysis is based on a comparative and systematic contrast between the literary work of Berceo and the monumental sculptures present in three cathedrals that represent the Spanish medieval architecture. The iconographies found in the portals of these cathedrals have thematic and symbolic similarities with the poem of Gonzalo de Berceo. / Spanish

El análisis de las fortalezas medievales debe tener en cuenta los diferentes aspectos que componen tanto las características físicas como simbólicas de una fortificación en su contexto histórico y territorial. No obstante, no siempre es posible hallar ejemplos que sinteticen en su historia y materialidad las tendencias generales de un territorio. En este caso se ciñe el trabajo a tres fortificaciones significativas dentro de la Baja Edad Media gallega pero analizando previamente todos aquellos aspectos pertinentes que condicionaron su historia constructiva. Así, se ubica el estudio en sus coordenadas historiográficas. Destacan a nivel metodológico los problemas existentes para conceptualizar el propio objeto de estudio a partir de las fuentes disponibles, sean de carácter arqueológico, territorial o escrito. Posteriormente, se procede a trazar una síntesis y análisis evolutivo del gran sistema de fortificaciones de la mitra compostelana desde su aparición hasta su decadencia, como principal elemento que condicionó la configuración de otros sistemas de fortalezas, dentro de los dominios de la sede, y estableció los diversos marcos de relación entre los diversos grupos sociales y la propia mitra. De tal manera, se procede a trazar la estructura política y territorial del señorío de la Casa de Moscoso, desglosando las diferentes fortalezas que lo compusieron haciendo hincapié en la descripción del entorno clientelar de los titulares de la casa y en los cambios suscitados en ella con la obtención del título del Condado de Altamira. Se finaliza la investigación con el análisis arqueológico, histórico y territorial de tres fortalezas que por sus características resultan paradigmáticas tanto de la influencia del sistema castral del arzobispado en la configuración de zonas de interés señorial como del establecimiento consciente por parte de la nobleza de fortificaciones a pesar de otras opciones posibles de control territorial. Tales ejemplos se analizan desde una perspectiva diacrónica de cara a explicar las causas de su desaparición o conservación. / The analysis of medieval fortresses implies different aspects related to the physical and symbolic characteristics of every fortification in his historical and territorial context. Nevertheless it is not always possible to find out examples demonstrating the general tendencies of a territory in its history and materiality. The present research deals with three relevant fortifications from the Galician Late Middle Ages considering a previous approach to all pertinent aspects that determine its building history. Therefore this study is located in its historiography context. The methodological difficulties appear related to the main object of study and its conceptualization coming from the different sources available, despite its archaeological, territorial or written nature. The evolution of the system of fortifications of the Archbishopric of Santiago, from its origins to its disappearance, is analysed as a first determining element for the configuration of other system in the dominions of the see, imposing different types of frameworks for the relations between social groups. In this way, we describe the political and territorial structure of the lordship of the Household of Moscoso, extracting the different fortresses that were part of it, pointing out the description of its affinity and the changes derived from the procurance and entitlement of County of Altamira. This research concludes with the archaeological, historical and territorial study of three fortifications, epitomes of the influence of the fortification system of the archbishopric in the configuration of areas of baronial interest as well as the conscious and planned establishment of fortifications despite other possible options of mastership. Such examples are being analysed from a diacronical perspective in order to explain the causes of its disappearance or preservation.

The thesis presents a global art-historical analysis of the Church of Our Lady in Nuremberg (the so-called Frauenkirche) as an important monument of Central European sculpture of the time of Roman Emperor and Czech King Charles IV (1316-1378) and as a witness of the solid connection of art and liturgy. The thesis consists of five chapters, which deal with methodology, historical context, architecture, sculpture and liturgical praxis of the church. The most important aims are: to clarify the participation of Nuremberg patriciate and Charles IV in the church's erection and architectural form, to conduct a complex iconographic and formal-comparative analysis of the sculpture, especially of the atrium, and last but not least to discuss the still unreflected phenomenon of the collegium mansionariorum (mansionars), the priests appointed here, whose specific liturgical practice makes it possible to clarify many iconographic aspects of the paintings and especially of the sculpture.

Les campagnes du Maine conservent encore aujourd’hui de nombreux logis nobles maçonnés, qui se démarquent assez facilement de l’habitat paysan et dont les constructions ont été réalisées essentiellement entre le XIVe et le XVIe siècle. Partant de ce constat, une étude se basant sur un inventaire le plus exhaustif possible de ces demeures semble être l’un des meilleurs moyens pour mieux connaître le mode de vie des seigneurs de cette période par l’intermédiaire de leur habitat. Ainsi a été constitué un corpus rassemblant deux-cent-quinze sites encore visibles aujourd’hui dans l’actuel arrondissement de Mamers (cantons de Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, Bonnétable, Bouloire, Conlie, La Ferté-Bernard, Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, La Fresnaye-sur-Chedouet, Mamers, Marolles-le-Braults, Montfort-le-Gesnois, Montmirail, Saint-Calais, Saint-Paterne, Sillé-le-Guillaume, Tuffé et Vibraye). L’étude architecturale montre les caractéristiques et particularismes de ces sites. Il s’avère qu’ils sont en général bâtis sur un plan rectangulaire et leur mode de construction semble être assez similaire d’un édifice à l’autre. Ainsi, il existe des caractéristiques qui font que ces maisons sont facilement reconnaissables. L’organisation intérieure témoigne de l’évolution des logis entre le XIVe et le XVIe siècle. Quelques sites présentent des aménagements fonctionnels reflétant une recherche de confort. Certains d’entre eux s’avèrent aussi être symboliques comme les escaliers et les cheminées qui arborent les prétentions du détenteur avec parfois la présence d’écus. La présence d’éléments décoratifs révèle les goûts des détenteurs ainsi que leurs moyens financiers. Si certains des logis étudiés présentent un répertoire décoratif totalement issu du goût gothique ou renaissance, certains d’entre eux présentent des ornements « hybrides » entre les deux styles. Ce fait, témoigne que les logis bâtis ou restaurés après la guerre de Cent Ans, sont élaborés selon un modèle architectural de transition entre Moyen Âge et Renaissance. / Nowadays, Maine’s countryside still keeps a lot of noble houses which were built by stonework. These houses differentiate themselves easily from peasantry habitat and were essentially built between the 14thand the 16thcenturies. Based from that information, a study based on an inventory (the much complete as possible) of these houses seemed to be the best working way to know about the Lord’s lifestyles, through their habitats, during this period. A corpus was realized and has bring more than 215 sites together, which are still visible today, in the actual arrondissement de Mamers (cantons de Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, Bonnétable, Bouloire, Conlie, La Ferté-Bernard, Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, La Fresnaye-sur-Chedouet, Mamers, Marolles-le-Braults, Montfort-le-Gesnois, Montmirail, Saint-Calais, Saint-Paterne, Sillé-le-Guillaume, Tuffé and Vibraye). Architectural study shows characteristics and particularities of these sites. They are generally built in accordance with a rectangular plan and these methods of construction seemed to be similar from an edifice to another: the characteristics of these houses easily helped to recognize them. The internal organization gives evidence of the house’s evolution between the 14thand 16thcenturies. Some sites contain functional facilities which show a comfort research. Some of them are more symbolic as the staircases and fireplaces which show the holder’s ambitions with sometimes the presence of shields. Decorative elements show the owner’s taste and their financial resources. If some of the home’s studies present a decorative repertory from Gothic taste or Renaissance taste, some of them present hybrid ornaments between the two styles. This fact testify that houses built or restored after the Hundred Years War were elaborate in accordance with an architectural model of transition between Middle Age and Renaissance.

The origins of heritage conservation in Czech lands are usually dated back to the year 1850 when the Central Commission for Research and Conservation of Architectural Heritage (Central-Commission für Erforschung und Erhaltung der Baudenkmalen) was founded in Vienna. In the years 1854-1855, fourteen conservators were assigned to the Bohemian area whose job was to search for and describe heritage sites and they also were to initiate their repairs. One of those fourteen conservators was one - still rather unbeknown - František X. Josef Beneš (1816-1888), conservator of Čáslav county, with whose life and work this paper is concerned. He was born into a family of an establishment bureaucrat Josef Alois Beneš in Český Dub, however, soon the family moved to Osek u Rokycan. Having graduated from grammar-school he continued studying at Prague Polytechnic school where he focused on chemistry and sugar industry. He started as a sugar industry adjunct in Dobrovice and later he was moved to Suchdol u Kutné Hory to act as a manager of a local sugar factory. Having helped František Alexander Heber with his work Böhmens Burgen, Vesten und Bergschlösser to whom he gave valuable data about many a building in Kutná Hora area, Beneš himself began to be interested in conservation. In the 1840'swe can already find Beneš...

Countess Urraca Lope de Haro was the daughter of the noble Lord Diego Lope de Haro, friend and advisor to King Alfonso VIII of Castilla-León and granddaughter of Lord Lope Díaz de Haro and Lady Aldonza Ruiz de Castro, aristocratic courtiers as well as popular monastic patrons. As a young and wealthy widow, Countess Urraca took monastic vows at the Cistercian nunnery of Santa María de Cañas founded by her grandparents. Within a short time of uniting herself to this monastery, she was chosen as its fourth abbess in 1225, a position she held for thirty-seven years until her death in 1262. Following the tradition of monastic patronage established by her noble family members, Countess Urraca expanded the monastery's small real estate holdings, oversaw extensive building projects to create permanent structures for the nunnery, and patronized artistic projects including statuettes of the Virgin Mary and St. Peter in addition to her own decorative stone sarcophagus during her term as abbess. This thesis examines the artistic decoration and architectural patronage of this powerful woman and the influences she incorporated into the monastic structures at Cañas as she oversaw their construction. In dating the original buildings of the monastery at Cañas to the period of Countess Urraca's leadership, the predominant architectural features and decorative details of female Cistercian foundations in northern Spain are discussed. Comparisons with additional thirteenth-century Cistercian monasteries from the same region in northern Spain are offered to demonstrate the artistic connections with the structures Countess Urraca patronized. In addition, this thesis examines Countess Urraca's obvious devotion to the Virgin Mary and St. Peter by considering the medieval monastic world in which she lived and the strong emphasis the Cistercian Order placed on such worship practices. The potent spiritual connections Countess Urraca made by commissioning images of essential, holy intercessors testifies to her devotion to them and the powerful salvatory role she herself played in the lives of the nuns for whom she was responsible. As a nun and abbess, Countess Urraca was urged to emulate Mary's mothering, nurturing qualities, and, as she did so was simultaneously empowered by the Virgin's heavenly authority as administrator of mercy. Indeed, through studying her art it is clear that she saw herself as an intercessor on behalf of the nuns for whom she was responsible. Furthermore, discussion of the imagery displayed on Countess Urraca's decorative stone sarcophagus demonstrates not only a similar message of salvation through intercessors such as Peter and Mary, but also testifies of Abbess Urraca's aristocratic lineage. Through this artistic commission, the Abbess creates another direct, personal link between herself and the Virgin by including the symbol of the rosary throughout the iconography of her tomb. Such a symbol represents her devotion to Mary as Queen of Heaven and simultaneously empowers Countess Urraca as an intercessor herself. All of these architectural and artistic commissions confirm that she was a powerful woman who wielded a great deal of influence.