Pointed arches and ribs in the cross vaults of twelfth and thirteenth century religious buildings in northwest Italy

The study of ribbed vaults in twelfth century churches is important because certain architectural solutions appeared in middle decades of that century and reached their full development at the end of the century. Recent studies have investigated the historical building systems adopted in medieval monastic churches in northwest Italy. The Cistercian abbeys (Lucedio, Staffarda Casanova, Rivalta Scrivia and Morimondo) have been investigated, tracing technical and architectural changes of ribbed vaulting. This study provides an analysis of the construction technics relating to vaulted systems adopted at two important medieval building sites: the church ofthe canonical regulars of Maria di Vezzolano (diocese of Asti) and the church of Sant' Andrea in Vercelli (diocese of Vercelli), constructed d the twelfth and early thirteenth century, respectively.