Earthquake Baroque

Earthquake Baroque, or Seismic Baroque, is a style of Baroque architecture found in the former Spanish East Indies and in Guatemala, which were Spanish-ruled territories that suffered destructive earthquakes during the 17th and the 18th centuries. Large public buildings, such as churches, were then rebuilt in a Baroque style during the Spanish colonial periods in those countries.[1]

Daraga Church is an example of Earthquake Baroque architecture with thick buttresses supporting the walls

Similar events led to the Pombaline architecture in Lisbon following the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and Sicilian Baroque in Sicily following the 1693 earthquake.

Top to Bottom: Panay church entrance with view of façade Pilasters, Paoay church buttresses.

Characteristics

In the Spanish East Indies, destruction of earlier churches from frequent earthquakes have made the church proportion lower and wider; side walls were made thicker and heavily buttressed for stability during shaking. The upper structures were made with lighter materials.[2] Instead of lighter materials thinner walls were introduced by progressively decreasing in thickness to the topmost levels.[3]

Bell towers are usually lower and stouter compared to towers in less seismically active regions of the world.[4] Towers are thicker in the lower levels, progressively narrowing to the topmost level.[2] In some churches of the Philippines, aside from functioning as watchtowers against pirates, some bell towers are detached from the main church building to avoid damage in case of a falling bell tower due to an earthquake.

See also

References
  1. "Antigua’s Environs – Antigua, Guatemala". BootsnAll Indie Travel Guide. Retrieved on 2011-07-06.
  2. "The City of God: Churches, Convents and Monasteries". Discovering Philippines. Retrieved on 2011-07-06.
  3. Reitherman, Robert Consortium of Universities (2016). Seismic Architecture - The architecture of earthquake resistant structures, Llunji Mentor, Earthquake Spectra. Msproject. ISBN 9789940979409.
  4. Finch, Ric. "Antigue Guatemala-- Monumental City of the Americas". Rutahsa Adventures. Retrieved on 2011-07-06.
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