MEDIEVAL CHURCHES

Early medieval churches were built in the Roman style, called Romanesque.
Romanesque churches had very thick walls made of stone.
They had round arches.
They were built with only a few small windows, so they were dark inside.
Later, medieval churches were built in a new style called Gothic.
Gothic churches had thinner stone walls and stone roofs.
The roofs were vaulted.
Gothic churches were larger and taller than Romanesque churches.
They were bright inside because they had many large windows.

Romanesque Church Santa María del Naranco,
in Oviedo, picture from Wikipedia by Amadalvarez

Gothic Church in Exeter, picture from Wikipedia, by Torsten Schneider

TRAVELLING IN MEDIEVAL TIMES

Travel was difficult and slow in medieval times.
There were few roads, and they were in poor condition.
Travelling was dangerous because many travellers were atacked by thieves.
People travelled on foot, on horseback or in horse-drawn carts.
Small sailing boats were used on rivers and at the sea.

LIFE IN MEDIEVAL TIMES

1000 years ago, noblemen lived in castles with their family, servants and soldiers.
They were built on hills and surrounded by a deep moat filled with water.
Walls made of thick stone surrounded the castle.
Soldiers guarded the castle from towers.
Inside the castle walls was a large house for the lord's family and several other smaller houses.
there were stables for the horses, a blacksmith's a well for water and warehouses for storing food.
Peasants lived in villages near the castle.
They lived in simple huts made of wood, straw and mud, with one simple room.

Manzanares el Real Castle. Picture from Wikipedia by Eleagnus

Medieval Castle: The Tower of London. Picture from fsmschmitt