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16-627: The reliefs on the tympanums of the four outermost windows on the first floor represent the four landvættir of Iceland: a dragon, a vulture, a giant and a bull, momentarily appeased by Ingólfur Arnarson when he first landed in Iceland. Alþingishúsið has also housed the Icelandic National Library and Antiquaries Collection, and later the Icelandic National Gallery . The University of Iceland used

32-449: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tympanum (architecture) A tympanum ( pl. : tympana ; from Greek and Latin words meaning "drum") is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, door or window, which is bounded by a lintel and an arch . It often contains pedimental sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Many architectural styles include this element. Alternatively,

48-482: Is the king of jews" to mock his powerlessness. This inspired buildings as early as the arch of Constantine and old Saint Peters basilica which featured an engraving a Christ with a poem inscribed in second person perspective, an essential feature of later tympanum inscriptions. Early reliquaries and pilgrimage churches employed this convention, such as the Shrine of Saint Martin at Tours which in 558 installed engravings of

64-470: The Baptistry of St. Jean at Poitiers created in the 6th through 7th century CE defined Merovingian architecture. The form became abstracted in this period, replacing sculptures with geometric engravings and mosaics, and using small alternating curved and triangular pediments above windows on churches such as St. Generoux from the 9th or 10th century. This transformation continued throughout the later parts of

80-460: The Conques tympanum is far more detailed in its figures and scenes in a way reminiscent of Roman reliefs. This work was meant to be horrifying to the people who passed under it, on the right demons torture the souls of the damned, sinners are fed to grotesque monsters, and people are crammed into small spaces as they await their judgment. Contrasting this is Christ in the middle and the saved souls on

96-486: The Coucy Doujon tympanum was carved between 1225 and 1230 and is evidence that tympanums were used in secular settings as well. The large tympanum was positioned above the door to the largest tower, as a way to tell anyone entering the building a message. The message for this particular tympanum is relatively unknown, featuring a figure likely from Coucy family history fighting a lion. Lions had many symbolic meanings in

112-524: The French legacy of architectural innovation while also appearing on churches across Europe. The tympanum above the west portal of the Sainte-Foy church in Conques is possibly the most famous tympanum; carved in the early 1100s it is emblematic of the style, purpose and culture of Romanesque tympanums. This tympanum depicts the last judgement, which was the subject of a large portion of tympanums, however,

128-500: The area around Austurvöllur. There are currently plans to build a new building to house these offices and meeting rooms in the area immediately to the west of Alþingishúsið , where there is today a parking lot and a few smaller buildings currently being used by Alþingi and which will be incorporated into the new building. 64°08′48″N 21°56′25″W  /  64.14667°N 21.94028°W  / 64.14667; -21.94028 This article about an Icelandic building or structure

144-460: The early Middle Ages, gradually shifting into the large circular stained glass windows of the gothic era known as rose windows. Classical pediments more closely transformed into rose windows than tympanums, and when pedimental shapes reappeared over gothic and Romanesque portals, inspiration can be traced in other directions. According to the Gospel of Luke, above Jesus on the cross was written "this

160-484: The end of a gabled roof, in later imperial Rome the form was adjusted. Pediments started being placed above any doorway and curved instead of triangle shapes were introduced, ignoring structural value and instead using the now abstracted form purely for decoration. After the collapse of the Roman empire, regions with significant classical architecture quickly adopted and transformed the features. In France examples such as

176-492: The ever-rising Benedictine order changed rules on how churches should operate and appear. Architecturally the Romanesque era saw an increased appreciation for classical forms, coupled with an increase in church construction related to several factors including political turmoil and as thanks to god for not ending the world in the year 1000. Tympanums are one of the most prominent features of Romanesque architecture, building on

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192-519: The first floor of the house from 1911 to 1940, and the President of Iceland had his offices in the building until 1973. Today, only the debating chamber, a few small meeting rooms and the offices of some of the senior parliamentary staff are actually located in Alþingishúsið . Committee meeting rooms, parliamentarians' offices and most of Alþingi's secretariat are located in other buildings in

208-524: The left, serving as a reminder for pilgrims of why they made their journey. The imagery on this tympanum is primarily meant to remind the viewer of the power of gods judgement, part of many ways that tympanums through the era mentally prepare pilgrims for the experience of the church. There are many more subtle messages however, such as encouraging donations through depicting a miser character being damned, and even making comments about politics by showing Charlemagne bowing his head. Another example from France,

224-625: The life of Christ and the churches patron saint (Saint Martin). These engravings situated directly above the main entrances had poems inscribed directing visitors on how they should feel entering the church. This was quickly replicated in Carolingian era churches such as the abbey of Saint Gall in Switzerland, completing the decorative style of the tympanum. The Romanesque era (1000–1200) saw massive change in church architecture. Pilgrimage required churches to rethink layouts and symbolism and

240-540: The time were sometimes blank but often contained statues of the gods and representations of geographic features, there are uncountable stories and messages in these inscriptions however the symbolism remained closely related to the philosophy and democracy associated with classical Greek city states. These themes continued when the Romans spread the style further into Europe, picking up an aspect of authoritarian symbolism in provinces captured by conquest. Originally serving as

256-505: The tympanum may hold an inscription, or in modern times, a clock face. Tympanums are by definition inscriptions enclosed by a pediment, however the evolution of tympanums gives them more specific implications. Pediments first emerged in classical Greece 700-480 BCE, with early examples such as the pantheon remaining famous to this day. Pediments spread across the Hellenistic world with the rest of classical architecture. Inscriptions at

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