The vault of the chapel of our lady of the Alcázar in the church of Saint Patrick in Lorca. Geometrical experimentation in spanish renaissance architecture

Abstract

A number of peculiar thorus vaults were built in southern Spain during the 16th century. One of these vaults, over the chapel of the Virgin of the Alcázar in the church of San Patricio in Lorca, shows at first sight an irregular rib layout; this fact makes the thorus nature of the intrados surface uncertain. The authors have carried on a survey of this member using 3D laser scanning and multi-image photogrammetry. This has led to an unexpected conclusion. The vault is built in two sections, in order to fit a preexistent skew plan. The intrados of one of these portions is a torus surface, while the other one is not. However, both parts are geometrically consistent. The apparent irregularities arise from these design choices and would not have shown if both portions were not placed one beside the other.

Keywords

• geometría
• estereotomía
• levantamiento
• bóveda tórica
• lorca
• capilla de la virgen del alcázar
• jerónimo quijano