Archeoastronomy : Preliminary hypothesis about the archeoastronomical

characteristics of La Vera Cruz Church in Segovia

Sergio Dr. Ing. Berti –Vice President Associazione Architettura e Geobiologia Studi Integrati
Italy

Abstract

The construction origin of the La Vera Cruz Church in Segovia Spain is controversial and the
researchers are not all in agreement with the fact the people attribute it to Knights Templars but it
is for sure the builders were expert about the harmony of the Universe .They match wonderfully the
structure of the Church with Nature, Earth, Cosmos and the Man .In our research we examined the
possible archeoastronomical characteristics, making use of the available structure base plan, and
we obtained interesting preliminary conclusions to understand the ancient architects had a good
knowledge of the Earth and the Universe and they were able to create well –timed light actions in
the internal parts of the buildings with calendar functions and to control the cyclic repeating of
seasons.

Introduction

The Vera Cruz Church in Segovia Spain ( see fig. 1 ) is located not far from the town and it is the
completer sacred european building , that remains ,with a central aedicule around that circular
nave turns. This architectural style, that has some precedings in the romans baptisteries on the
first centuries of Christianity ,was used in the set up buildings of differents orders of Chivalery that
were actual during the Crusade age in Palestine .

Fig.1– The South-West sight of La Vera Cruz Church

The La Vera Cruz Church building ,that previously was entitled to the Holy Sepulchre ,is ascribed for legend to Knights
Templars even if some recents researches put it in doubt ; because would seems surer that it were built from Knights
of Holy Sepulchre Order like “Encomienda”, depending from the “Collegiata de Toro” ( Zamora ).During 1531,when
the Order integrated oneself with Saint John of Jerusalem Order, the Church entered under the new dominion and it
remained there definitively. The dedication date of the church is visible in a built tablet, in central aedicule, and it
th
corresponds to 13 April 1208.
 Base plan and cross section on the South Portal middle

The architectural style of the Church corresponds to that used during the transition period from
Romanesque to Gothic and utilized base plan, to verify the archeoastronomical characteristics,
is in fig. 2

Fig. 2 – Utilized base plan of La Vera Cruz Church in Segovia

To the original building, formed by the main circular structure and three jointed apses ,it was
added, later, a fourth apse (h), used like sacristy, and an Italian style bell-tower (d). The cross
section, in the middle of South doorway, is in fig. 3 where it is possible to note a raised aedicule
with a little altar and covered by an hemispherical dome. Today ,the main base floor is all at same
level and stairs, like in fig. 3 of J.M. Merino de Caceres, are not actual.

Fig. 3 – Cross section of La Vera Cruz Church on the South Portal middle
The Church has two important portals: one in South direction ( see fig. 4 ) and second in West
direction ( see fig. 5 ).

Fig. 4 – South portal of La Vera Cruz Church

The presence of South portal can to suppose its use( with open door ) like calendar ,using the light
projection position on the internal floor, when the sun to go along the local meridian ( local true
midday ).The sun light, indeed, during the travel on local meridian enters ( with open door) and
makes a luminous picture ,with parallel sides to South-North direction , and variable length size ,
interior ward , depending from the year day; for this occurrence the South portal acts like a true
sun-dial .The same, for the West portal, we made hypothesis for luminous phenomena, in
correlation with well determined days of the year at sunset.

Fig. 5 – West portal of La Vera Cruz Church

Correlated archeoastronomical hypothesis to some particular sizes of the base plan Church

From detailed study of the available original base plan of the La Vera Cruz Church( with exclusion
of fourth apse and the Italian style bell-tower, all later built ), and with assumption that the same
represents with exactness the building sizes, derived that the Church dimensions was made using
a rectangular project matrix ( Matrice Di Progetto Rettangolare MDPR ) (see fig. 6 ) and with
evident correlations with some general and local astronomical parameters and, precisely :

-Subdivision of internal building space in accordance with the four cardinal geographic directions

-Angular speed per hour of the apparent sun movement around the Earth (about 15°/ hour )

-Earth axis inclination on 1200 A.C. ( about 23,542° )

-Local Sun rise direction on Summer Solstice ( ASE)

-Local Sun rise direction on Equinox (AEQ)

-Local Sun rise direction on Winter Solstice (ASI)

-Local Sunset direction on Summer Solstice ( TSE)

-Local Sunset direction on Equinox (TEQ)

-Local Sunset direction on Winter Solstice (TSI)

Fig.6 – Application of Rectangular project matrix (MDPR) to La Vera Cruz Church

These hypothesis were verified ,with positive results, beginning from the available base plan
where it was traced, like first initial step, the perpendicular South-North direction to the South
portal middle ( see Fig. 7 ).
 Fig. 7 – Base plan with the perpendicular South-North direction to the South portal
middle

It was traced ,in succession ,the perpendicular to South-North direction in the center (K) like it is
indicated in fig. 8 .

Fig. 8 – Subdivision of internal space of the Church in four cardinal geographic

quadrants

From the center (K) two straight lines were traced ,on West sector, with angular wide, as to West,
equal to the Earth axis inclination on 1200A.C. ( about 23,542°),with the remark they intersect the
parallel straight lines to the East-West direction, going along the little windows ( monofora ) of the
two secondary apses, in the central circular bending point of the same apses ( c1 e c 2 ) ( see fig.
9).

The subdivision of the internal space in four cardinal geographic quadrants and the connection of
the building structure with Earth axis inclination value, during the foundation time, put in evidence
a strong relation between the Church and the Earth.
 Fig. 9 – Building base plan relation with the four geographic cardinal quadrants and the Earth
axis inclination

From the center (K) other two straight lines were traced ,on West sector, with angular wide, as to
West, equal to average per hour speed value of sun apparent angular displacement ( about 15°
/hour ) with the remark they intersect central apse to specify its principal sizes (see fig. 10 ).

Fig. 10 - – Building base plan relation with the average per hour speed value of sun apparent
angular displacement ( about 15° /hour )

The sun directions, during solstice sun rise and solstice sunset, and sun local rectangle (with
hypothesis the local sky line has an elevation of 0° ) were added ,in succession ,with remark that
solstice sun rise directions define perfectly the size ,in the South-North direction ,of the three
original apses and the sun rectangle is in perfect geometrical agreement with the main internal
circular part of the building (see fig. 11 ).
 Fig. 11-– Building base plan relation with local solstice sun rise directions and with local
sun rectangle

After ,the local sun rise solstice directions and the local sunset solstice directions were added, at
level of South and West portals, with the remark the portal opening angles, toward the outside,
are coherent with the sun solstice directions and the internal stairs position, toward the raised
aedicule with semispherical dome, are in relation with solstice sunset directions across the West
portal.

At the end, the possible sun ligth movements ,were added when the sun light is thrown toward
the internal part of the Church between the two portals( before of the following building of the
tower-bell that interferes with the apparent sun movement in the South portal ) like in fig. 12.

Fig. 12-Building original base plan relation ( without the tower-bell) of the Church with the sun
light movement that enters from the portals during the year.

Considerations about the sun light movements, during the year, across the two portals

From fig. 12 it is possible to observe the South portal is used like sun-dial ,with calendar functions,
and it is interesting to observe as the sun light movement, coming from upper part of portal,
makes, only during the equinox days, a course that is a parallel straigth line to East-West
geographic direction and going along almost to the center of the circular nave and with
intersection of the second columns ,that are located on the both sides from the South portal
middle ( see fig. 13 too ).

Fig.13-Sun ligth movement across the South portal (with opened door )

During the sun crossing of the local meridian ,on the winter solstice day, the sun ligth is good to
lap the internal circular part, below the aedicule, in South-North direction ( see fig. 14 ),while on
the summer solstice day the sun light ,that enters from the portal, reach the minimum size and its
point is in contact with the straight line that joins the first two columns ,that are located on the
both sides from the South portal middle .

These affirmations are based on the used base plan reliability (at the moment ,it is the only that is
possible to dispose ) and from the angular values ,relative at the moment when the sun crosses on
local meridian on 2010.

Fig. 14-Alignment between the door of South portal and the room under the central aedicule

The West portal ( see fig. 15) has a calendar function too and the sun ligth, that enters from the
door at the sunset, can to space in the middle part of the Church toward West and, during the
close equinox days, the sun ligth can reach the high altar area, after the crossing under the
circular space under the central aedicule ( see fig. 16 ).
 Fig.15- Sun light movement across West Portal ( with opened door )

Fig.16- Sun ligth crossing in West-East direction to the sunset ,during the close equinox days

It is possible, moreover, a level where to observe the sun ligth and relative projection to the
Church internal part in the area of central aedicule near to the little altar. This level is formed by all
the present little windows ( monofora ) on the upper part of the building and upper the two
portals and the apses too ( see fig. 17 ).

Fig.17- Building little windows (Monofora) at central aedicule level

The external little windows are in optic connection with other ligth radial crossings ,that are in the
central aedicule ( see fig. 18 ).
 Fig. 18- Ligth radial crossings inside central aedicule

The relations between the sun apparent movement and the internal displacements of the sun light
in the central aedicule, with little altar, are not been investigated because it is not available the
internal plan with evidence of the internal light crossings in the aedicule wall included the ones
toward the main altar ,South portal and West portal too.

It is possible sun light projections during the year, in relation with little altar position, but ,at the
moment ,we have not available enough elements to do hypothesis and valuations.

Conclusions

It is possible to assert ,with a good level of reliability, that the sizes of La Vera Cruz Church in
Segovia were obtained by means the rectangular project matrix ( MDPR ) and that the performed
verification ,for the archeoastronomical aspects, has allowed to put in evidence the existence of
connections between the building structure and some general and local astronomical parameters
,in order to achieve suitable internal light movements in the building with calendar functions and
to control season cyclic repetitions ;but that it is evident ,mainly, it is a big harmonic relation that
the ancient builders were able to achieve among the building sizes ( by the gold ratio and greek P
guided ) with: a) the Earth, by means the space subdivision in four cardinal quadrants and the
relation with Earth axis inclination;2)the Cosmo, by means the fundamental annual directions of
the apparent Sun movement and the use of its light manipulation to scan the time spend;3) the
Nature and the Man.

It is evident ,moreover, as in this initial harmonic context the jointed elements ,on following time
added ,be discordant and with interference ( Fourth apse and the bell-tower ), and this when it
was begun to lose the harmony sense and the incomprehension that the Man can to feel well in a
building ,only ,if this is designed with the same logic that uses the Nature.

The Man ,that is an evident example of natural structural design based on gold ratio and in
coherence with rectangle project matrix (MDPR),is in harmony with the original building structure
of the Church that is, at its turn ,in harmony with the Earth and the Cosmo.
The conclusion ,at the end, is therefore that the original La Vera Cruz Church in Segovia is an
example , still in good condition, of that the Man and his buildings can to be in harmony with
the Nature, the Earth and the Cosmo.

Bibliography

- Julien Frizot-Sur les pas des templiers en terre de France-Editions Ouest-France

- D.Josè M. Quadrado-Salamanca,Avila,Segovia (Espana,sus monumentos y sus artes,su

naturaleza è Historia –Barcelona 1884

- Vincente Lamperez-La iglesia de los Templarios en Segovia-Boletin de la Sociedad Espanola

de Excursiones-Madrid,abril 1898

- Eugenio Colorado y Laca-Segovia:Ensayo de una critica artistica de sus monumentos,etc,

Segovia 1908

- Orden de Malta- Cartelera de la Iglesia de La Vera Cruz de Segovia- Jointed to the ticket to
enter

- R.Mosca,A.Rubino-La Triplice cinta-Terra Nuova Edizioni

- S.Berti,J.D.de Vidaurreta-Geometria Sagrada:Hipotesis sobre las modalidades de proyecto

de la iglesia de La Vera Cruz de Segovia-http//:www.scribd.com/sergio_berti

- A.Rubino- Progettare con il sole-Relation to the Quinto Convegno Nazionale “Bio-

Architettura&Geobiologia&Legno” organized by the Associazione Architettura e
Geobiologia Studi Integrati

Photos and Figures

- Fig. 1 – Photo of Sergio Berti

- Fig. 2 – From : http//:es.wikipedia.org/wiki/iglesia_de_la_vera_cruz_(segovia)

- Fig.3- From the publication of Merino de Caceres-Iglesia de La Vera Cruz o del Sancto

Sepulcro de Segovia

- Fig. 4,5,14,16,17,18 – Photos of Sergio Berti

- Fig.6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15- Elaborations and Photos of Sergio Berti on base of fig.2