From Cistercian Europe, Architecture of Contemplation, Terryl N. Kinder, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002.
Excerpts chosen by Thomas Falmagne.

Architecture

How did the Cistercians create an architecture that embodied their ideals and intentions? Where did the ideas come from? Is there a style one can call “Cistercian”?

It is generally believed that a more formalized design for the abbey, including the church, was developed in the 1130s although precisely how and where this evolved and was transmitted is a matter of continuing debate.

In any cases, in order to design a suitable floor plan, wall elevation, vaulting, and other details, the early Cistercians drew from the obvious sources at their disposal: the architectural vocabulary of the time and place in which they lived. These were chosen selectively from the buildings around them, that is to say, the Romanesque style in Burgundy in the second quarter of the twelfth century.

(To be continued, the remaining text will be translated shortly)