Language of the Rascian School: Analyzing Rascian Church Plans via Parallel Shape Grammar

A parallel shape grammar has been defined to study Serbian medieval monastic churches of the Rascian School. It combines church plans with the associated justified permeability graphs. The new grammar does what shape grammars traditionally do: explores the richness of the language by enumerating its possible instances—there are 62 different types of Rascian church plans enumerated by the grammar. In addition to this, the grammar also pinpoints possible change in social use of the church space evident in churches built after Serbian Orthodox Church gained independence in 1219.