Following the thought of St. Benedict, as well as the provisions of his own first rules and the recommendations of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercians gave up the rich ornamentation of churches and the multiplication of the number of rooms. They put emphasis on the functionality of housing, farm buildings, and simplicity, ensuring concentration on the churches.

The monastic buildings were erected in places away from cities and trade routes and surrounded by walls, which had both a practical and symbolic character. Due to the fact that the churches were oriented (with the chancel on the eastern side), the monastery buildings adjoined the longer side of the church - the north or the south. An extremely characteristic solution for Cistercian buildings was to supply them with running water by means of artificial channels or the use of natural water courses. In the initial period of their activity, they developed a number of architectural solutions. These, along with the expansion of the order, were scattered throughout Europe. In sacred architecture, the Cistercians took over the simple closure of the chancel wall, which had been typical of 11th century Burgundian architecture. By the resolution of the chapter of 1157, they also gave up the construction of magnificent towers in favor of modest wooden turrets for a bell.

Vaults

After a short period of using barrel vaults with belts (two cradles intersecting at right angles), rib vaults (cradles reinforced with diagonally running ribs) became popular in Cistercian assumptions. It was very often built so that the ribs of the vaults rise directly from the supports or from the walls.

At that time, no ancillary elements, which were to transfer the weight of the vault to the walls and buttresses, were used as an extension of the ribs of the vault.

Keystones 

A keystone with a pelican
A copy of the 13th-century stone keystone from the vault of the northern aisle of the monastery church in Mogiła
Original plaster cast in the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, Bishop Erazm Ciołek Palace

The keystone with the representation of a lamb
A copy of the 13th-century stone keystone from the vault of the northern aisle of the monastery church in Mogiła
Original plaster cast in the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, Bishop Erazm Ciołek Palace