Romanesque Culture
While 1007 sounds dreadfully primitive, it is important to remember that it is not the height of the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages are ending. While the 11th century is a long way from the Rennaisance, it is the beginning of the blossoming of civilization.
As the Dark Ages are ending, the Romanesque period is beginning. This is a revival of art and architecture. The achievements of Romanesque culture will be derided as primitve by the Gothic culture that follows it (and both will be mocked by the subsequent Renaissance culture), but it is important nonetheless.
The most significant aspect of Romanesque culture is in architecture. Stone is heavily used (at the height of the Dark Ages, it was hardly used at all) — for castles, but even more often for churches. Romaneque cathedrals and castles are the biggest structures built in Europe since the height of the Roman empire. They have a solid, massive quality, and use such Roman architectural techniques as arches, vaults, and columns (columns are often scavenged from Roman ruins). They are also heavily embellished — decoration is a hallmark of the Romanesque period.
Art and sculpture are also flourishing, particularly in monasteries. Romanesque art is religious and often austere; not humanistic like Renaissance art. It also does not possess the technical innovations that make Renaissance art look so realistic to modern eyes (e.g., perspective and a good knowledge of human anatomy).