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Abbot Suger Of St. Denis And The Rise Of Gothic Architecture

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Enrio Rico Evangelista
Professor Rui de Sousa
Medieval Civilization Section 11
18 November 2015
Abbot Suger of St. Denis and the Rise of Gothic Architecture Religion has always been a part of our identity. Today, the population wander around the world seeing these wonderful churches and religious buildings all around us. The architectural style of the Middle Ages was very prominent: high stone vaults, internal elevations of multiple stories, rounded arches, and thick walls. This was characterized as Romanesque architecture. Suger revolutionized everything. He reworked these ideas and introduced, to the world, what is now known as the Gothic architectural style. Although Gothic architecture played a prominent role during the Renaissance, …show more content…

One of Suger’s first advice was to eliminate the so called robber baron. Louis VI did this in a violent and harsh way but he eventually succeeded. According to one of Suger’s monk, William, wrote the life of his master in the priory of St-Denis (Bradbury 131). It was said: “He was ‘little in body and little in race,’… his great heart in a frail body. Suger lived simply, sleeping on a straw and occupying a bare cell. He was a careful and able administrator and a hard work” (Bradbury 129). As influential as he is, he had priorities that he wanted do accomplish. He retied religion and Capetian kings together again by making the pope and the king form a bond (Pacaut …show more content…

People were criticizing the new building and was not very keen of the idea of renovation. Suger still pushed for his project and fulfill his dreams to glorify the church. He began to rebuilt the church in 1137. One of the reasons behind this construction was that he was not contended with the dark and sinister style of Romanesque architecture. He wanted the church to be an expression of modernity and enlightenment. (Verdon and Dally 190-191). Suger considered it as modern because it was not heavy looking and inspiring. His critics, including Bernard of Clairvaux, called it “Gothic” because it was unrefined, barbaric and non-Roman (Bradbury 295). These criticisms were all wrong because it was completely renewed and this symbolized the top achievement of the medieval civilization. However, they were right that it was completely not Roman. This building represented the apex of achievement because, after centuries of being under the influence of the Roman empire, Suger gave birth to something new, something extravagant and

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