Analysis of The Basilica of St. Denis

When a town has a really big and grand church, it brings in tourism and trade.Because gothic churches were bigger and more elevated than romanesque churches, Gothic churches soon became the life source of towns. Towns would try to emphasise the power and authority of churches through space. Because of this tourism, money, education and control was brought to the town.The idea of having soaring towers could mean

Critics argue that such funds, which are often used for the purpose of constructing or decorating extravagant cathedrals, ought to be used solely for the benefit of the poor and needy. In contrast, Fr. Havens expressed that all things which are good and beautiful glorify God and He has given us talents of creativity and craftsmanship that we may glorify Him. In other words, places of worship are constructed and beautified so ornately, not necessarily to be lavish or to abuse donations, but because giving and doing one’s best represents strong devotion to God and willingness to remember Him always. Our best and most beautiful creations can emphasize God’s eternal capacity to create, to organize and create life and meaning where there was only unorganized matter

Nestled among the modern skyscrapers of Midtown Manhattan, you could be forgiven for mistaking the striking Gothic architecture of St. Patrick’s Cathedral as a medieval artifact in the heart of New York City. Though not quite that old, the storied cathedral is renowned for its beautiful Neo-Gothic design and rich history. Not too many people, however, realize the true story behind one of New York City’s most iconic and celebrated landmarks. Here’s a quick look at the hidden history of the famed St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Religion in the US today has an obvious inspiratation from the Reniassance Era of Europe. Christianity is popular religion in the US and spreads far from and across different states. A popular similarity in the US based on the Christian religion is the stained glass windows in the churchs. Every church chooses to use different colors and designs for their windows. Some may have images relaying back to the bible while others are simple with just the color. Even though the windows may look fairly similar each church puts their own twist and make iit their own,.

When Abbot Suger created the Gothic style he had in mind to create a church to pay respects to God by illuminating light with stained glass.

The pillars were the tall stone that holds the cathedral together and makes it higher keeping near to God. The point arches were the essential pieces that made to imagery the gothic Design since it is such masterwork of workmanship. Nonetheless, the Gothic Design was on the most powerful of craftsmanship on the grounds that through the ages Florence and Siena single out the plans to manufacture holy places with the Gothic purpose of perspectives. Despite everything, the Gothic Design was attempting the most powerful timeframe.

First, Christianity started to grow in a fast rate of motion, and the nave of a basilica could receive large numbers. The semicircular apse in the nave, as the Romans had known, gave attention to the people who assembled to a central figure. The Christians discovered that the apse was a perfect place for drawing the religious community attention to the altar and speakers. As the Roman architecture of the basilica gradually increased to be a strong authoritative summary of faith for Christianity, they began to combine art and architecture to the structures that they believe would honor or give thanks to their Lord. Besides, Christians began to build a transept on their churches, transforming the basilica into a symbol for the cross.

In 1228, the construction of the Papal Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Italy started and was completed in 1253. This lavish church was home to many Catholic Italians starting in the 13th century. During this time, the majority of rural villagers were common folks who were farmers, herders, and crafters. To these common villagers who participated in church services on a regular basis, the church signified many things. To these villagers, the church was intimidating, powerful, and the center of their social life.

Stained glass windows were one of the most important features of the Gothic cathedrals. Stained colored glass designs were composed of metallic oxides and copper oxides would create the vivid colors such as blue, green, red, violet and yellow. Its popularity took place during the mid-12th century when Abbot Suger of Saint Denis also known the father of “stained glass windows” created stained glass windows in the churches to symbolize the heavenly light coming from the presence of God. The Abbey Church of Saint-Denis was a mastermind architectural design by Suger believed that Dionysius was a patron saint of Saint-Denis and creating a construction plan and designed the cathedral with stained glass windows. The idea of incorporating more light

The building that so majestically dominates the piazza (town square) is the Basilica of San Marco, framed by the two wings of the arcades and buildings of the Vechie and Nuove Procuratie which open slightly, like a fan, to enhance the effect. The original basilica was built in the 9th century, and important restorations were made at the end of the 10th century. The actual building dates back to 1063 when it was rebuilt supposedly on the model of the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Constantinople. Since then, San Marco has been embellished throughout the years

I also thought it was interesting to learn that the abbey church of Saint Dennis was the first introduction of Gothic architecture. Another interesting thing that I wanted to point out was, that many of the churches, including the abbey church of Saint Dennis and the Chartres Cathedral, "had lengthy construction histories" (Kleiner 379). But, one church, in particular, had a fairly quick construction time frame. The Laon Cathedral, pictured below, is an example of a church that began construction around 1160 and the construction was quickly completed, by 1200. Besides, Gothic architectural features, the Laon Cathedral also demonstrates some Romanesque features, including, "nave bays with large sexpartite rib vaults" (Kleiner 379). The textbook

Gothic cathedrals are more often than not very tall. In fact, they are the equivalent of city scrapers today because they dominate the skyline and emphasize vertically. Church leaders sought an architectural style that would create a sense of awe in the power and majesty of God for anyone that went to such churches. Master masons designed and constructed the cathedrals with the aim of creating uninterrupted vertical space in their structures. These great heights formed a dramatic interior that served the purpose of reinforcing the power of God and the church.

Gothic architecture began in the 12th century and continued well into the 16th century as an attempt to reconcile Christian theology with Greek philosophy. Gothic architecture was deeply rooted in the previous architectural genre, the Romanesque, but architects this time around no longer desired to recapture the ‘classical’ and ‘antique’. If we focus on the Gothic cathedral, we’ll find that a Gothic cathedral had a unified and unbroken space that included the apse, rather than separating them like the Romanesque architects did. The main characteristics of Gothic style cathedrals included the groin-vault. Barrel-vaults had become too difficult to make and too heavy to install and so the Gothic architects decided to pull away from them and utilize groin-vaults instead. The ribs in the groin-vaults were conveniently aligned to form a diamond pattern on the ceilings. Atop these vaults was the second main characteristic of

Stained glass has played a major role in reflecting Christianity’s beliefs because of the multitude of uses it has in a church. Stained glass windows are used in Christianity to represent and provide a visual picture for the Bible and the lives of Saints. The windows also serve the church by letting light from outside in. According to members of the Gothic church, when the light enters through the stained glass it becomes divine light and is the light of God. The divine light in the church symbolized the spirit of God. Because stories were depicted

Architecture themes are most commonly seen in the different ecclesiastical buildings of the times. These buildings are the most likely to not be destroyed over time, and are made with the finest materials so they are sturdy and prepared for the thousands of people who will walk through them. The cathedrals and churches of 500-1000 AD mark the Byzantine Period, and these buildings are very similar and different to the western ones succeeding it from 1000-1200 AD in the Romanesque and Gothic Periods. From their craftsmanship to their symbolism, both Byzantine and Western Medieval architecture have similarities and differences that helped shape the period.