Gothic and Romanesque Cathedrals Essay

In this excerpt, von Simson looks at how the writings of intellectuals influenced the development of Gothic architecture. He begins by looking at the writings of St. Augustine and his love for music and how the importance of measurement found in music also applies to architecture. He then goes on to address two important schools of thought that influenced the formation of the Gothic style: The Platonists with their focus on cosmology, and the monks at Clairvaux, including St. Bernard, who focused on spirituality. In this section, von Simson focuses on the former and the connection between the cosmos and the Gothic cathedral. He argues that these medieval scholars saw God as an architect and the cosmos as his cathedral. In his study of both St. Augustine and the Plantonists, von Simson works to identify the ways in which these intellectual schools of thought influenced Gothic architecture.

It's critical that Gothic engineering was fundamentally given to the working of religious abodes. Gothic design is known for the utilization of curves that point strongly upward and flying supports, which allude to structures that hold up substantial dividers. Flying braces make the rich, vertical upward line of Gothic engineering and take into account bigger windows, which Gothic specialists used to showcase splendid recolored glass windows. Renaissance engineering included more Romanesque structures (fabricating a home around a yard, for instance), regularly based around circles rather than the vertical, upward development of Gothic design. In the Renaissance, figure was much more imperative than engineering. Figures, for example, Michelangelo's David demonstrated amazing naturalism and a grasp of the bare human

Much of the architecture in the Romanesque era evolved into Gothic architecture. The Gothic era ran from the 12th century into the 16th century. There wasn’t necessarily a clean break from Romanesque to Gothic styles of architecture, but rather a gradual shift in design. The main characteristics of Gothic architecture are the pointed ribbed vaults and arches, flying buttresses and, in place of solid walls, a cluster of columns. Due to the vertical emphasis of the design, the archways could be redesigned and stretched or pointed. Four main Figure 5 – The depressed arch supported by fan vaulting at King’s College Chapel, England.

During the gothic period, many philosophers started to embrace the theory of scholasticism. Scholastic philosophy began to take root in schools all across Europe, and this exposure shaped the arts of that period. From music to architecture, these philosophies changed the paradigms of the artists and the audience. Religion still being the backbone of art in this time period, cathedrals began to take on these different art forms and processes of the gothic era. Biblical Symbolism is a key to religious art and architecture that teaches lessons and embraces catholic ideals. Chartres Cathedral, an icon for gothic architecture, has a style that emulates this concept of symbolism that was shaped scholasticism. In the analysis of the west façade of the Chartres Cathedral, one can recognize how scholastic philosophy influenced and shaped the biblical symbolism and images shown in the Chartres Cathedral.

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.

Some of those main characteristics of the Gothic Architecture are the pointed arcs, ribbed vaults and flying buttress, stained glass windows, complex decoration, towers and some other details. The origins of the pointed arcs used in gothic Architecture come from the pre-Islamic and Islamic Architecture. Two-barrel vaults intersecting in a perpendicular way compose the ribbed vaults; this would give more strength to the building allowing for more windows at higher places. Flying buttress has to purpose to resist horizontal forces, by redirecting to force to the ground. The stained glass windows were ecclesiastic windows that allow light from the highest points of the building. Some of the complex decoration refers to the amount of detail such as statues, paints, and scripts on the walls.

     The term Gothic refers to a genre that came about in the late eighteenth century. It can be a type of story, clothing, or music nowadays. In this paper it will refer to a style of literature. A very good example of this type of literature is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. There is a sense of foreboding throughout the whole novel, which is one of the basic necessities of the Gothic. This theme of the Gothic has different characteristics that all fit into the story of Victor Frankenstein and his monster and make this one of the first horror stories every told.

Gothic Style is some of the most beautiful works of art that man have ever made. It originated with the Romanesque style of building which lasted for about one hundred years before it was replaced by Gothic styles. The founder of the Gothic style was a man by the name of Abbot Suger. Notre Dame de Chartres cathedral was built in France between 1145 and 1513 and is Gothic architecture. Another Gothic architecture is the Bourges and it is located in Bourges France. Both of these works of art are very similar with many different features.

Gothic architecture a new style developing from an old style of architecture with similar characteristics and in a way different. Architects wanted to build bigger buildings with stronger walls something that could not be found elsewhere. The old buildings did not have windows they were dark places that in order to get light they needed many candles. Not even the candles could give the right amount of light the buildings needed. The middle ages architects wanted big windows on the buildings and this new style made their wish come true. Architecture during the Middle Ages became a new style with new problems to solve and a new kind of extraordinary buildings to build.

Defining characteristics which began to create the line between Romanesque and Gothic architecture was the use of flying buttresses, this allowed for more light, bigger windows, and of course the use of a pointed arch rather than the rounded arches. Other characters which were developed and characterized as Gothic were the inclusion of large vertical towers, flamboyant spires, plate tracery windows, emphasis on windows, the reintroduction of sculptures, glass stained windows.

The Gothic style was an over exaggerated, awe-inspiring attempt to become closer to God. The worshipper was not only drawn to the altar, but experienced an ascent to heaven at the same time.1 These artistic gems are a grand testament to historical technology and the imaginative approach and vision of skilled craftsmen. The gothic style is one of the most

     The art of the Romanesque period was characterized by the revival of sculptures and fresco painting. These were common elements of architecture. Along with those architectural advancements the period produced frequent examples of realism as well as a heightened emphasis on emotion and fantasy. The crusades acted as a main contributor to this time period lending more religious and revolutionary imagery.

Gothic art flourished from the 12th century to the 16th century in Europe in response of the Byzantine and Romanesque tradition. Although Gothic is associated with arts, its most prominent use is in architecture, mainly for its pointed arch and flying buttress. To this day, the Gothic style is taken as a ‘label’ for visual arts such as concept art designs, yet the meaning stray from the original context, thus becoming rarely accurate.

We’re looking at the difference between Romanesque cathedrals and Gothic cathedrals. I know you all are so excited to learn what a flying buttress is because I know I was. Spoiler alert, it is nothing like what it sounds like. It’s much more cool and innovative, which is what these two periods were all about. Taking knowledge from the past and improving it.

The research paper, shall be concerned with discussion Gothic architecture in Europe-namely England, France, Germany, and Italy starting from 12th to the 16th Centuries. Architecture was the most original and lasting form of art during the Gothic Period, which lasted for four centuries starting from the mid 12th century. The impetus for this architecture was the Roman Catholic Church, which sought to portray their houses of worship as something which transcended the realm of mankind. It is interesting to note that many of the Northern European areas were predominately pagan, and only recently brought into the Church. The imagery provided by Gothic structural design was something these peoples could more readily understand, as they