St. Denis Creation

in detailed carvings. The new cathedral was built to stabilize the older cathedral. There is an

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

The edifice in itself was rather imposing. It was a large construction similar to European cathedrals. From the point of view of the religious feeling, I considered it to be more appropriate than catholic churches that resemble more to museums and are extraordinary in their art. Usually in catholic churches the edifice is impressive in its shape and construction and the first thought is to associate it to a pierce of art rather than a place of prayer. By comparison, this Orthodox Church was not that lavishing in details or artistic nature and the outside paintings set a religious feeling as I entered. A cemetery or a place for holy burials such as the former priests that served at the Church surrounded this church. This is not mandatory to happen but most of the times, Orthodox churches have in the vicinity the cemetery.

Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis(1081-1151) helped define and popularize two things in his lifetime: the Gothic architectural style and the peacekeeping and feudal mission of the Capetian monarchy, which enabled their ascension to dominance in medieval France. Suger has been regarded as the first person to recognize, describe, and analyze the socio-political structure of Capetian France as a feudal hierarchy, a pyramid of tenure with the king at its top (Grant 3). He is also commonly seen as an influential ideologist, a man who glorified the Capetian monarchy. Suger is best known for his architectural reconstruction of the Saint Denis abbey church, of which the renovations’ purpose were not only for the monks’ benefits, but also for the populace

To Kill a Mockingbird is a modern classic by Harper Lee that goes over the themes of prejudice, social inequality, family values, racism, conflict, and morality. The novel exposes people to the reality of racism and encourages them to confront and fight against discrimination for a just community. The story narrates the early years of Scout and Jem Finch while having their father defend a black man who had been accused of rape. Prejudice is a significant theme of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and is presented throughout the novel in many different forms. Prejudice is a destructive force in the town of Maycomb that ruins the lives of innocent people, solely due to the way they are perceived.

The first thing that one’s eyes lay on is the amazing trade mark of marble stone from the architect Rafael Guastavino. The façade out of this building shows Spanish Renaissance architecture at its very best. The brick work could not be copied and is no longer done in this day and age. This herringbone pattern is also the trademark that Guastavino uses in all the buildings that he created (Carrasco, Mercè Piqueras). On the top of the church stands the churches Saint; Saint Lawrence. He holds a gridiron; which is the method by which he was martyred (saintlawrencebasilica.org). Saint Lawrence is flanked by Saint Steven, the very first martyr, who holds a stone; which was the method of his martyrdom. On the opposite side, Guastavino’s favorite saint, stands Aloysius Gonzaga. He was a young seminarian at the time of the plague that died assisting other people (Swain, Elisabeth). The inside of this building contains no structure, but yet in the last one hundred years there was never one tile that was lost. Inside the church one can’t help but notice the many banners hanging around the perimeter. The banners on the eastside of the building are the coated coats of arms of all the popes who have reined since

Ziggy Marley once said, “God is like the sun. When the sun shines, it shines for everyone. God is for everyone.” In the same way, Abbot Suger built the Basilica of St. Denis so that sunlight would flood throughout the building and symbolize the power of God inviting visitors into the cathedral. The Basilica of St. Denis was an artistic response to the rise of the Catholic Church’s power for it was modeled to be a physical representation of heaven, which the church heavily preached upon. (Thesis) As the basilica represented the shift from Romanesque architecture to Gothic, Abbot Suger introduced new techniques that transformed cathedrals to look more spacious and “heavenly”. (Map Statement #1-Art History) By allowing sunlight to come

Marx begins his assertions by noting the commodities produced by a worker. A commodity is simply anything used for exchange value. He argues that a worker’s labor is a commodity, and that it is the ugliest commodity available to the capitalist property owners. On page 323, Marx states, “The worker becomes an even cheaper commodity the more commodities he produces.” This leads into how capitalism alienates a worker from his own labor. There are essentially two commodities at work; the workman’s labor and the product. Marx denotes this as objectification of labor. It is when someone puts hard work into something and that manifests itself in a material good. Under the efficiency of capitalism, that worker takes little pride in the production of that commodity because he has no connection to it. For example, under capitalism a man no longer puts his labor into making a chair and then can see the product of his hands. Instead, the man now operates a machine that carves four holes in the chair. He does this thousands of times a week. He can no longer manifest this objectification or satisfaction of labor. The more commodities a man produces, the less he will be able to afford himself. The surplus value of his labor is only a benefit to the capitalists. The product has complete control over the individual. This is how a worker becomes alienated from his labor. He no longer has this attachment and sense of purpose from the object he has created. If the more objects he creates in the assembly line only causes the bourgeois to get richer and in turn causes him to lose commodities, he becomes estranged. Marx breaks down even further the estrangement that occurs. He dives deeper into objectification by saying that the alienation occurs in two-fold. First, a worker accesses the natural material world and makes something. This gives him what Marx calls “the means of life.” The means of life has two deviations. There is the means of life that is more spiritual. It gives a worker a sense of purpose and pride in their work. This has already been discussed, and how a worker loses this passion when they become a cog in a machine. Secondly, Marx says

From the very first moment when entering the cathedral one is likely to be struck by the silence dominating the massive interior. In spite of the somewhat annoying number of curious tourists (others probably saw my curiosity just as annoying as the noise), the church manages to maintain its quiet and peaceful nature. This is truly remarkable, taking into account that it is constantly filled with tourists through visiting hours.

All over the world, people still come to admire the beauty of European cathedrals. Many of the cathedrals are fragile due to age, neglect, pollution, and insufficient funds available to restore these historical and magnificent buildings. Nevertheless, visitors to these architectural masterpieces are fascinated by the design and structure of these churches. The cathedral builders using their own ingenuity, expertise, and limited resources were able to defy the laws of gravity and time. (Icher 30)

The wind blows bitterly, chilling me to the very marrow of my bones. I wrap my arms around my body as I walk slowly between the rows of tombstones. Some are crumbled with age, others made of smooth marble that has yet to face the test of time. Most though, are overgrown and unkempt, those who once tended meticulously to these graves now buried beneath the hard packed soil as well.

This majestic cathedral decorated the land of Paris, dominating both the history of architecture as well as religion history. The cathedral still stands proudly after enduring an eventful history over many centuries. Truly a fascinating historic building to behold, ‘Our Lady of Paris’, another term for Notre-Dame of Paris, portrays many diversified characteristics which will help identify a structure as Gothic. One may lay eyes upon this building and refer it to one of Gothic’s grand structure. For many, their first concept of Gothic architecture derives from some reference to this majestic construction. In this research, I shall consider the following questions as an approach to appreciate and comprehend Notre Dame de Paris’s architectural aesthetic and value better:

I come before you humbly in the name of our dear city. A faithful disciple, I have just returned from the Holy Land. I, along with my dear and fellow travelers, embarked on the most glorious journey. The pilgrimage to the birthplace of the Lord granted me the opportunity to reflect and repent for my sins. For you, most reverend William, under His Majesty Charles V of France, prescribed that all followers take up the cross and journey to the land most holy. A prosperous travel, my fellow women and I were granted the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful chapels and cathedrals in this earthly realm. For God has some exquisite creations on this earth- his children have truly proven their devotion to his noble plan. Inspired by the brilliance of my sacred odyssey, I, an obedient follower of Thy Lord and Savior, graciously ask for your blessing in the construction of what will be known as the most opulent and divine building known to man. This grand city of Rouen is in dire need of a construction that will inspire splendor and faithfulness amongst our followers. It will be with His Majesty Charles’ enforcement of higher taxes that we will design and establish the grandest House of God. For it will be our city’s cathedral that will attract kings and pilgrims alike.

The plan of St. Gall includes a church, scriptorium lodging for visiting monks, a monastic dormitory, refectory, school, kitchen, bake and brew house, guest house, abbot’s residence, an infirmary, numerous fields and industrial out-buildings; along with fences, walls, gardens, orchids and roads.

In many places throughout the world many buildings, monuments and sculptures have been made. Some were made centuries ago, and some were made recently. Many works of arts are significant or a great part of history. Some of the many buildings that have been made throughout time could have also been dedicated to someone or something. For example, the Arch of Titus was dedicated to Titus. Another example would be the Arc de Triomphe which was dedicated to soldiers. Many buildings can have a very significant meaning behind them, in the following essay I will be speaking about the importance of both of these works of art, which are the Arch of Titus and the Arc de Triomphe.