Gothic vs. Romanesque Architecture

Gothic vs. Romanesque Architecture

Missing Figures

Where are you when you wake up? Where are you when you are learning? Where are you when you go to pray? Where are you when you go to work? Where are you when you are having fun? The answer is that you are in a building or structure of some kind and style. All of the buildings and structures that one sees around them is designed and built with much thought and care. They are all designed and built by what we call architecture.

According to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary architecture is “the art or science of building; specifically: the art or practice of designing and building structures and especially habitable ones, a method or style of building”. Architecture is a science according to Merriam-Webster because it is “a department of systematized knowledge as an object of study, something that may be studied or learned like systematized knowledge” . This can be seen as that buildings and structures have certain rule and laws that apply to them when they are design, constructed and inhabited. Architecture is an art according to Merriam-Webster because it is “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects” . This can be seen as that buildings and structures do not only follow form and function but expression and feeling. Architecture has basically three steps. They are design, construction, and usage of the space or how the space is inhabited. Architecture is to building or structure as literature is to a book or novel.

Over the course of western history there has been many periods and styles of architecture, spanning from pre-history where mainly stone and timber were used to the 20th century where glass and steel seem to have seemed to take over. Each style and

period have given there own part to today’s architecture such as the Greek’s ideas of columns, to the Roman’s usage of arches, to the Industrial Age of building with iron, steel and glass. When buildings and structures were first constructed there was very little interior space and there was much more emphasis on exterior space, such an example is that of the Greek and Roman architecture. The reason that there was more emphasis on one then another was simply because of the technology and techniques that was available at the time and the limited amount of ideas and unders...

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...these styles have there own elements and also share some elements. Today both of these styles can both be seen in use today. The round arch and barrel vault are still used and stained glass and flying buttresses are still used today.

To be able to look around the world today and see the buildings and structures that were built during the Romanesque and Gothic period of architecture is amazing. During those periods the advancements that were made would allow their buildings and structures to last hundreds of years. To be able to go to Europe and see the same buildings and structure that were seen over hundreds of years ago is unbelievable. Even though there have been great advancements in architecture over the years the basic of much of today’s architecture goes back to the Romanesque and Gothic period and other periods of architecture. It was from the great ideas of these periods that the great ideas of the present come. The courage and ingenuity of the people of the past helps the people of today challenge what they can do and pushes them to strive further. So with what was done before makes what is done today possible and helps to push the ideas and concepts into the future.