Romanesque v. Gothic Architecture

The locations of the two types of cathedrals also contributed toward the change between Romanesque and Gothic, as well as the power of the relics and the community to raise funds for the Gothic cathedrals. There are several reasons the architecture of the cathedral changed from Romanesque to Gothic in the Middle Ages. The Romanesque period lasted from 1000 to 1200 AD. Today's France was the center of Romanesque architecture and the birthplace of one of the most beutiful features of medieval architecture, the ambulatory with radiating chapels. "Romanesque is the name we give to christian architecture in Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to about the close of the twelfth century.

An important structural development during the Romanesque period was the origin of the vault. The vault was originally designed as an alternative to the more fire prone wooden roofs but soon became a major architectural feature in all cathedrals. The Romanesque era and style also refers to the Norman variations in the church architecture which also occurred in the late 12th century. The Twin towers are considered examples of the typical Norman facade developed during the Romanesque period and which are now considered a standard of medieval cathedrals. Another development during the relatively short Romanesque period was the origins of the cruciform structure of the church in that church plans (as seen from above) are in the form of a crucifix; a feature usually associated with the later Gothic styles but which had originate... ... middle of paper ... ..., which was obviously influenced by Roman architecture saw the development of massive structures and Cathedrals and also included the introduction of the architectural features of the vaulted roofs.

Gothic, on the other hand, had thinner walls and worked towards a more artistic approach. Gothic cathedrals have many more buttresses than Romanesque cathedrals. Gothic cathedrals were also designed with statues and sculptures on them such as the gargoyle, which also served as a rain spout. Romanesque cathedrals had few windows, as the walls of the cathedrals were very thick and made the placement of windows extremely difficult. This lack of light seemed also to project the general mentality and lifestyles of the people of the Middle Ages.

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. The world was changing, and Europeans’ perceptions of it as reflected in art and architecture too. A style termed Romanesque from about 1000 onward had dominated; this gave way to the Gothic in about 1150 which spread throughout the continent and originated in France and it spread during the next four centuries. The names appeared later, aspects of Romanesque style resembled Roman architecture particularly its use of round arches and vaults.

Gothic art evolved from Romanesque art and lasted from the mid-12th century AD to the end of the 16th century. It was a particular style of Medieval art and was led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture, established by the Basilica of St Denis. Through the influence of historical design methods, such as Islamic/Romanesque architecture and the impact the spread of Christianity had on Europe, Abbot Suger was able to develop a new style of architecture through his reconstruction of St Denis. This led to the development of taller buildings with thinner walls and bigger rooms on the inside. Body Paragraph 1: The influence of Romanesque architecture towards Gothic is very prevalent when studying the two side-by-side.

The two main sources for this investigation are Cathedrals of the World by Graziella Ciagá and the documentary Building the Great Cathedrals by NOVA. 130 Words Summary of Evidence At the dawn of Gothic cathedral-building, in the 1100s CE, building with rock was dirty and difficult work. And yet, architects and builders of the age were able to build stone monuments of the Middle Ages that dominated skylines for nearly a thousand years, revolutionizing architecture. In the period spanning the 12th and 15th centuries, these Gothic cathedrals borrowed from prior architectural knowledge, formulating a new building system. The gigantic Christian cathedrals took years to build, and were often left uncompleted for decades or even centuries.

It provided a new focus for the representation of nature and one major area within Gothic Art that distinguishes it from the ordinary is the symbolic elements used to create the art and in particular their infamous architecture. One of the greatest architectural landmarks known to Gothic art referred to as the Chartres Cathedral along some of the most exquisite sculptural & painted pieces in the world showed clearly the beauty and symbolism the Gothic Age had to offer the rest of the world. Theologians and Historians pioneered two major approaches to the study of gothic art and architecture, the first being that Cathedrals were seen as products of progressive technology and functional engineering. The second approach to Gothic Art is a more mystical and literary system of classification, not of the masonry work but rather of the symbols that make up the meaning. The art and architecture of this period triggered the huge historical transformations that have contributed to the reshaping of culture and society today.

Gothic architecture can be seen clearly in the construction known as the Chartres Cathedral. The structure is in Chartres, France, and was built around 1134. This style of building was highly ornamental, growing in terms of sculpture. The purely architectural skeleton of this era shows little growth, however, from older buildings merely piling or joining pieces together (Morris 9). The staple Gothic features for a Cathedral such as this are the pointed arches, stained glass windows, a large rose window with stone tracery, heavily decorated portals, and the asymmetrical towers.

Most of his outstanding constructions were churches in Constantinople, which included the Hagia Sophia. The presentation is categorical in noting that Justinian had to reconstruct the church after it was destroyed by Nika riots (Mainstone 162). As a result of all the works he made, it is evident that Justinian must have left a thing to be remembered by his subjects. One of the specific activities that might have caused his remembrance is the outstanding decorations that he had used on his constructions (Nelson 83). Some of the mosaics that Justinian made in the churches included him and his emperors.

As a result, three different cultures fused together marking the beginning of the dark ages. With the fusion of Christianity, Greco-Roman heritage and the cultures of the Barbarians, the visual arts of the Early Middle Ages changed for a long time. A major change influenced by the German’s was in architecture. Barbarian’s brought upon the European’s the use of stone causing Europea... ... middle of paper ... ...past generations of the Late Antiquity. During the Romanesque era, pilgrims were the most noticeable characteristic of public religious devotion, proclaiming their faith in the power of saints (Gardner 335).