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Romanesque and gothic architecture
Romanesque and gothic architecture
Middle age gothic architecture
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Gothic architecture Name Institutional affiliation Gothic architecture, also known as the eastern style of architecture fits for large structures, where it can be done in total perfection. It was developed due to common architectural problems experienced during the medieval times. Gothic architecture possessed a high rank of learning in attempts by several European writers to trace its derivation, but these attempts have not led to any clear results. Its distinguishing features seem to consist of two particulars, the effect of the terminating parts in a point and the perpendicular line. Gothic architecture solved some unpleasant problems, created pleasant, airy and light buildings. Fundamentally, it transformed cathedrals, churches, castles and the generally the whole Europe. Some of these buildings such as cathedrals and churches were rendered into places of worship and holiness due their extraordinary gothic design (Bony, 2003). The style of architecture has seven key characteristics. It is characterized by the pointed arch, the flying buttress, the vaulted ...
Taller than the ancient pyramids in Egypt, large enough to hold the statue of liberty. 100 pounds of weightless stones, heavy enough to hold the Empire state building are the Great Cathedrals (PBS, 2011). Intrigued by the beauty in structure but puzzled by the very construction, without technology for building purposes has researchers mind wondering. In reference to the NOVA program, building of Gothic cathedral begin as a race of height, which over time this plan backfired because of the recent architectural discoveries in the foundation. The NOVA program pointed out that in this race of constructing the tallest building wasn’t the only concern between two rivalry cities in Europe; it purpose was recognized as a scared space for spiritual reasoning to bring ordinary someone closer to God (PBS, 2011).
This carried on in to the 18th century where more and more people dabbled in the gothic style with out a full understanding of how gothic architecture worked as a structural system. They confused stages of the gothic period, which were later defined by Thomas Rickman in is writing, and also used Classical forms such as pilaster and venetian windows. Many interiors were of a classical form a layout and some times other style were thrown in. Some gothic forms were even used on the exterior of building where they didn’t perform the function they were meant to. This shows how little the architects of the 18th century studied the mediaeval and how little they understood it.
The term “gothic” comes from the name of the Germanic tribes “the Goths”, who were seen as barbarians, uncivilized, savage human beings. Later, the term was used to describe an architectural style that appeared in the Twelfth Century in Western Europe , and also to illustrate a new type of novel issued in Romanticism, in the second part of the Eighteenth Century.
In the end of the 12th century and the start of the 13th century the Gothic and Naturalism movement was moving across Europe. Originally a derogatory term Gothic was used to describe the art of Northern Europe. Despite the resistance to the abandonment of traditional architecture the beauty of stained glass and flamboyant architecture of the gothic style quickly gained popularity. The churches were built by the common people and for the common people. Stained glass was used to depict biblical passages in an intriguing way for those who were illiterate which at the time was a large part of the population. Cathedrals were beacons that could be seen for miles with their pointed spires and from the country side they appeared to be the center of
In today’s literature there are many types of genres that people find fascinating, all the way from fantasy to non-fiction. A very interesting genre is Gothic Fiction, where many elements are used to such as violence, ghosts, monsters and many other dark and mystical elements that make up Gothic Fiction. There are many great authors who are well known for their dark gothic style such as Edgar Poe, who has written the short story “Fall of the House of Usher” and the “Black Cat,” or Horacio Quiroga who has written “Feather Pillow” and a more recent author, Ransom Riggs who has written Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children. These three author’s stories all have gothic elements, such as psychological issues, death and fear that parallel one other which shows a common trend between gothic literatures.
The term “Gothic” was coined by Italian Renaissance writers who blamed what they considered to be the non-classical ugliness of the art and architecture of the time, to the northern tribes of Germanic barbarians known as Goths. Baron Wolfgang van Schreck’s ancestors had invaded the Roman Empire and destroyed what was considered to be the “true” art of the time; walls that were much too high and thick, arches that were too steeply pointed. The Gothic school of architecture, which included flying buttresses, rib vaulting, pointed arches and the presence of gargoyles on the inside and outside of the building. At the end of the 18th century the term Gothic switched meanings, from “medieval” to “macabre”, through the intervention of a man named Horace Walpole (1717-1797). He was the son of the famous politician Sir Robert Walpole, Horace was a well-known writer and dilettante who gradually transformed his villa, Strawberry Hill, into the most famous Gothic building of age. With this the now cliché image of a Gothic castle is now an accurate representation of the non-classical ugliness of the time period itself.
Gothic elements are used to show suspense, symbolism, and drama, while also setting dark and twisted tones about the story and its characters. In the passage "The Fall of the House of Usher" the author uses Gothic elements to entice the reader with details of ominous character persona and setting.
You may think today “Hey, I totally wonder sometimes what the Middle Ages Churches and Gothic Medieval Cathedrals where like. What were they important for? Were they Churches like the ones today? How long did it take to build? “ Well that may be SOME of the questions you may have but you may have more. In this essay you're about to find out why the Medieval Gothic Cathedrals were so important for, and how much rule and and wide range of power they had over the people in the Middle Ages, and last but NOT least, the creative sublime (I’ll delete this comment later on if you see this but “sublime” is my own words not internet word) of the Gothic style windows of the Cathedral. First, the one I like most, the Gothic stain glass windows of the Gothic Cathedral. Stained glass is argued to an opinion or belief, one of the most important aspects of Gothic cathedrals. As its popularity rose, mainly during the mid 12th century, the increased existence of stained glass presented large changes to the way the general residents were learning about the religion. The windows became illuminated optic (“Optic” is my own wording) talk of biblical stories, which may have had an even greater impact than the spoken word of the priest. In this research paper, I will be primarily focusing on the stained glass windows and architectural styles employed in five Gothic buildings in France, each having their own unique and worthy attention and characteristics to the development of stained glass windows. By looking at the architectural improvements shown in these structures built during the Gothic time frame, we are able to see the impact all over the place to itch for increase...
The start of the word Gothic and the architectural style that has this word in it comes from the Goths. The Goths were a barbaric tribe who held power in various regions of Europe. Between the collapse of the Roman Empire and the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire and therefore around the 5th to the 8th century. They had two branches, the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths. On the contrary, even though the style is called “Gothic architecture”, the Goths were not known for great achievements in architecture.
The Gothic style evolved from that of Romanesque, building on concepts and ideas that led to the creation of larger and grander structures. Today, mankind looks in awe at the structures that were built hundreds of years ago without the assistance of modern technology and equipment. These architectural styles are indisputably different, but equally profound. They made use of differing techniques to become tangible structures that can still be seen
Mike. "The Evolution of Gothic Architecture." Aquinas Multimedia. Aquinas Multimedia, 12 May 2008. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
...understandable of making use of perfect architectural form as geometry, in terms of believe and as well as architecture. His design was straight to the point , making use of geometrical shape and it’s magnificent meaning which itself emphasises a perfect form and perfect centre point at its middle, which itself is a powerful remark on the focus point of the building (crucifixion spot at Tempietto and the pulpit at the Basilica) this achievement is more effective rather than using of coloured and expensive material ,gold ,sculpture ,painting ,large windows and light or other architectural elements which Baraque architecture used to bring about the attraction and highlight it’s point in the building.(the Alter of Grace at Church of Vierzehnheiligen)
The earlier designs of medieval architecture had features like pointed arches in the nave, window and doorways, small clusters of columns, pillars, small windows and thick walls. This was during the Romanesque period and a lot of the early Romanesque architecture had influence from the byzantine period, which was the previous time period of architecture.
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.
The book as a description of modern architecture, its styles and influence succeeds but falls short as a prescriptive methodology. His work is still recalled for the need by modernists to categorize everything into neat little boxes, not necessarily for the sake of uniformity, but for sake of some ambiguity. The ambiguity may be the triumph of this book as post modern architecture era is supposed to create more questions than the answers.