Cathedral Building
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The word "cathedral" comes from the Latin root "cathedra," literally, a bishop's throne (King 105-107). The Middle Ages in France, particularly the latter days of the medieval era, were virtually rife with cathedrals and religious architecture. This was the era of the Roman Catholic Church, a time when God was with mankind everywhere; when king and peasant alike acknowledged the religious authority of the Pope (albeit sometimes grudgingly); when "the history of the world is the history of the Lord extended through the lengthy annals of human life" (Focillon, Gothic 75). Miracles, angels and saints were a literal part of a medieval Frenchman's worldview. So were demons, devils, Apocalypse and Last Judgement. The cathedral, the bishop's "throne," in its art and architecture was the "encyclopedia in stone" of that worldview (Mirsky 140). More inclusive, in fact, than a mere encyclopedic listing: the cathedral was in itself a whole world, all mankind (Focillon, Gothic 83). In that world, that universe-in-miniature, there was no inconsistency in having God in his tabernacle and a gargoyle on the rain gutter. The great period of cathedral-building in the French Middle Ages embraces two styles of art and architecture - the Romanesque and the Gothic. Their physical differences will be discussed in detail later, but those matter less than the psychological needs underlying each style, driving the creative force of every French cathedral constructed: Romanesque was the expr
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lding was that Romanesque churches had less tendency to be destroyed by fire: this was the era of open-flame lighting in the form of torches and candles. To support the stronger, more flame-resistant - but definitely heavier - Romanesque-style roofing, interior stone columns were employed lavishly (Cunningham & Reich 253).
The evolution of Romanesque church-building was not a sudden development - but did have a millennial significance.
That the whole human race has been condemned in its first origin, this life itself, if life it is to be called, bears witness by the host of cruel ills with which it is filled.
St. Augustine, The City of God (1)
From early Christian times men had been obsessed by the idea that the end of the world was near at hand - especially when life was more than normally nasty, brutish, and short. During the miseries of the 8th and 9th centuries the year 1000 was awaited for the consummation of all things: the New Testament threat of Apocalypse and Last Judgement (Meadows 76). Needless to say, the world did not come to an end. Nevertheless, a new spirit of thought about the future of mankind emerged from the preceding decades of intense pessimism. Physical conditions had not changed, yet huma
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Chapter Canons, Focillon Gothic, Middle Ages, Romanesque Gothic, Plan Romanesque, Son God, Cunningham Reich, Dark Ages, Louis VI, Clay Krempel, art architecture, divine plan, roman catholic, medieval french, focillon gothic, romanesque style, catholic church, romanesque gothic, gothic style, middle ages, roman catholic church, jesus christ son, history western architecture, focillon gothic 148, romanesque art architecture,
Approximate Word count = 3858
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page)
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