Sacred Medieval Architecture - 789 Words

After the fall of the Roman Empire the political atmosphere was transformed in Western Europe. As the West witnessed a change, brought about by the constant invasion of barbarians, the Eastern Roman Empire remained intact and grew incredibly prosperous. The Eastern Empire had much closer ties between the state and the Christian Church. These ties lead to many elaborate Byzantine churches being built in Constantinople, emphasizing the importance of the Eastern Church in everyday life. The Byzantine architecture maintains a sense of well-balanced proportions and favors a more simple approach to the building’s exterior. The Byzantines established an architectural style, different from the Romans generally by plans that were well†¦show more content†¦Charlemagne’s palace at Aachen housed a chapel, Palatine Chapel, designed after Byzantine churches. Much of the building material was recovered from classical ruins in Italy (â€Å"The Encyclopedia Britannica† p .368-370). Much of the chapel interior remains classical, including rounded arches, the height of the dome and the overall structure is, however, Germanic. After the death of Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Empire assumed power. This time is referred to as the Ottonian age. The Ottonian’s grew upon the designs of the Carolingian culture. This new design is what is now referred to as â€Å"Romanesque†, named for the use Roman architectural elements. Round towers are a distinctive feature of Ottonian Churches. Four such towers can be found at St. Michael’s in Hildesheim. Romanesque permeated Western Europe, finally restoring order to a culturally fractured continent. One advancement in Romanesque style was decoration. Romanesque buildings featured many more architectural sculptures than Carolingian or Ottonian churches. One of the best places for Romanesque sculpture was the tympanum: the semi-circular space above an arched-framed door. Romanesque architecture is sign ificantly more vertically and intricacy than its Carolingian and Ottonian predecessors. The Gothic style took these developments evenShow MoreRelatedKey Characteristics of Gothic Architecture1436 Words   |  6 Pageschanges in the architectural technique of the Romanesque style of architecture and come to a conclusion as to whether the shift in technique led to the rise of the more grandiose Gothic architecture in Europe. All art is inspired and the influences that caused the change in technique will also be investigated. In order to come to a conclusion I read books on the two styles I compared, studied some examples of each form of architecture through photographs, and listened to a few podcasts on the topicRead MoreThe Patterns Of Gothic Architecture755 Words   |  4 PagesMidway through the Medieval Period (750-1350) of Western European Culture there was shift to Gothic architecture. Before this, medieval Europe was dominated by the Romanesque style. Seeing that this is wher e Gothic architecture derived, they are very similar, apart from certain added characteristics. Amongst these are pointed arches and cross/groin-ribbed vaults in contrast to the previous rounded arches and barrel vaults. The design gave way to taller more massive structures, and stained glass windowsRead MoreReligions Reflection in Architecture815 Words   |  4 PagesHow have architectural styles reflected the philosophies, religions, and politics of various cultures throughout history? I would like to focus my discussion on religions reflection in architecture and hope it will not be too lengthy. 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During the dynamic Early Medieval era, which dates back to 500-1000 BCE, European identity was developedRead MoreSacred Heart Church1323 Words   |  6 PagesSacred Heart Church is the second oldest church located 1307 14th Street SW in Downtown Westsi de in Calgary, Canada. It is founded in 1910. There are two main complexes in this architecture, the older complex that is constructed in 1910 and an additional edition in 1930. Throughout the years, the Sacred Heart Church has constantly been adding additional architectural structures and expanding its size. Both complexes in the Sacred Heart Church are rectangular in plan. They both are red brick structureRead MoreSacred And Secular Ideas1974 Words   |  8 PagesThe Melding of Sacred and Secular Ideas Determining whether or not sacred and secular aspects were combined into the visual arts and literature is an important feature when it comes to actually understanding the overall concepts and differences of behind Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque art. For one to truly understand the art, literature, and the concepts behind both, one must first understand the terms sacred and secular. The definition of the word sacred is, â€Å"of or relating to religionRead MoreMiddle Ages as the Age of Faith Essay893 Words   |  4 PagesMiddle Ages as the Age of Faith The Middle Ages is often referred to as the Age of Faith and it is correct to do so, as during this period religion dominated all aspects of life from architecture, literature, art and music. The dominant religion during this period was Christianity. The middle ages saw the emergence #8230; of Christian literary forms#8230; a popular religious culture centred around processions, icons, and relics (George Holmes 42). The crusades were wars fought in theRead MoreMedieval And Millennial - A Pilgrimage Of Meaning1386 Words   |  6 PagesMedieval to Millennial – A Pilgrimage of Meaning In the Medieval times, many Christians went on pilgrimages to venerate sacred objects or places. They traveled around Europe visiting churches and taking treasures with them to set at the sites they visited. During this time, there was an influential emperor who touch much of Europe with a renewing hand. Emperor Charlemagne built an empire embodied with the mission to unify the people, attempting to create one European religion and convert pagan tribesRead MoreEssay On Colosseum1588 Words   |  7 PagesAnnihilating the mass of the Romanesque, Gothic architecture employed slender columns, vaulted ceilings, pointed arches, flying buttresses and large windows to achieve a light, skeletal structure with soaring heights and a light-filled interior (Figure 9) (Nuttgens 1997, 160). The decorative carving further reduces the mass to create a delicate lacework, that coupled with sculptured jambs, piers and archivolts, enhances and disguises the architecture leading Scott (1879, 313) to â₠¬Å"†¦question whetherRead MoreStudy: Gothic Architecture and Following Stylistic Terms Essay1176 Words   |  5 Pagesrefers to the Western Roman Empire. ------------------------------------------------- FALSE Horseshoe arches were an important architectural feature of the: MOSQUE AT CORDOBA Which European country contains the best examples of Islamic architecture? SPAIN The Dome of the Rock is in: JERUSALEM A mihrab is: A NICHE IN A QIBLA WALL Which of the following cultures influenced Islamic art? ALL OF THE ABOVE Islamic decoration makes extensive use of what kind of motifs? ALL OF THE ABOVE