Gothic Architecture in Europe Essay - 1897 Words

The research paper, shall be concerned with discussion Gothic architecture in Europe-namely England, France, Germany, and Italy starting from 12th to the 16th Centuries. Architecture was the most original and lasting form of art during the Gothic Period, which lasted for four centuries starting from the mid 12th century. The impetus for this architecture was the Roman Catholic Church, which sought to portray their houses of worship as something which transcended the realm of mankind. It is interesting to note that many of the Northern European areas were predominately pagan, and only recently brought into the Church. The imagery provided by Gothic structural design was something these peoples could more readily understand, as they†¦show more content†¦This is important to note, as science as we know it had not begun to emerge yet, at least not in this culture, and many of their beliefs about the world around them was predicated on religion and superstition. In this re spect, the Persians were vastly superior in scientific knowledge when compared to the Western European civilizations. The crusades were beneficial since it was one way of importing knowledge from Persia notably, Mathematics. Mathematics would play a very critical role in architecture in the centuries to come. Algebra and Geometry are two vital methods that prove to be precious to architecture and indeed made gothic design possible. The Catholic Church began using these new mathematical principles to build their cathedrals. The cathedrals were a challenge to the capabilities of the civilization at that time and inspired competition between the Dioceses to see who could build the most outstanding cathedral. This inspired an explosion in art and technology, and was responsible for creating art in the form of structure. The Cathedrals were also status symbols. Towns and cities would build them to show how successful they were. The more elaborate the Cathedral, the more successful th e town or city. This gave rise to the Gothic architectural style, which developed simultaneously across England, France, Germany, and Italy. The countries developed their own distinctive technique of Gothic design, which I shall compare and contrastShow MoreRelatedDifferences Between Eastern And Western European Architectural Styles1223 Words   |  5 PagesGothic architecture is often characterized just by the visual aspects that define it; however, there is much deeper influence in the structure and form of the style. The term is sometimes used to define a time period, but some critics believe there is no true definition of the term gothic. The style has evolved from many different things throughout history, and its influence is still evident throughout buildings in Europe. Gothic architecture and different styles of architecture can commonly beRead MoreThe History of Gothic Architecture in Italy Essay1711 Words   |  7 PagesAbbott Suger wanted to make Saint Denis a magni ficent showplace as the royal Abbey church of France and burial place of French kings. Ribbed vault which were capable of spanning large areas was designed to make gothic churches larger. These Gothic Churches were characterized by enlarged clerestory zone, windows enormous size with inserted new zone and triforium below the ribbed vaults and supporting of an arcade of high piers lining of the nave. These characteristics ensured the support of theRead MoreKey Characteristics of Gothic Architecture1436 Words   |  6 Pagesarchitectural changes were necessary in the shift from Romanesque to Gothic cathedrals in Europe and what inspirational changes influenced these changes? A. 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