Development of Cathedral Architecture

Development of Cathedral Architecture

As long has man has walked the earth, he has tried to describe himself through art. He has reflected everything from his spiritual beliefs and orientation to ordinary day-to-day activities that he observes in his environment on various mediums. From the ancient Hall of the Bulls, where the first forms of art were created on cave walls using pigments from berries to depict bison running to the impressionistic Regatta at Argenteuil, a painting by Monet depicting sailboats coasting down a river, there is no doubt that art has metamorphosized over the millennia of its existence. Painting and drawing, however, are not the only types of art that have transformed over the years. Architecture, in particular, cathedral architecture has developed over the ages. Whether the changes are due to variations in spirituality or aesthetics, there is no denying that cathedrals in each period of art take on a different style, making them conform to the ideals of the period.

Places of worship first appeared in the Classical era with the rise of the Greek and Roman civilizations. While they do not adhere to the strict definition of a Cathedral, these Greco Roman temples serve the same purpose as the world-renowned European cathedrals. The first example of a classic temple is the Parthenon (447-438 B.C.) from ancient Greece. This marvel of the ancient world was part of the Acropolis had a peripteral colonnade, most of which is still standing today. This may be considered the ideal solution to the Greek architecture's quest for perfect proportions in Doric temple design. These columns are well spaced with slender shafts and have straight sided conical echinuses. The Parthenon was a temple in the honor of Athena, and a golden statue of the goddess is at the center of the temple. This temple is an example of perfect proportions and permanence, which were staples of any structures of the time. Another characteristic of the Parthenon is the presence of optical illusions. It was postulated that if a stylobate is laid out on a level surface it will appear to sag at the center so to compensate the corner columns were made thicker since they would appear thinner than their neighbors. There are other irregularities that make the Parthenon so unique. First is that there are ionic elements about this famous Doric temple. Although the cella of the temple had a two story Doric colonnade, it had four tall and slender ionic columns as sole supports for the superstructure. This temple is the most lavishly decorated than any other Greek temple before it as a result of the two sculptured friezes in the structure. This temple was religiously oriented in praise of the gods and served as a backdrop since commoner worshiped outside and only religious officials were allowed inside. The Parthenon was such a landmark in architectural history that its design has been used and has been the model for many buildings thousands of years after it was erected.

The next prominent example of classical architecture is from the Roman culture. This structure is as unique and as well known as the Parthenon, however, the Pantheon (118-125 A.D.), while sounds similar to its Greek counterpart is drastically different. The Pantheon was a temple of all the gods, and was one of the best-preserved buildings of antiquity and one of the most influential designs in the history of architecture. The pantheon reveals the first use of a type of concrete both as a building material and as a means for shaping the architecture. The temple as originally approached from a columnar courtyard and was situated at one narrow end of the enclosure, a flagrant difference from the Parthenon. Its faÐ"§ade has eight Corinthian columns that are quite traditional yet everything else about this structure is revolutionary. Behind the columnar porch there is an immense concrete cylinder covered by a huge heimispherical dome. The summit of the dome is the same distance from the floor as the circles diameter. At the top of the dome , an ocular opens the Pantheon to the open air. The architects of the structure utilized coffers to reduce the mass of the dome and also served the purpose of providing a handsome geometric foil of squares within the vast circle. In pre-Roman architecture, the form of the enclosed space is determined by the placement of the solids, which do not so much shape as interrupt the space. Roman architects abandoned this principal and created a singular open space that was quite large. Although the names sound similar, the Parthenon and the Pantheon are nothing alike, which corresponds to the rest of the architecture of their cultures. The Pantheon is far more architecturally advance than its predecessors and this trend will continue in subsequent cultures and periods.

During the Romanesque period, religious centers now move from being temples, to being Catholic cathedrals. Approximately 1000 years have passed since the Pantheon was constructed, so one may observe a drastic difference in Romanesque cathedral structure than in the structure of classical temples. A very good example of Romanesque cathedral architecture is the Pisa Cathedral located in Pisa, Italy. Construction on this cathedral began in 1063 A.D. and wasn't completed until 1372. Although Pisa is more renowned for its Leaning tower, the Pisa Cathedral is yet another landmark in religious architecture. This structure adheres closely to the traditions of the Early Christian basilica and the classical Christian renaissance. This cathedral is a large, five aisled and majestic cathedral. It has a broadly projecting transcept, a crossing dome and a rich marble incrustation, as well as multiple arcade galleries of the faÐ"§ade, all of which distinguish it as clearly Romanesque. The interior of the cathedral also suggests the basilica, whit a timber roof rather than a vault, nave arcades and classical columns flanking the nave. Above these columns is a continuous horizontal molding on which rests the gallery arcades. The gallery is of Byzantine origin. There is also a verticality of the interior that is new to the cathedral, and at the crossing, a pointed arch. The pointed arch is clearly un-classical and was probably inspired by Islamic cultures. There are striped incrustations, produced by alternating dark green and cream-colored marble, which are a hallmark of the Tuscan Romanesque and gothic buildings, as well as a deviation from the classical model. The domes used in Romanesque structures resembled that of the Parthenon but the plain exterior, multiple layer construction and presence of a trancept betray the classical model. Also Romanesque architects pay special attention to the eastern wing and faÐ"§ade of the cathedral. Romanesque cathedrals look plain