Reading Comprehension 3-222

Natalie Neill

IAR 222

Reading Comp. 3

Part 1 Gothic Cathedrals

1. 1.Cologne/Salisbury: Light

In the dark ages, lighting in these cathedrals was very important.

Both cathedrals have clerestory windows that illuminate the statues and handmade details all throughout the interior during the daylight. This natural light highlights the most exquisite details inside both cathedrals. There are also candles inside both cathedrals, which is artificial light. This helps set the atmosphere in the interior of the building. The illumination from the light of these buildings tells the story of power and importance. Both of these cathedrals are great in size and have share a large presence in the cities they are located in. Each cathedral somewhat exudes what the city itself would want the world to think of their cathedral as. Light is a pretty basic element of the gothic era because light itself has somewhat of a mystery to it. Light may cast on an object, but it doesn’t shine on all parts of the object, and leaves you wondering about those spots that are not illuminated with the light. This is what I feel was trying to be portrayed in the Gothic era was mystery and curiousness, but at the same time elegance in a very detailed manner. Light itself is important because it makes it easier to navigate a space and also plays a huge role in how you perceive a space and what feeling one gets when entering that area.

2. 2. Cologne/Amiens: Structure

A one-tower cathedral symbolizes that it is from somewhere else than a two-tower cathedral. A one-tower cathedral might symbolize importance, or the center of the cathedral, while a two-tower cathedral might symbolize the entrance to the building, which leads you in to the rest of the interior. I do believe that these regional differences exist because it is ultimately the region’s preference. But, both buildings have a similar overall shape to them which somewhat resembles a cross. Both cathedrals also have a massive amount of detail visible on the outside, which gives an almost over-the-top look in an articulate way. Since both cathedrals have two towers, it does show some similarity between regions since Cologne is located in Germany while Amiens is located in France. Both regions obviously show through their cathedrals that they are powerful and extravagant and also want to lead you in through the impressive cathedral.

3. 3.Cologne/Florence

The crossings at both of these cathedrals are somewhat different. The crossings at Cologne are created within the church, which means there is a huge infusion of light that takes place where two Gothic vaults collide. At the Duomo, the crossings take place at the center of the dome. Going on further with the dome, it takes somewhat of a turn from Gothic to Renaissance because it goes back to Ancient Rome and the technicality of the dome. The dome in the cathedral may symbolize how everything is revolved around human life and the center of the earth, and “equality”. Since the architect decided to create a dome for the cathedral in Florence, it can only make one think that they were going back to their roots and old traditions of Roman architecture. It may have been a way for the people to stay grounded with their own values and traditions, and not look so much outside of the box.

Part 2

In the image, the medieval woman is doing some sort of work. Everything in the picture looks heavy and has a lot of mass to it. Medieval walls in interiors of homes were typically very thick, which is exactly the opposite to the lightness of the Gothic era. The houses of this time were very fat and tall, typically in a rectangular or square shape. There were also very narrow windows, letting minimal amount of natural light in, as seen below:

Most homes were originally built of wood and later of brick. There would be different levels throughout the house, which would help define and create new spaces to add to the complexity of the space.