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