Cathedral

The Cologne Cathedral of Germany is one of the fascinating architectures of the Gothic architecture period. This marvel was built in 1248 along the Rhine river and it took over 600 years to build, until 1880. It was also named the tallest building in the world from 1880 to 1884. The original cathedral was about 150 meters long, about 90 meters wide, and the two spires are about 160 meters tall. This was the medieval building. After some time, a new structure around the base was added. Back then and now, it was named as "a masterpiece of exceptional intrinsic value" and "a powerful testimony to the strength and persistence of Christian belief and modern Europe. It has a structure based on the Amiens Cathedral in France, with it height, spires, and nave, or the dome shaped cavity that runs along central part of the church. Here they have stained glass windows in-between the arches. The Cologne Cathedral has two rows of seats going down the isle, with the Cross at the end and a large stone statue of St Christopher. It also has a gallery on a level above with stained glass windows and regular windows above and to the sides. Its most prized possession is the Shrine of the Three Kings, a large sarcophagus that is said to hold the Three Wise Men dating to the 13th Century. Its Cross is made out of wood oak said to be carved around 960. It also has other statues and sculptures like the Milan Madonna from 1290, a wooden sculpture Depicting Mary and infant Jesus. The altar includes the patron saints of Cologne. As well as these unique symbols, the Cologne Cathedral also has eleven bells, four of which are medieval. These are some of the unique treasures of the Cologne Cathedral, that dates back to centuries of history and religion. Good

To people around the world who follow Christianity, it is very important to be close to God. Not only in their daily lives, but also in the Cathedrals. That is why modern math is used in Cathedrals. Modern math has shown that arched structures (rather than rounded structures) can support a much greater amount of weight. The weight capacity allows the buildings to build upwards, rather than out. The pointed structures are important because the Cathedrals were now pointing towards God, and they also allowed greater height which meant that they were closer to God. Good

Many cathedrals have a floor plan as the shape of a cross.This is important because to Christians the cross represents the death of Jesus in order to save his followers. In the floor plan, they centered all of the attention to where the cross intersected. This was where the altar was, where the pope or the head of the church would stand. Good

The Cathedral's grandeur also reflects the joy Christians felt when they were able to come out of hiding and openly practice their faith... Many people hated Christianity when it first was introduced. As a result, the people who followed Christianity were forced to hide underground to practice their faith. In 313, King Constantine allowed the practice of Christianity, and it rose to become one of the most dominant religions. The people who followed Christianity wanted to build something grand, because they were so happy. They therefore built a //cathedral//.





"Gothic Architecture" was at its peak in the Middle Ages in Europe, as the dominant architectural form. Gothic Architecture was found mainly in churches and civic buildings. Writers stated that it contained "the classic Greek and Romanesque styles". One of the first people to incorporate this style to a wide range of uses was Suger, a French Statesman. He used Gothic Architecture to incorporate different ideas to give greater glory to God. Is this paragraph necessary?

The design of the cathedrals had various connections to Christianity. The subtle use of stone and broad use of open windows high up in the nave shined a "glorious" sunlight on the altar, the choir, and the statue of the crucifixion of Jesus in the front of the church. The nave of the church also gave a close connection to the beyond (up for interpretation); soon churches began using higher and higher nave's that would be supported by reinforced stone or marble, to prevent collapsing. He ? also used precious stones, gold, and silver to honor Jesus and glorify the church. As well as stones and other works like statues of saints and other godly figures, sacred text was also added from the Bible as murals and paintings. Designs on the floor and the walls were intricate. There were also events among the paintings. As paintings in the church wore out over time, stained glass windows were used to supplement this, to give color, and have a more profound effect on the people. Over time the glass became works of art. The design of the church was of great importance, because the floor plan of the church took the shape of a cross, with the long isles running down the middle. The floor plan, however, being in the shape of a cross, was not noticed before. Suger's style of building honored Jesus to be grand as well as giving the subtlety that Jesus portrayed in his teachings, such as simplicity and humility. These traits of Gothic Churches were of major value to showing dedication.