Cathedrals
CathedralsWhen you think of France you probably get the image of the Eiffel Tower, but when you hear the name Paris, you might, just might, think of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Notre-Dame Cathedral is also known as Notre-Dame de Paris, which is roughly translated to the Notre-Dame of Paris. This cathedral is one of many located throughout Europe. In France there are a number of cathedrals that are world renowned. The are, for example, the Amiens cathedral, the Beauvias Cathedral, the Chartres Cathedral, the Rheims Cathedral, and the Rouen Cathedral.
France isn't the only country, though. In fact, there are cathedrals in England, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. Located in the country of England are the Canterbury cathedral, the Durham Cathedral, the Ely Cathedral, the Winchester Cathedral, and the York Cathedral. The Cologne Cathedral and the Ulm Cathedral are found in Germany. The Lou Vain Cathedral is the only major cathedral found in the country of Belgium. There are two in Italy, the Florence Cathedral and the Milan Cathedral. When in Spain, the Avila Cathedral and the Toledo Cathedral can be visited. On the Scandinavian Peninsula, in the country of Sweden, you could visit the Lund Cathedral and the Uppsala Cathedral, the two main cathedrals.
Churches are buildings designed for the worship of groups of Christians. Churches are built for sacred purposes. All churches worship differently, some with a large, elaborate ceremony. Others with a small ceremony, however, because there are so many branches of Christianity, no single type of church building dominates. A church may be small, barely large enough to hold a neighborhood congregation, or a church may grand and complex, with rooms for many types of religious activities. This would be an example of a grand cathedral. Most of the time, two types of building plans dominate. The way they are structured is the way in which one can tell what type of cathedral it is. The Basilica form, which was dominant throughout Europe in 1050 to 1200, has a long axis running from a centered doorway to the alter. The second type of church is the centralized church. It usually has a circular or polygonal form, covered by a dome shape. These two basic shapes can be combined in many ways. Also, they can both be altered to form a cross like form by adding projecting wings. Large Cathedrals may have separate rooms for various activities. Some may also have subsidiary chapels and more than one alter.
Other cathedrals could have been either Romanesque or Gothic in design. The Romanesque cathedrals are defined by their massive structure. They are domed with heavily vaulted structures like the Basilica form. Once inside you can see that the aisles have narrow sides and are crossed by transepts. The light inside the majestic cathedral comes from the small windows...
To view the complete essay, you be registered.