Search Stone carving , architecture, art...and the Middle Ages HOME Feature Articles Stone Carver's Tour Virtual Cathedral ... FAQ Front cover Introduction Sample Pages Introduction Ideal geometric shapes in architecture have imparted a feeling of order and harmony since the Greeks. The Romans, using only geometry and the repeated use of the semicircular arch, later built an empire. New innovations followed in the Middle Ages. The medieval flying buttress was born from the desire for building higher; and the pointed arch arose from the necessity of efficiently transferring the extra weight from above. Surprisingly, "Gothic" was first used as a term of derision by Renaissance critics who scorned the architectural style's lack of conformity to the standards of classic Greece and Rome. A closer look, however, reveals that the underpinnings of medieval architecture were firmly rooted in the ancient use of geometry and proportion. It's seen in the overall cruciform shape of a cathedral; in the rhythmic, intricate patterns found in stained glass windows; and in the rib vaulting that criss-crosses the ceiling. | |
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