The image of the world and the Gothic temple

Medieval builders had solved a very complicated time for their task. Thanks to the invention of the Lancet, the pointed form of arch, they managed to erect a building of great height. Lancet arch reduces pressure on the walls of the arches, and built outside of strong pillars, the buttresses – and even ease the pressure. Heavy, pointed upward to the door leading inside the Cathedral.

There, high overhead, is spanned by the rows of Lancet arches. Up carried bundles of long, thin columns. The building definitely reaches for the sky. Through the stained glass Windows pouring light fancy. Gold, scarlet, Royal blue spots painted massive stone slabs of the floor. Colorful reflections playing on the thin, fragile figures of saints. The contours repeat the soaring lines of columns and arches.

The three arts are combined, but differently than in Egyptian or Greek temple. It’s infused with the Christian religion. Subordinating art, she seeks to divert the mind of the person in an otherworldly, ethereal world. And although the building built by man, yet it was created to serve an invisible God.

The whole construction of a Gothic Cathedral, staring up, as if expressing the desire of the human soul upward to the sky, to God. But the Gothic temple was also a kind of embodiment of the teaching according to which the whole world there is a reaction force and the end result of their struggle is the Rapture.

His whole appearance of the Gothic Cathedral as conceived by his Creator to delievering a great desire for heaven, to God. Unlike the Greek temple, which is filled with a sense of joy, all opened to man, the Gothic Cathedral is built on contrasts. This is above all the contrast between the temple’s interior and its exterior. Inside the gloom, the flickering candles, nevadasee thinking about the sinfulness and vanity of earthly life. Outside – uncontrollable, rapid flight upward to the sky, all spires and arches of the Cathedral.

But the pursuit of God does not touch us as medieval man, and yet strict nobility soaring lines disturbs and elevates the soul.

In Gothic architecture “everything is connected together: this slender and ascending high above his head, the forest of arches, huge Windows, narrow, with countless changes and covers, joining the enormity of this horrific mass of small, colorful decorations, this easy spider web threads, entangling his chain wrapped around him from the foot to the end Spitz and flying away with him to heaven; the greatness and together beauty, luxury and simplicity, heaviness and lightness are qualities that never, except this time, do not fit in the architecture. Entering into the sacred darkness of this temple, through which the color looks fantastic colored Windows, lifting his eyes upward, when lost, the intersecting Lancet arches one above the other, one above the other and there is no end to them,– it is very natural to feel in his soul the horror of the involuntary presence of the Shrine, which dares not touch and a daring mind.” (Gogol).

What happened in the historical development of Western European peoples of the time, when their art gradually passed into a new quality? Increased power of large monarchies with a decrease in the number and influence of feudal lords. Monasteries also lost former power. The city grew rich, created large urban communities of self-management. The bourgeoisie grew stronger and won new rights.

The Church building formerly was in charge of monasteries, passed to the citizens. It was of very great importance. If the monastic Romanesque Church already possessed an attractive force which gathered under its vaults the population of the neighborhood, the Gothic Church had it even more, because it was erected by order and at the expense of the local community. The construction and decoration of the Church, which often took decades, was already a really popular affair. The purpose of the temple was not limited to a universal communion in prayer, he also served as a center of public life. In the city’s Cathedral held not only worship, he was wearing a University lecture, was played theatrical performances (mystery) and sometimes even met the Parliament. The cult temple was center of city life.

With the Renaissance interest in antiquity lace stone medieval cathedrals and elongated figures of saints in the colored shadows of stained glass began to seem absurd, a product of a barbaric, Gothic art. Thus was born the name “Gothic”, “Gothic architecture”.