Why were these structures built? Provide specific reasons.
During the Middle Ages, the Church and the Bible were of greatest important. Almost everyone’s lives revolved around religion. Prior to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, were to older Roman temples of Jupiter. According to Bishop Maurice de Sully who initiated the cathedral’s construction, he believed that the two existing churches were unworthy of representing such a great God. Consequently, he introduced the idea that they demolish the existing structures and build a single, and larger church that was dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Notre-Dame).
In contrast, during the Renaissance, the Church and Bible were important, but to a lesser degree. The Old Saint Peter’s Basilica was replaced by the New St. Peter’s Basilica due the old structure’s lack of symmetry. Pope Nicholas V who conceived the idea of the construction found that the walls were not perpendicular, and the frescoes were collecting dust.
While the Notre-Dame Cathedral focused on God’s wishes and if the structure could be the house of the “mighty God,” the St. Peter’s Basilica was centralized on specific aesthetic details regarding the structure itself. This slight difference suggests one’s changed outlook regarding architecture between the two time periods.
In contrast, during the Renaissance, the Church and Bible were important, but to a lesser degree. The Old Saint Peter’s Basilica was replaced by the New St. Peter’s Basilica due the old structure’s lack of symmetry. Pope Nicholas V who conceived the idea of the construction found that the walls were not perpendicular, and the frescoes were collecting dust.
While the Notre-Dame Cathedral focused on God’s wishes and if the structure could be the house of the “mighty God,” the St. Peter’s Basilica was centralized on specific aesthetic details regarding the structure itself. This slight difference suggests one’s changed outlook regarding architecture between the two time periods.
What styles were these structure influenced by and what can you infer from these different styles?
The Notre-Dame Cathedral was strongly influenced by Gothic styled architecture which evolved from Romanesque architecture. However, the St. Peter’s Basilica abandoned its predecessor in terms of architecture and turned to Greco-Roman architecture. A possible reason why the St. Peter’s Basilica used Greco-Roman architecture as its foundation is because they wanted to abandon the “Dark Ages” and those times of suffering (The Plague). Like most structures from the Renaissance, ancient Greek and Roman architecture was used in the St. Peter’s Basilica in order to differentiate themselves from those in the Middle Ages. It is possible that those from the Renaissance truly wanted emphasize that it was a time of “rebirth” and “revival.” In addition, the different styles of architecture also emphasize society’s interests during the two periods. For instance, during the Middle Ages, God and the Church were of utmost importance, and everything they did was to please God and the Church. In contrast, the Renaissance’s emphasis on ancient Greek and Roman culture suggests their interest in Classical learning and value (education and perspective).
identify the specific (different) physical characteristics of each structure.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral is quite dark in comparison to the St. Peter’s Basilica which lets in a lot of natural light. For instance, in the St. Peter’s Basilica, crepuscular rays regularly enter the church, brightening the interior. Unlike the basilica, the Notre-Dame Cathedral does not have a great deal of natural light entering the interior. Rather, the church cathedral has a larger emphasis on height, with its two very tall and great towers. In the St. Peter’s Basilica, special attention was paid to its symmetry, and it has integrated ancient Greek and Roman architecture features such as a dome, columns, and pilasters. Another noticeable difference is the type of sculpture on the exterior of both structures. While the Notre-Dame Cathedral has gargoyles (chimeras) on its roofs, the St. Peter’s Basilica has more realistic statues of religious figures, with human characteristics on its roofs. Other evident differences between the two structures are that the church cathedral contains characteristics such as stained glass windows, pointed arches while the Renaissance building is focused on the symmetrical alignment of windows and doors, and arches.
What atmosphere is established based on the physical attributes of each structure?
As mentioned previously, the lighting in both structures are different. The Notre-Dame Cathedral is darker and does not let in a significant amount of natural light like the St. Peter’s Basilica. The lack of light insinuates a very dull, intimidating, and fearful atmosphere. In contrast, in the St. Peter’s Basilica, sunlight bathes the interior brightening the mood of the entire building. Another physical attribute that contributes to the atmosphere is the exterior of both buildings. For instance, in the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the emphasis on height caused individuals to fear God as an extremely powerful and intimidating figure. On the contrary, the St. Peter’s Basilica focused on intricate designs such as columns, and arches which are pleasing to the eye thus, creating a more welcoming atmosphere. In addition, the sculptures used on both structures also contributed to the existing atmosphere. For instance, the gargoyles used for the Notre-Dame Cathedral were not detailed, and did not have any human characteristics. Rather, the gargoyles seemed to have been guarding the church from evil spirits. However, the St. Peter’s Basilica contained human sculptures with contained details, realistic folds, and believable expressions. The human attributes of these sculptures most likely created a connection with the public thus, making the basilica more welcoming and safe.
What transitions in religious beliefs and values are evident between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance?
The idea of individualism is highlighted between these two structures. During the Middle Ages, it appears that people focused on God as a powerful and fearful figure, as suggested by the intimidating and frightening features of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. However, when they transitioned to the Renaissance, individuals seem to be more comfortable with forming a personal relationship with God, rather than just fearing him. This change was created partly due to the change in atmosphere from a frightening to welcoming God. The Middle Ages was arguably centered around the good and bad and improving society as a whole, while the Renaissance was centered around improving one’s personal character. This transition also represents the political transformation during the two periods. In the Middle Ages, the Church was all powerful and righteous, suggesting the idea of a stiff hierarchy, feudalism. However, as individuals began to focus on themselves, and self-interest gained recognition, the idea of capitalism was introduced. In addition, the focus on the details of humans including the realistic characteristics of the body and the strong emotions contributed to the idea of humanism. This is evident through the changes in sculptures from gargoyles to realistic human sculptures. Another concept that is evident during the transition from one period to the other is rational thought. For instance, the Notre-Dame Cathedral was built to create a larger and more appropriate church for the almighty God. However, the St. Peter’s Basilica was built in order to fix the symmetry. During the Renaissance, architects were exposed to rational thought such as perspective and symmetry.