Cathedrals
Jill Coles
Ancient World
Period 2
A Cathedral is the main church of a Catholic Bishop's Province. The meaning comes from the Greek word Kathedra, meaning Seat of Bench. The plan of a cathedral follows from the shape of a cross and the entrance faces west. The narthex lies inside the entrance. The nave is the longest part of the cross and this serves as the assembly room for the congregation. The two arms of the cross call the transepts, form right angles to the nave and meet at the crossing. The apse often contains the main alter.
The finest examples of French Gothic Cathedrals include those in Amiens, Bourges, Charties, Reims and Strasburg. St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice is a fine example of Byzantine architecture. Spanish Cathedrals tend to be bigger than most. Several great English Cathedrals combine Romanesque and Gothic Architecture. Some are Cantbury, Durham, Ely, Lincoln, Peterbourgh and York.
Salisbury
Salibury Cathedral is completely Gothic. St. Paul's in London replaced a Norman structure. Italian Cathedrals display magnificent materials and details of workmanship. Famous structures include the Cathedrals in Florance, Milan, Pisa, Sienna
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Created Dec 8 1994 by Aaron Rice (jar22@email.byu.edu)
a Timpview High School student
in partnership with the
David O. McKay School of Education
Brigham Young University