• Complain

Karen Ralls - Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.

Here you can read online Karen Ralls - Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism. full text of the book (entire story) in english for free. Download pdf and epub, get meaning, cover and reviews about this ebook. City: Newburyport, year: 2015, publisher: Nicolas-Hays, Inc, genre: Religion. Description of the work, (preface) as well as reviews are available. Best literature library LitArk.com created for fans of good reading and offers a wide selection of genres:

Romance novel Science fiction Adventure Detective Science History Home and family Prose Art Politics Computer Non-fiction Religion Business Children Humor

Choose a favorite category and find really read worthwhile books. Enjoy immersion in the world of imagination, feel the emotions of the characters or learn something new for yourself, make an fascinating discovery.

Karen Ralls Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.
  • Book:
    Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.
  • Author:
  • Publisher:
    Nicolas-Hays, Inc
  • Genre:
  • Year:
    2015
  • City:
    Newburyport
  • Rating:
    3 / 5
  • Favourites:
    Add to favourites
  • Your mark:
    • 60
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5

Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.: summary, description and annotation

We offer to read an annotation, description, summary or preface (depends on what the author of the book "Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism." wrote himself). If you haven't found the necessary information about the book — write in the comments, we will try to find it.

Cover; Copyright; Contents; Preface; 1. Gothic Cathedrals: Architectural Gems in Stone; 2. Uses of a Cathedral: From the Feast of Fools to Market and Concert Hall; 3. Medieval Stonemasons and Guilds: The Making of s Cathedral; 4. East Meets West: Solomon, I Have Surpassed You; 5. Geometry, Mazes, and Labyrinths; 6. Wonders of Light: Cathedrals and Solar Observation; 7. Bejeweled Wonders in Stained Glass; 8. Sculpted Marvels in Stone and Wood: From Gargoyles to Saints; 9. On the Road Medieval Journeys-Sacred Pilgrimage and Secular Travel.

10. For Pilgrims Are We All The Decline of Pilgrimage and Visiting Gothic Cathedrals TodayAppendix 1; Appendix 2; Appendix 3; Appendix 4; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index; About the Author; Backcover.

Cross the threshold into the world of the High Middle Ages and explore the illuminating wisdom, beauty and art of the Gothic cathedrals, stunning wonders of the medieval era for all to see today. From bejewelled stained glass windows to a pilgrimage on the road to Compostela, the wonders of Gothic architecture continue to inspire many worldwide.From the 12th century, the Gothic architectural style continued to spread throughout Europe. Highly-regarded medievalist Dr. Karen Ralls explores the legacy of this exquisite architectural period, whose artistic beauty and expert craftsmanship have se. Read more...

Karen Ralls: author's other books


Who wrote Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.? Find out the surname, the name of the author of the book and a list of all author's works by series.

Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism. — read online for free the complete book (whole text) full work

Below is the text of the book, divided by pages. System saving the place of the last page read, allows you to conveniently read the book "Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism." online for free, without having to search again every time where you left off. Put a bookmark, and you can go to the page where you finished reading at any time.

Light

Font size:

Reset

Interval:

Bookmark:

Make

Published in 2015 by Ibis Press An imprint of Nicolas-Hays Inc P O Box - photo 1

Published in 2015 by Ibis Press An imprint of Nicolas-Hays Inc P O Box - photo 2

Published in 2015 by Ibis Press

An imprint of Nicolas-Hays, Inc.

P. O. Box 540206

Lake Worth, FL 33454-0206

www.ibispress.net

Distributed to the trade by

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

65 Parker St. Ste. 7

Newburyport, MA 01950

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 2015 by Karen Ralls

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Nicolas-Hays, Inc. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

ISBN: 978-089254-173-7

Ebook ISBN: 978-0-89254-627-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Available upon request.

Book design and production by Studio 31.

www.studio31.com

The abbreviation WMC in photo credits refers to Wikimedia Commons. Frontispiece God, the Grand Architect, creating the world with the principles of Geometry. From Bible Moralisee, 12201230. Great Paintings from Medieval Illuminated Books, Dover Publications.

Printed in China

www.redwheelweiser.com

www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE

L et there be Light! The art and beauty of Gothic cathedrals still captivate the hearts and minds of visitors worldwide with their exquisite carvings in stone and wood, luminous stained glass windows, pointed arches, flying buttresses, labyrinths, gargoyles, Green Man images, and more. As we begin our visual journey through the following pages, we will explore the architecture, design, and various wonders associated with Gothic cathedrals. We will find ourselves entering their often hauntingly dark interiors and watch as they welcome the incoming light through their famed Rose windows. We will stand in awe as the colored rays of the sun illuminate interior marvels in stone and wood.

Light is a symbol of truth, hidden wisdom, and a higher understanding beyond all human division, definition, and activity. The chief architect of the new Gothic style, Abbot Suger, insisted that the key meaning of this bold new design was both an outer and inner luminosity: Bright is the noble work ...

The Gothic cathedrals are sterling examples of the very best of medieval architecture, art, and fine craftsmanship. And they are places we can visit today.

Why are so many people still so intrigued by the High Middle Ages? While often misunderstood as a mere feudal outgrowth of the earlier deeply repressive Dark Ages, in fact, the High Middle Ages (11001300) were far more interesting than the old stereotypes imply. In a myriad of ways, this period was one of the most creative eras of Western European history; it is no accident that the building of the Gothic cathedrals occurred at this time. The High Middle Ages brought Western Europe a number of practical inventionsnew concepts and creations that are key parts of our lives today such as the rise of towns; eyeglasses; new printing methods; windmills; the concept of a university with Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees; a great increase in trade; new perfumes, spices, and exotic teas; the rise of merchant guilds; the return of the astrolabe via Islamic Spain; and the rediscovery and new translations of the works of Aristotle and other philosophers. A new appreciation and understanding of geometry, music, drama, and the arts also took placeelements that directly concerned the gifted builders of the cathedrals. This was also the period when many of the Grail manuscripts were written.

Of course, as with any era in history, such peaks are accompanied by serious challenges, e.g., the horrors of the Inquisition that would also extend into much later centuries; problems inherent in feudalism; the Black Death; and so on. However, the primary focus of this book is on the Gothic cathedrals themselves.

I am a medieval historian, art, film, and historical sites consultant, and the former Deputy Director and Curator of the Rosslyn Chapel museum exhibition (19952001). In particular, following the publication of my books The Templars and the Grail in 2003 (released prior to The Da Vinci Code), The Knights Templar Encyclopedia (2007), and Medieval Mysteries: A Guide to History, Lore, Places and Symbolism (2014), readers have been asking me for a history book that addresses the cultural developments of the High Middle Ages in relation to the Gothic cathedralsone that offers solid factual history along with some of the lesser-known aspects of the topic as well. A number of my university students, heritage, art history, and travel organizations (both in the US and UK), and various contacts in the film/media world have made similar requests for information. To help meet this demand, I have chosen ten key topics related to the Gothic cathedrals that have been the most-requested.

We thus present an overview of Gothic architecture in and labyrinths; the cathedrals as solar observatories; the beauty of the stained glass windows; and the sculptures in wood and stone that decorated the cathdrals. We also look at travel in the High Middle Ages, both its joys and hardships; and, inevitably, we examine the decline of pilgrimage. This book is lavishly illustrated with colored photographs and drawings throughout.

Most importantly, perhaps, we encourage readers to visit and experience the Gothic cathedrals for yourselves. To help you with further explorations and study, I have provided four Appendices. These include a map of the locations of the major European Gothic cathedrals; a timeline of the years the major Gothic Cathedrals were constructed in France, England, Germany, Italy, and Spain; a list of the major Black Madonna-related shrines and pilgrimage sites most accessible to visit in Western Europe; and a list of the major Mary Magdalene-related shrines and pilgrimage sites. In addition, there is a full bibliography with further resources on Gothic cathedrals and related topics.

Our seemingly never-ending fascination with all things medievalincluding great appreciation for the art and beauty of the Gothic cathedralsis part of a modern-day quest by those of all faiths and spiritual traditions, or none. Put simply: today you don't have to be a practicing Christianor even an overtly religious personto appreciate the art and beauty of these medieval marvels and their cultural importance. They are symbolic of the superb craftsmanship of an age gone by. Like the pyramids of Egypt and other sacred sites around the world, the Gothic cathedrals reflect humanity's spiritual quest. They are among the finest artistic expressions of the High Middle Ages, legacies in stone, embodying ancient concepts: Lux continous (continous light) and Lux Lucet In Tenebris (light shines in darkness).

I sincerely hope that each topic covered here becomes a new pathway for readers to explore, deepen, and inspire their lives. It all begins with the courage to take a single step, the start of a new journey, or symbolic pilgrimage in your lifebe it of heart, mind, and/or spirit. You do not need to initially determine a final destination, as one often did in medieval times. The ideas that we are always becoming, forever renewing ourselves when on a pilgrimage, the travel that never truly ends even long after returning home, remain with us still. As we journey through Life, let us remember that pilgrims are we all. Rather than either the intellectuals of the High Middle Ages, or those in more traditional posts of power, we are free to inhabit the realms of Imagination.

Next page
Light

Font size:

Reset

Interval:

Bookmark:

Make

Similar books «Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.»

Look at similar books to Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.. We have selected literature similar in name and meaning in the hope of providing readers with more options to find new, interesting, not yet read works.


Reviews about «Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism.»

Discussion, reviews of the book Gothic Cathedrals : A Guide to the History, Places, Art, and Symbolism. and just readers' own opinions. Leave your comments, write what you think about the work, its meaning or the main characters. Specify what exactly you liked and what you didn't like, and why you think so.