Reading Comprehension 3

One of the first things to note about the Cologne Cathedral is its vast and grand scale. This also adds on to the idea of building up towards the sky and Heaven and enhancing the religious experience one would have as they approach and enter the building. Lighting was also a very important aspect of the cathedral. This was made evident through the use of the main forms of natural lighting during this time, which were clerestory and stained glass windows, as well as ribbed vaulting.
The Salisbury cathedral has a more complex plan than the Cologne Cathedral. However light still remains as one of the main elements when building this cathedral especially during the dark ages where people felt that there was no change or movement culturally. The use of light in this building can be compared to the Cologne cathedral because they both attempt to make the lighting effect more dramatic. This adds to the religious experience one would have when they enter, by making the church seem more purified that any other building or structure around this time period.
The Amiens Cathedral has a layout that is the closest to the Cologne Cathedral. In fact most of their similarities are mostly structural and decorative. One of the main similarities seen here is the introduction of flying buttresses. Flying buttresses were an important aspect in the vertical build of both Cathedrals. Originating in Notre Dame, France flying buttresses allowed a building to be taller with a more stable structure. Also the exterior details on both cathedrals have similar images causing one to believe that the purpose of these buildings are influence by the same beliefs.
Unlike the previous building that were compared many differences take place in the Florence Cathedral in comparison to the Cologne Cathedral. The entire structure of this church is different because it actually symbolizes a change and a preview of what is to come in the renascences age. The Florence cathedral has evident roman influences in its structure like the dome which helps set it apart from the traditional pointed and vertical churches. The dome signifies a change in attitude toward the church and what feeling people should get from it this also goes back to the round effect that one would feel in the Pantheon making the presence of whoever was being worshiped more omnipotent.

In this Image the woman is in the kitchen cooking, possibly preparing a meal for multiple families because it in common for several families to live in one castle or household during the dark ages. During medieval times many interiors were made for communities to live in. Roth mentions that the kitchen would be located towards the back the house in his book Understanding Architecture (345). So it would be evident that the opening behind the pot would be the back door and a window allowing the smoke from whatever it was that she was cooking to escape. There would also probably be a hallway behind the woman leading to the community area where everyone would be gathered around the fireplace conversing.