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The arches and spires of the medieval architecture were intended to force one's eyes to look toward the heavens. The spires in particular represent a finger pointing upward to God to indicate that he is in Heaven. The spires provided a constant reminder of that belief. Arches were an innovation of architecture to provide strength to the structure and provide additional light to inside of the building.
to force ones eyes to look towards the heavens
gothic
Oxford in England is the land of Dreaming Spires
In terms of architecture, the Gothic style is exemplified by Gothic churches and cathedrals. These structures tend to be very ornate and quite tall, with tall spires and towers. They also typically possess Gothic, or pointed, arches. Because of the height of these structures and the resulting instability of such tall walls made only of stone, they are commonly supported on the outside walls by structural supports called flying buttresses. The overall idea is to give the structure the appearance, and in most cases the reality, of vertical height, which is meant not only to convey the importance of God, but also to point directly to heaven. The Gothic style of architecture flourished in the high and late medieval period in Europe. It evolved from the Romanesque architectural style and was succeeded by the Renaissance style. It originated in France in the 12th century and lasted until the 16th century, and the style includes the pointed arch, ribbed vault, and flying buttress. Gothic architecture is most familiar as the architecture of many of the great cathedrals, abbeys, and parish churches of Europe. It is also the architecture of many castles, palaces, town halls, guild halls, universities, and to a less prominent extent, private dwellings. Other common indicators of Gothic cathedrals: 1. The Rose Window (large, round stained-glass window) 2. Stylized statues (saints & holy figures have cylindrical, almost androgynous bodies) 3. Floor plan is in the shape of a cross, as in the design of St. Peter's Basilica. 4. The carved facades usually contain vertical elements in continuous repetition (the illusion of height, as stated above). ------ Gothic style clothing is normally all black. Sometimes they may wear colors but very light colors and their nails will more than likely be black.
The arches and spires of the medieval architecture were intended to force one's eyes to look toward the heavens. The spires in particular represent a finger pointing upward to God to indicate that he is in Heaven. The spires provided a constant reminder of that belief. Arches were an innovation of architecture to provide strength to the structure and provide additional light to inside of the building.
to force ones eyes to look towards the heavens
The spires in particular represent a finger pointing upward to God to indicate that he is in Heaven. The spires provided a constant reminder of that belief. Arches were an innovation of architecture to provide strength to the structure and provide additional light to inside of the building.
To inspire people to look upwards towards heaven
The arches and spires of the medieval architecture were intended to force one's eyes to look toward the heavens. The spires in particular represent a finger pointing upward to God to indicate that he is in Heaven. The spires provided a constant reminder of that belief. Arches were an innovation of architecture to provide strength to the structure and provide additional light to inside of the building.
gothic
Arches were developed by the Romans and they are used to hold up walls of buildings. With an arch a builder can add more space inside and the load of the wall will be held up by the arch. So, this gives the builder a means to make a grander larger space, to hold up domes, and to give a sense height. The spires were added to make the building seem more grand and the churches seem to be reaching to the heaven and God. Together the arch and spires make a building unforgettable.
Arches were developed by the Romans and they are used to hold up walls of buildings. With an arch a builder can add more space inside and the load of the wall will be held up by the arch. So, this gives the builder a means to make a grander larger space, to hold up domes, and to give a sense height. The spires were added to make the building seem more grand and the churches seem to be reaching to the heaven and God. Together the arch and spires make a building unforgettable.
Gothic architecture was known for building tall, buildings, with spires and decorated (sometimes stained glass) windows. The arches in gothic architecture are usually tall and pointy, and there was a lot of use of bridges or so-called "flying buttresses", arches that led to the ground to distribute the force of a building's weight to the ground.
The stated purpose was to force one's eyes to look up towards the heavens. As a practical matter, the large pointed arches made it possible to build walls with large windows. This admitted more light to the building during daytime. It also reduced the weight of the wall, making it possible to use less stone in the supporting columns, making them narrower, and increasing the relative sizes of the entrances and the nave. The spires proclaimed the fact that there was a church or cathedral in that place, so it can be seen from a distance. They also provide a visual counterpoint to the arches themselves, and so worked visually well with the style.
Both pointed arches as well as spires were employed as a means of achieving greater height in the structures. Cathedrals were the skyscrapers of their time. The size, height and placement of these features was greatly dependent upon the country or region where they were constructed.
Greg Spires's birth name is Gregory Tyrone Spires.