Architecture Paper

European’s old architecture is considered one of the most beautiful and most sophisticated in the world. The Gothic and Greek architecture present a fete of architectural prowess at a time when labor was highly dependent on man. The achievements are nothing short of glorious. An example of Gothic architecture is the Salisbury Cathedral that is considered an architectural masterpiece of Europe’s medieval architecture. The construction of the cathedral started in 1220 A.D and ended sixty years later in 1280. The main body was completed earlier in 1238. The cathedral was once referred to a Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Looking at ancient Greek architecture, the Parthenon is a work of art to marvel. It stood in 447 BC as a testament to Athenian might and power. The Greek built it in honor of the goddess Athena. Insight into Greek architecture is derived form their temple ruins that defiantly stands to this day.

Gothic architecture was as an evolution from Romanesque architecture of the Roman Empire. The Gothic architecture is a form evident in cathedrals, churches, and Abbeys found in Europe. Some of the major features include a pointed arch, a flying buttress and a ribbed vault or ogive vault. Aside from various sculptural elements in Gothic architecture, it is also characteristic to have a gargoyle sculpture on Gothic architecture. These features can also be found in castles, universities, palace buildings and town halls. The pointed arch has been thought to have its roots in Islamic architecture. The pointed arch is not just a stylistic element but serves to ensure that buildings can achieve certain heights.

The Gothic architects had an epiphany and realized that the oglivian shape gave the building astounding steadiness and strength. This made it possible to build tall magnificent structures. Another important aspect of the arch was that the weight of the vault relied on the arch and not the walls. This consequently meant that the walls of the building could be thinner and therefore use less material. It also meant that the walls could be used to make windows since the holes on the wall in no way weakened the structure.

Like the Gothic structures, ancient Greek architecture had a consistent pattern all through. Most of the structures created the impression that the buildings were sculpted. The architecture was usually placed on high ground to accentuate the beautiful sculptural façade. The interior the architecture in Greek temples often had sculptors. These sculptors in most times were of the deity to whom the temples were dedicated. A distinctive feature of the Greek architecture is the use of columns that have a frieze with different design approaches at the top. The Frieze in the Parthenon for example assumes an ionic order yet the outer frieze assumes the Doric order. The other frieze order is referred to as the Corinthian order. The sophistication of the Greek architecture was by far ahead of its time.

The Parthenon deviated from the norm of Greek architecture. It consisted of eight columns at every end as opposed to the usual six columns. At the side, it had seventeen pillars instead of the usual thirteen. It apparently lacked other key aspects of Greek architecture. For example, it missed the upward curvature, the entasis, and the extra thick corner columns. It also deviated by excluding the external entablature inclination and the columns did not lean inwardly as expected. Despite these deviations by its architects, the Parthenon was a magnificent building to behold. That was on of the first major Structural innovations to the Greek architecture of the time.

The Gothic architecture evolved from the Roman style of architecture. The Romans architectural principle was to hold up the roof in its pace. The evolution saw that buildings maintained a similar structure but a different architectural approach that made it possible to construct higher structures. The Rayonnant period of Gothic architecture downplayed the necessity of height but increased the importance of large windows. The larger windows were not meant to illuminate the interior. Its sole purpose was to enhance the beauty of the buildings exterior by accentuating the presence of the multicolor stain glass used on the windows.

One major aspect Gothic architecture is the Gargoyle. The word comes from the French translation of the sound made when one is drinking water as it flows down into the stomach. There is usually a gurgling sound. This sound has been associated with the sounds heard when it rains. The Gothic architects created an animal representative of these sounds and named it the gargoyle. Another symbol is the sculpture or painting portraying the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus being attended to by the heavenly host. This type of symbolism is found mostly in abbeys, cathedrals and churches.

Greek temples were usually dedicated to deity. Therefore, on e f the major symbols that would have been found would be the statue of the god or goddess. The Parthenon is believed had a 12-meter statue of the goddess Athena that was curved out of pure ivory and decorated with gold. The Parthenon also had the famous Doric structure although it also had Ionic structure. The choice of the Doric structure was not by chance, since it was common, it would appeal more to the people since Athena was the people’s goddess.

The Gothic and Greek architecture were great accomplishments for human history. The striking features of these ancient structures still embody the great architectural genius that pioneered modern architecture. The Gothic arch is a concept that enabled medieval Europe to build taller and more elegant buildings. The Greek architecture column set the pace for the building of earthquake resistance buildings. The two architectural approaches have subsequently had a major influence in today’s approach in architectural design.