Yes or no, Medieval Gothic churches were a complete break with Greek Essay

Yes or no, Medieval Gothic churches were a complete break with Greek and Roman design What fundamental ideas in Christianity affected how these buildings were designed - Essay Example Settlers later constructed larger houses with multiple rooms separated by columns. The architectural characteristics that are most directly related with the Greeks, columns and stairs, began developing in this era (Scott 19). Three orders developed distinctive patterns for the columns on their temples, with the Corinthian column style having the most elaborate and decorative columns, hence the rarest. The Doric style used by the Spartans was the simplest. Ionic columns were slender compared to the Doric and twice the height. The Romans, like the Greeks, used Doric, Corinthian and Ionic column styles. However, the Romans discovered the structural and artistic worth of arches and domes. They used arches because they could sustain enormous weights, enabling them to construct larger and more decorative structures (Bony 33). The Gothic cathedrals were representations of the universe in miniature scale. Each architectural concept, including the loftiness and enormous dimensions of the structure, were meant to put across theological significance; the great glory of God just as he was viewed by the Christians. The geometrical and mathematical natures of the buildings were influenced by the Christians’ view of an orderly universe, in which can be perceived an underlying logic and rationality (Scott 39). The murals, statues, stained glass and sculptural decoration integrate the spirit of creation in portrayals of the Zodiac, Labors of the Months, Lives of the Saints and referring to eternity in the Last Judgment and Coronation of the Virgin (Bony 12). Many churches had rich, decorative patterns usually depicting biblical stories, emphasizing visual links between Old Testament prophecies and the New Testament. The front elevation of a large church or cathedral, frequently referred to as the West Front, is designed to impact upon an approaching worshipper a powerful impression of the might of