Reading Comprehension 3

Cologne Cathedral

1.

Cologne vs Salisbury: Inside/Outside

From my first impression of both the Cathedrals, Cologne and Salisbury, they appear to be very different externally. Cologne comes off as dark and scary while Salisbury seems to look more pleasant and fantasy like. This has to do with the differences in styles of architecture – Cologne being Gothic and Salisbury being Early English Architecture. Their interiors are oddly similar, in contrast to their different exteriors. I think this is because of reflection and how architects looked back at past architecture. Salisbury is more proportionate to itself. It is tall but spread out, which helps it look even and consistent. Cologne is extremely vertical and not spread out. Being in an urban setting, compared to the flatness of the site of Salisbury, it makes the cathedral look even taller.

Cologne vs Amiens: Composition

I do not believe that regional differences exist. Architects were constantly bouncing ideas off of each other even if they didn’t know it. The architect who designed Cologne could have gotten the idea of two towers from French cathedrals, seeing as it is very different from many other cathedrals in Germany and the double tower is apparent in French architecture. I think a paradigm during the Gothic Age was extremely important. Because the Gothic Age lasted so long, there had to have been some sort of pattern or reference to look back on and keep the style going. Starting in France and moving throughout Europe, different regions must have had individual takes of the Gothic style, which were combined and passed along. Although Amiens and Cologne are similar structurally, I don’t think it is neither a coincidence nor a notion of region exactly. I do think region can be thought of in a greater sense that can define this similarity – region meaning the same part of the world.

Cologne vs Florence: Symbol

The Florence Cathedral combined new and old architecture by the construction of the dome in addition to previous Renaissance architectural styles - together representing the early Renaissance style. Cologne is a perfect symbol of Gothic Architecture – especially in Germany. Key materials used were brick and/or stone, both of which are included in Cologne. Another characteristic that is common in Gothic Cathedral architecture is the use of columns, vaults and flying buttresses. All three of which are heavily apparent in Cologne. Externally, I feel like Florence was an inspiration to the architecture surrounding it. The buildings look similar in color, material, and style. The designer may have wanted to set an example for the city in architecture, which was clearly successful. As far as Cologne and the language externally, I think the designer may have just wanted to stress the verticality and how it is stretching towards heaven.

2.

From my knowledge of medieval history, I would assume that the context of this illustration would be in a medieval hall. These were key pieces of architecture and culture for people to gather. Many halls had kitchens to use for preparation of meals, which is where I think this illustration was based off of. As far as the architecture of most halls, the illustration would have shown more arched windows and a vaulted, timber trussed ceiling. Kitchens typically had the same timber and detail. In many kitchens, cooking was done using a fireplace and cauldron – similar to what is shown in the illustration.

Penshurst

http://www.history.uk.com/historical/images/articles/Penshurst-Barons-Hall.jpg