The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-02-11

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CATHEDRAL ARcHITEcTURE-ITs
DIFFERENT STYLES.
The leading orders of architecture
are: Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Ro-
manesque, Byzantine and Gothic. The
artistic Greeks absorbed the Egyp-
ton, and founded the Doric, Corin-
THAN and Ionic. The Romans Dor
rowed the Greek and established the
Tuscan, and the Roman, also called
the Italian or Composite. With the
Empire at Constantinople in the
fourth century, arose the Byzantine
which flourished till the twelfth. From
the attempt of middle and northern
Europe, from the eighth to the
twelfth century, to adopt the Roman
to their own climate and convenience,
came the Romanesque. And France,
seeking to perfect system of vault
ing introduced the glorious miscalled
Gothic, which was an Oriental idea
from Christian Syria.
When in the sixteenth century Ital-
ian literati became more artistic than
Christian, and flew into a frenzy of
admiration for long discarded pagan
literature and art, they called the
new departure the Renaissance They
combined what pleased them best in
the prevailing styles of Greek and
Roman architecture, but failed to
evolve style deserving of a distinct
name. Seeking beauty more than util-
ity, they succeeded in making some
tsplendid combinations which history
calls Renaissance. They condemned
the Gothic.
In the study of our subject it is i'm
perative to remember that apart from
the Gothic, which discards them, it
is the style of the entablature and Of
the column supporting it that distin-
cuisines one order from another. The
golden age of each style, its -charac-
teristics and it's masterpieces, cannot
but prove interesting. It is enough
to put the wanderlust in the hearts of
others than architects.
Greek: This style saw it's golden
age in the days of Pericles, 460-430 B.
c. It's triumph was the Parthenon at
Athens It's characteristics are the
low roof, no arches, but many columns
and entablatures, and great beauty,
simplicity and harmony.
: Roman: It's best days were the
age of Augustus, 81 B. C.-14 A. d.
The Pantheon, still standing as the
Church of St. Mary's in Rotanda, is
it's masterpiece. It's beauty lies in it's
solid pillars, it's round arches and
great domes.
i Byzantine: It f1ourished from the
fifth to the twelfth century It's best
models are st. Sophia's in CONSTANT
nople, 558 A. D., Turkish Mosque
since 1853; and St. Marks in Venice
(11th century,. Besides it's pillars,
round arches, vaulted ceiling, and
cupolas which it has in common with
the preceding styles, it is noted for
it's circles, it's cross shape and it's
profusion of capitals.
Romanesque: It's history lies be-
tween the eighth and twelfth CEN
turtles. You can see it nobly exempt
fed in st. Ambrose's of Milan, in the
Cathedral of Pisa, the Abbey of Veze-
lay in France, and the Cathedrals of
Speyer and Worms in Germany. It
is easily known by it's semi-circular
arches, its towers, crypts, ornamental
stone facades, porches, groins and
tunnel-shaped vaults.
Gothic 1t was born of the sublime
faith of the glorious thirteenth CEN
fury and enlightened the world in an
age which some people still persist
in calling dark. The unfortunate re-
!, ligious upheaval Of the sixteenth cen
fury ended it's reign For lasting
monuments of religion and art there
are none like the old Gothic Cathe-
drals. The most famous are found:
In France, at Paris (Notre Dame and
st. Severin's), at Rheims, st. Denis,
Toulouse, Auxerre, Charters, Beau
: vais, Rouen and Amiens. In England,
at Salisbury, Ely, Durham, Canter-
bury. York and London Westminster,
St Gudule's), Antwerp and Dunes In
Spain, at Toledo, Seville and Burgos.
In Germany, at Freiburg, Strasburg
and Cologne. The Cathedral of Co
logne, only lately completed, is the
masterpiece Of all Gothic architecture
In Italy, at Florence. In Norway, at
s. Drontheim. In America, st. Patrick's
of New York, dedicated five years ago,
cost two and half millions, and holds
the palm i'm the Western hemisphere.
/ The glory Of the Gothic cathedral il