The Cathedral of Notre- Dame de Paris, Essay Example

The Cathedral at Notre Dame is one of the most well-known cathedrals in the city of Paris. The Cathedral at Notre Dame also demonstrated a number of varied Gothic qualities.  The essay explored the details of the cathedral of Notre Dame while reviewing the impact of Gothic architecture on the cathedral’s design-. The research question that was reviewed in the essay is the following: What are the most evident qualities of Gothic architectural style on the Cathedral’s design,

All of the Gothic structural characteristics are borne by the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. The Gothic qualities include the prominent Rose window. The complete design of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris manifests elements of Gothic architectural style. The edification of the cathedral was initiated in 1163. It is the definition of Gothic architectural style (Calkins 167).

The Gothic style of architecture was a genre which was invented in Northern France. The Gothic architectural style had been disseminated to the other areas of Europe between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. The Gothic architectural style is manifest in the components of the cathedral which are the lean vertical piers aesthetically counterbalanced by the vaulted arches and buttresses. The Gothic style of architecture had been developed between the eras of Romanesque and Renaissance architectural styles (Calkins 167).

There are a number of Gothic qualities which are manifested in the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. These Gothic characteristics include the prominent Rose window, the oculus, the sexpartite vault, apse, transepts, ambulatory and choir. The sexpartite vault is a Gothic design which features a chamber having six divisions. The apse is another Gothic quality which is the conclusion of the half circle of the polygon plan. The transepts are characteristics of Gothic architecture which are manifested by the southern and northern branch of the cruciform used in Gothic design. In addition, the ambulatory and the choir are other Gothic architectural features. It is apparent that the Gothic architectural style was the primary genre in the design of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. The Cathedrals of Saint Denis and Saint Germer- de -Fly- are other examples of the Gothic architectural perspective (Murray 229; Stalley 57).

Pope Alexander is credited with the laying of the first stone of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris in 1163. The construction took place quickly due to the funding procured by Bishop Maurice de Sully. Bishop Sully had been able to procure substantial amounts of funding toward the edification of the cathedral from the poor, the members of the noble classes, the clerics and the monarch. The construction on the cathedral took place from East to West. There had been four distinct architects who endeavored toward the completion of the cathedral. In addition, there had been modifications which include the clearstory windows (Wyatt & Waring 147).

As time elapsed, the terminology of Gothic gained a closer association with the concluding era of the medieval epoch. The distinct stages of architecture in the era that precluded the Renaissance varied from the Early Gothic perspective to the Revenant and the high Gothic architectural genre. Eventually, the Flamboyant style had been derived. The architectural perspective which precluded the gothic style is the Romanesque style. The Romanesque was the initial architectural perspective to be disseminated across the European continent. There had been cathedrals which had the Romanesque and Gothic elements, demonstrating the manner by which one era flowed into another. The Cathedral of Notre Dame was initiated more than eight hundred years ago and is one of the most recent edifications to be raised on the holy ground upon which it has been constructed. The Cathedral of Notre Dame was constructed during a time period where many of the members of the public had been illiterate (Murray 231).

This is the causal attribute for the recounting of biblical events in the sections of the cathedral, which are incorporated in the stained glass, portals and paintings. The quality of educating the visitors in the Bible was intended during an era where knowledge had not been perceived as being significant and the dedication to the Christian religion had been strong. The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is representative of the Early Gothic age. This was an epoch where Paris had been regarded as a political power and commercial center (Williamson 106).

The embodiment of Gothic architecture is loftiness. The architectural elements which greet visitors are the gargoyles, the massive guardians, the intricately crafted spires and the Rose windows fabricated from stained glass. All of these elements are distinctively Gothic and representative of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. There are many of the Gothic elements which adorn the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris which had been positioned in elevated positions. These elevated positions were intended to challenge the viewers’ senses and imagination. Considering that the endeavors of religious art has been elevated higher than the artistic expression that it contains, it should be considered that the placing of art in elevated positions in the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris had the requisite of the viewers’ attention being directed upwards (Bottineau 47).

Studies have demonstrated that when the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is viewed from an external perspective; the appearance of the structure is High Gothic. In the middle of the thirteenth century the appearance of the interior of the Cathedral of Notre Dame had been substantially modified when the petite clerestory vignettes which were representative of the early Gothic style of architecture had been extended and supplemented with tracery of the high Gothic era (Bottineau 47). The components which are manifested in the architecture of the cathedral regarding the sexpartite vault, oculus, transepts, apse, choir and ambulatory are gothic elements which are requisites for the functioning of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (Murray 232).

Notwithstanding that the Gothic architectural elements provide aesthetic value to the viewers, they are also functioning components. The dual ambulatory in the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris has piers which are fashioned as columns for sustaining the mass of the gallery walls. The mass of the gallery walls had been minimized by the extensive apertures. The ribs which diagonally and transversally format the vaulting enable the mass of the vault to be directed at specific points. The forces from the diagonally and transversally located ribs have the characteristics of transmitting the forces to the buttresses. The buttresses had been originally conceived as genuinely structural components. However, the buttresses evolved into being one of the primary iconic elements of the Gothic style (Murray 234).

The western aspect of the Cathedral of Notre Dame is one of the most recognized and celebrated symbols in gothic architecture. There are three portals which traverse the western aspect of the cathedral. These three portals represent Saint Anne, the Last Judgment and the Virgin Mary. In the three portals, the most ancient is the portal demonstrating Saint Anne which dates back to the begriming of the construction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The two intricately crafted spires are framing elements in the western aspect. The left spire is more elevated than the right spire. The two spires of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris are adorned by gargoyles. The distinction in the girth and the height of both spires is the consequence of inadequate planning. The different girths of the towers have the effect of the nave appearing irregular. On the superior aspect of the portals there is the Gallery of Kings. The Gallery of Kings is a colonnade which possesses a balcony. In the balcony, there are the Kings of the Judean kingdom demonstrated. In addition, there is the Rose window which manifests the Gothic glory where it is positioned at the center of gravity of the religious and architectural composition (Ferguson 74).

The western Rose window is greater than 10 meters in its diameter and is breathtaking. The primary themes of the western Rose window are the signs of the Zodiac and the endeavors of the months. On the external aspects, there is a statue of the Virgin and Child who are escorted by angels. The majority of the Glass is presently blocked by the expansive organ. The Northern Rose window demonstrates the tales of the protagonists of the Old Testament of the Bible which surround the Virgin Mary (Ragsdale 91). The southern Rose window demonstrates a tale of the Christ being accompanied by the angels, saints and apostles.

The Southern Rose window measures more than twelve meters in diameter and is composed of more than eighty-four vitrine panes. Emanating from the central pane depicting the tale of Christ, it is composed of four circles which are concentric, twenty-four triodes, twenty-four medallions with quadrilles and twelve medallions.  The first medallion which had been created had been lost. The central medallion had been supplanted in 1724 by the Cardinal de Noailles. The Cardinal of Noailles had been the archbishop who ordered the restoration of the window. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is a testament to the glory of Christianity in addition to being the bridge between religion and Gothic architecture (Ragsdale 91).

The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris was constructed on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. At the time that the temple had been built, Paris was acknowledged as Lutetium. The city became evangelized around the 3^rd century when Pope Fabian deemed it prudent to anoint the first bishop, Dionysius to Paris. Bishop Dionysius was converted into Saint Denis. The bishop Dionysius gained sainthood due to the need to practice the Christian faith in secrecy. This had been attributed to the fact that many of the French Christians were being persecuted at the time (Carradine & Price 174)

The Emperor Constantine made a declaration of peace with the church in the second decade of the 3^rd century. There had been a cathedral which was dedicated to Saint Stephen erected in the fourth century and had been reconfigured with different elements during the seventh century. The cathedral to Saint Stephen had been maintained for centuries until the French monarch and the Bishop de Sully decided to construct a new cathedral in its place. The new cathedral would be larger and wider than the previous cathedral due to the new Gothic style which facilitated the construction of larger structures (Carradine & Price 158).

The Cathedral of Notre Dame had been constructed far before the Gothic style had been supplanted by the Renaissance style in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. In addition, the previously built cathedrals had been constructed. The Cathedral at Saint Germer- de -Fly- de -Fly is considered as an inspiration for the Cathedral of Notre Dame at Paris. The Cathedral of Saint Denis is another cathedral which has demonstrated influence in the construction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. The idea of squaring the Rose window and the square by means of traced spandrels had been reviewed as a method of taking the emphasis from the circle while enabling the Rose window to be an element that remained as the most prominent visible components.  In the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the walls and the ceilings have the semblance of combining into a thinner membrane (Rollason 201).

The amendments on the clerestory windows had been achieved around 1220. In the oculus, it had originally been composed of crosses, did not have the present glazing and was in a closer proximity to the clerestory windows (Rollason 185). The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris had been among the forefront of structures during the time of its construction to apply the flying buttresses. Originally, the edifice had not been designed to include the flying buttresses which encircled the choir and the nave (Murray 235).

Subsequent to its final construction, the walls began to become thinner and there had been fractures which were associated with stress as the building extended outward. As a repair, the architects constructed the supports which encased the outside walls and the subsequent modifications continued the pattern of encasing the structure (Murray 235). The amount of surface area that is covered by the Cathedral of Notre Dame is more than five thousand five hundred square meters.

There had been a large number of statues which had been placed in the proximity of the cathedral in order to provide service as water spouts and column supports. There are the chimeras and the gargoyles which had been located for water release. As the visitors entered the Cathedral, they were usually surrounded by statues. Many of the original statues and reliefs depicted scenes which had been extracted from the bible. In addition, the sculptures depicted peasants, kings and saints. Many of the original sculptures had been demonstrative of the social hierarchy. The mediaeval world and the moral order had been depicted by the Gothic statues (Williamson 106).

It had been perceived that the stained glass and the statues were significant forms of medieval Gothic art in the cathedral of Notre dame de Paris. In addition to the floor plan, the sculptural design was not only restricted by tradition, it had been maintained by a collection of conventions which were theological. These conventions were applied in order to convey multiple inferences.  The form in the Cathedral of Notre Dame was originally intended for religious observance. In addition, the Cathedral of Notre dame was applied in order to provide sanctuary for many of the relics which pertained to Christendom (Wyatt & Waring 147).

The relics which were maintained in the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris were also designed to be an attraction for many of the pilgrims. The space afforded by the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris caused the building to be applied for a multitude of uses in its era.  The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris had been established during the reign of King Louis VII. It required over two hundred years for its construction and had been concluded in 1365. The edification of the Cathedral of Notre Dame had been an impressive feat for its era. This had been attributed to the technological progresses in architecture which enabled the construction of a structure of the scale of the Cathedral of Notre Dame (Calkins 167).

If it had not been for the vast resources which had been made available to the Bishop Maurice de Sully, the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris may have never come into existence. Notre Dame has endured over its eight-hundred-year history. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris had been scheduled for demolition until Napoleon Bonaparte requested to be appointed as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire within the Cathedral (Samuels 129)

Conclusion

The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is a representation of a point of evolution in style and architecture during the Early to High Gothic era which encompassed its construct ion. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris had been based on a plan which enabled it to be the largest Gothic construction of its time. In addition, the technological innovations which included the rib vaulting and flying buttresses enabled the mass of the building to be transmitted to the adjacent areas. The altitude of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is astounding considering the era of its edification. The spires of the Cathedral had been designed to be clearly visible from all of Paris during the twelve to fourteenth centuries. The magnificence of the architecture of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris continues to endure to the present.

Works Cited

Bottineau, Yves. Notre Dame de Paris and the Sainte – Chappelle. London, UK:  George Allen & Unwin Publishers Ltd., 1967. Print.

Calkins, Robert. Monuments of Medieval Art. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1985. Print

Carradine, David and Simon Price. Rituals of Royalty: Power and Ceremonial in Traditional Societies. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Murray, Stephen. “Notre- Dame and the anticipation of gothic.” The Art Bulletin 80.2(1998): 229- 253.

Parkhurst Ferguson, Priscilla. Paris as Revolution: Writing the Nineteenth Century City. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1997. Print.

Ragsdale, J. Donald. Compelling Form: Architecture as Visual Persuasion. Newcastle on Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2011. Print.

Rollason, David, Margaret Harvey and Michael Crestwich. Anglo-Norman Durham, 1093- 1193. Woodbridge, NJ: The Boydell Press, 1998. Print.

Samuels, Maurice. The Spectacular Past: Popular History and the Novel in Nineteenth Century France. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2004. Print.

Stalley, Roger. Early Medieval Architecture. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print.

Williamson, Paul. Gothic Sculpture 1140- 1300. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Wyatt Sir, Matthew Digby and John Burley Waring. Four Courts in the Crystal Palace. London, UK: Crystal Palace Library, 1854. Print.