BP 6: COMPARING AMIENS & COLOGNE

Friday in class we talked in our groups about the compare 4 cathedrals website. We each got a square from the chart found on the website and our group got "composition: regional differences come to bear on design features" connecting amiens cathedral in france and cologne cathedral in germany.

Amiens, France

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       Cologne, Germany

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Gothic architecture started up in France when Charlemagne showed up around 800 CE (Roth 301). French cathedrals were known for their double towers among other things. They really set the standard for Gothic architecture. Amiens cathedral was the purest version of Gothic architecture and is modeled by the Cologne cathedral. Because Germans didn't really have a distinct Gothic style until as late as the 14th century (according to medieval-spell.com), the Cologne cathedral was modeled closely after the Amiens cathedral. German cathedrals later became known for their single spires and tall, tall towers. For this reason I wouldn't say that the cathedrals really were super clear pictures of regional differences. The Amiens cathedral, yes, is obviously French. The Cologne cathedral, however, is on its way to being distinctly German. Because it's taller and, frankly, scarier than the Amiens cathedral it definitely has its own character and can be considered German but because it's modeled after a French cathedral and has two towers it's not 100% German.

Although the Cologne cathedral was closely modeled after the Amiens cathedral the two have their differences. The Amiens cathedral has a more appealing and happier facade. It's also built more to the ground, showing the friendlier relationship of God and man. The cathedral is surrounded by dense buildings and therefore it's more integrated into the city (probably because it looks happier). The whole building seems to have a more light, airy appeal on the outside and reflects the happier relationship between God and man.



In contrast the Cologne cathedral does not smile upon anyone. It is tall and dark and makes man feel very small compared to God. It's almost a reminder of how little you are in this world compared to God. Maybe it's also a reminder of the looming fate that lies ahead if you don't get inside and do some worshiping? This building is a good example of what my team learned during the "coke can cathedral" exercise. To make our building taller we had to spread out the base a little. Because we did that, our building was able to be much taller. Contrasting the dark and frightful facade, the inside of the cathedral is immensely lit. This is probably due to the amounts of flying buttresses all around the building. They expand out and let in a lot of light into the space.




here is a cognitive map that tells something of the medieval world: