Gothic Artchitecture

3. Did Gothic architecture reflect a change in Church theology?

Before the Gothic architecture period, France went through the Romanesque art phase.  Romanesque cathedrals were more bulky and thick-walled; it symbolized judgement day, or the end of the world.  As time went on, Gothic art evolved.  These type of cathedrals were built with more windows and thinner walls.  The walls were thin, and held up by flying buttresses.  The walls were thin so that more windows could be included in the making of these cathedrals. Stained-glass windows were the symbols of the light of the world and hope.  The theology changed greatly from focusing more on light and hope, other than death and terminated life.  


"File:Canterbury Cathedral Window at Crossing.jpg - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Canterbury_Cathedral_window_at_crossing.jpg>.
"Flying Buttress - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_buttress>.