Blog Contribution - Renaissance

The School Of Athens - Sergio Arias

The School Of Athens is a painting made by Raphael in the Renaissance Period. He painted it at the beginning of the 16th Century approximately 1510 – 1511.

It is a pretty good example of Renaissance Painting because it has a lot of techniques that appeared in this time and also it shows pretty wonderful details that show the use of Perspective and Anatomy throughout the painting.

In a colorful way Raphael represents the most important characters of the Ancient Times like greek figures and characters, also he represents the Renaissance Men that were Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci along with others great mathematicians and philosophers that highly influenced in art, science, etc.

You can find Raphael´s masterpiece in the Vatican City in the apostolic palace. It´s dimensions are terrific it is 500 X 770 cm.  On a huge wall. 

Most importantly the painting was painted using the fresco style method that consisted on painting on wet plaster introducing pigments of color along with it.  by using this technique you could not make mistakes since it dried rapidly,

That was the problem with this style of painting, but one thing to highlight here is that fresco style is a very durable method and you can really appreciate the original characteristics of the painting that haven´t been restored yet.

When the plaster was dried they used several techniques like secco or they applied another coat of plaster for protection but the most remarkable technique is fresco.

This particular painting depicts the High Renaissance and makes it pretty unique. From my point of view, this shows that Raphael can be considered as Renaissance Man.

Overall, I think that this is a beautiful painting and interpretation of the Renaissance period. I think that it is worthwhile to visit all these magnificent creations that are still considered as the prettiest of all.

Bibliography

*Ancient Philosophy. "The School of Athens". Web. 30 sep 2010.

New Banner. "The school of Athens, Raphael". Web 30/09/10

<http://www.newbanner.com/AboutPic/SOA.htm>

 Raphael. Stanza Della Signature. "The school of Athens: Technique". Web. 30/09/10

<http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/raphael/htm/raphael_athens_tech.htm’>  

Bibiana Notre dame

Personal views: I thought this cathedral was very pretty and i hope to visit soon as i read, it has a past and it was built and re-built many times, it is very popular. And i love the details.

History

The Notre Dame de Paris stands on the site of Paris' first Christian church, Saint Etienne basilica, which was itself built on the site of a Roman temple to Jupiter.Notre-Dame's first version was a "magnificent church" built by Childebert I, the king of the Franks at the time, in 528, and was already the cathedral of the city of Paris in the 10th century. However, in 1160, having become the "parish church of the kings of Europe," Bishop Maurice de Sully deemed the building unworthy of its lofty role, and had it demolished.
After many issues the Revolution and Cvil wars, in 1991, a major restoration program was undertaken. It was expected to last 10 years but continued well into the 21st century - the cleaning and restoration of the old sculptures was an exceedingly delicate job. But now the scaffolding is down and the result is spectacular: the stone architecture and sculptures gleam in their original honey-toned color instead of industrial black.

Site Information
Names:	Notre Dame Cathedral; Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris)
Location:	Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Faith:	Christianity
Denomination:	Catholic
Dedication:	Virgin Mary
Category:	Cathedrals; World Heritage Sites
Architecture:	Gothic
Date:	1163-1345
Patron(s):	Childebert I
Features:	Medieval Stained Glass; Romanesque Sculpture

Yet it is the art of Notre-Dame, rather than its history, that still awes. The west front contains 28 statues representing the monarchs of Judea and Israel. The three portals depict, from left to right, the Last Judgment; the Madonna and Child; St. Anne, the Virgin's mother; and Mary's youth until the birth of Jesus. The interior, with its slender, graceful columns, is impressive there is room for as many as 6,000 worshipers. The three rose windows — to the west, north, and south — are masterful, their colors a glory to behold on a sunny day

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/paris-notre-dame-cathedral

History of Notre-Dame de Paris. Jane Colville Betts.1997-2010.

http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Cathedrals/Paris/Notre-Dame.shtml



Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris . Holly Hayes. 2010- 2010

by Ricardo Dominguez

The school of Athens 

Great artist called Raphael Sanzio made the amazing work called “The school of Athens”.  Raphael started painting good pieces mainly inspired in Leonardo da Vinci’s work, but in 1508 Pope Julius II, called Raphael to start working in the mosaics of the Vatican in Rome, one interesting thing about these works he made in the Vatican is that in the rooms he painted there where already works made by Piero Della Francesca, Luca Signorelli, and Perugino but the pope Julius said that they needed new artistic decorations.

The school of Athens is know days considered as the perfect example for the spirit of the high renascence and it was the masterpiece of Raphael this work is in one room of the Vatican it was painted between 1509 to 1510 and his final dimensions where 500 cm × 770 cm (200 in × 300 in), it was painted in fresco style that consist in a mural done with watercolors on wet plaster. 

The mural covers many aspects like The figures exemplify Philosophy, Poetry, Law and Theology, it also symbolizes the idealism compared with the realism where you can see the difference of this concept they had by those times. For the philosophy the mural represents all the known philosophers of that time like these characteristics the painting has many other representations or interpretations.

Works Cited

"Raphael Biography." Italian Renaissance Art. nd. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Raphael-Biography.html>.

"Raphael's School of Athens." Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Musuems. nd. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.vatican-patrons.org/raphael.htm>.

"'The School of Athens' by Raphael." Art and History. nd. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.arthistoryguide.com/The_School_of_Athens.aspx>.

School of Athens by Daniel Castillo

As many of my classmates have said, this painting is called the School of Athens (Scuola di Atene  in Italian)  and is one of the most important and representative masterpieces of the artist Raphael in the renaissance. It was painted between 1510 and 1511 and it was comissioned to decorate with frescoes the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. In fact, it is really a frescoe and its dimensions are 500 cm × 770 cm (200 in × 300 in).

Description and History
It is one of four frescoes in the walls of Stanza that represent different branches of knowledge. It mainly represents the branches of art and philosophy shown in the different characters that adorn the frescoe. It is said that almos all greek philosophers are shown in the frescoe, but beause of the difficulty of recognizing them, Raphael had to use an Iconographic system to determine which character was each philosopher. The only figures in the painting that can be recognized without effort are Plato and Aristotle which are in the center of the frescoe. They can also be found almost all of the ancient scientists.

In 1508 the young native of Urbino had been recommended to Julius II by Donato Bramante, the pope's architect, and also a native of Urbino. So enthusiastic was the pope when he saw the fresco that Raphael received the commission to paint the entire papal suite. The Stanza della Segnatura was to be Julius' library, Bibiotheca Iulia, which would house a small collection of books intended for his personal use.

The practice during Imperial Roman times of furnishing libraries with portraits of great poets was revived in fifteenth century Italy. Raphael revolutionized this practice in the Stanza by harmoniously arranging large groups of people as one unit in his fresco compositions. In the fresco of the School of Athens, sages from different epochs are arranged as colleagues in a timeless academy. Those that have been positively identified using accurate historical evidence are: Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, Alcibiades, Diogenes, Ptolemy, Zoroaster and Raphael.

" In the centre Plato points upwards with a finger and holds his book Timeus in his hand, flanked by Aristotle with Ethics; Pythagoras is shown in the foreground intent on explaining the diatesseron. Diogenes is lying on the stairs with a dish. The pessimist philosopher, Heracleitus, is leaning against a block of marble, writing on a sheet of paper. On the right we see Euclid teaching geometry to his pupils, Zoroaster holding the heavenly sphere and Ptolemy holding the earthly sphere. On the very right with the black beret is a self-portrait of Raphael."

The fact that this painting was painted with great attention to perspective and accurate detail shows an emphasis on personal and real perspective, rather than the theistic perspective that was characteristic of the Middle Ages. The painting looks realistic to the modern eye.

These important details helped Raphael not only paint a stunning visual, but also to depict the Renaissance era and the themes central to its outstanding reign in history.
Techniques

The techniques used for this frescoe are:
Arriccio: In the preparation of a wall for fresco, the second coat of plaster, over the roughcast and under the intonaco.

Cartoon: Full-size preparatory drawings made for the purpose of transferring a design to the working surface of a painting.

Fresco: Mural painting technique in which permanent limeproof pigments, dispersed in water, are painted on freshly laid lime plaster.

Giornata: Area of a fresco that is executed within the course of a single day (from the Italian word "giorno" meaning "day").

Intonaco: In fresco, the final coat of plaster on which the painter actually works, while it is still wet.

Pouncing: The technique of copying a drawing by pricking holes in the outlines and using fine chalk or graphite powder to transfer the outline of the drawing to a surface beneath.

Secco: Technique of painting a mural on dried lime plaster or retouching a fresco after it has hardened.

Sinopia: Underdrawings for fresco paintings made with the red earth pigment sinopia, which is brushed on the arriccio layer and over which the intonaco is applied before painting.




http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/SchoolAthens.htm Mlahanas.de."The school of Anthens. Who is who?" 28/09/10
http://www.newbanner.com/AboutPic/SOA.html New Banner. "The school of Athens, Raphael" 28/09/10
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/raphael/htm/raphael_athens_tech.htm Raphael. Stanza Della Segnatura. "The school of Athens: Technique" 28/09/10
http://www.suite101.com/content/raphaels-school-of-athens-a58854 Suite101.com. "Raphael's School of Athens painting" Stephanie cox. 28/09/10
http://www.vatican-patrons.org/raphael.htm Pattrons of the arts in the Vatican Museums. "The School of Athens" Prof. Arnold Nesselrath. 28/09/10
http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/555679 The Hellenic World. "The School of Athens" By Silenos Socrates.Apr 30, 2005. 28/09/10

Links!
http://un2sg4.unige.ch/athena/raphael/raf_ath4.html Clickable version
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/r/raphael/4stanze/1segnatu/1/index.html Detailed Images with high resolution
http://www.newbanner.com/AboutPic/athena/raphael/nbi_ath4.html Image linked to every philosopher in the painting


Thank you!

school of athens - Manuel Gomez

After he had been welcomed very affectionately by Pope Julius, Raphael started to paint in the Stanza della Segnatura a fresco showing the theologians reconciling Philosophy and Astrology with Theology, in which are portraits of all the sages of the world shown disputing among themselves in various ways.

Plato and Aristotle as Central Figures walking in a peripatetic manner through the Lyceum. A one-point (linear) perspective is used , one method to show 3-D objects on a 2-D surface. Lines which appear to go away from the viewer meet at a single point on the horizon, the so called vanishing point. The perspective is such that this point is between Plato and Aristotle stressing the importance of these two persons. To an almost equal distance between Plato and Aristotle we have Euclid (23) and Pythagoras (30). I see a transition from Philosophy to pure Science from left to right that also is represented by Apollo and Athena sculptures on the left and right side. Many figures (all except Socrates?) were drawn according to persons of Raphael's epoch such as Plato whose face is that of Leonardo. There is also, although not perfect or proportional, some temporal ordering of the persons from the center.

The Fresco of Raphael's School of Athens is a masterpiece of Art. However, over the centuries it has posed many problems to know all details of the persons who are depicted. Unfortunately Raphael did not leave any personal notes on this work but some of the persons can be identified.

This is a link to an interactive map to the painting:

http://agutie.homestead.com/files/school_athens_map.html

Notice how the series of concentric circles from the vaults, beginning with the outermost semi-circle of the Stanze arch in front, culminates in the inner circle around the heads of Plato and Aristotle. The circle is an ancient symbol of perfection: therefore these circles, and especially the inmost one, represent the mind of God, which encompasses the minds of both philosophers.

"ancientworlds.net. shool of athens. web"

The school of Athens--- Jessica Cardenas

 The School of Athens was painted by the 27 year old Raphael for Pope Julius II. The painting is 5.77 m by 8.14 . Raphael was ordered by the pope to destroy the paintings on the walls of his council chambers in the Vatican Palace:he was told to plaster over the frescoes by Piero della Francesca,(and other artist), and cover the walls of the rooms now known as the Stanze of Raphael with subjects of his own choice.

Within the clear space of this imaginary setting Raphael displays, like classical statues or clear and distinct ideas, idealized portraits of his contemporaries to represent the major figures of classical wisdom and science.

In the center, their heads framed by the furthest arch through which they have just entered, Plato and Aristotle are discussing the respective merits of Idealism vs. Realism. In his left hand red-robed Plato holds his book Timaeus. With his right hand Plato gestures upwards, indicating the eternal verities and forms.

              
These two Athenian philosophers are placed to left and right of an invisible central axis that divides them, and of a central vanishing point that disappears, in the distance between their heads, at a point at Infinity: in other words, in the mind of God.

 Citations

Socrates, Silenos. "The School Of Athens." The Hellenic World. N.p., 1 May 2005.
     Web. 27 Sept. 2010. <http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/555679>.  

School of Athens - Beatriz de la Torre

The School Of Athens is a fresco painted between 1510 and 1511, by Raphael. It is currently in the Vatican, Stanza della Segnatura, Rome.

The story behind this painting is that in 1510, Julius II heard of the abilities of Raphael, he ordered him to destroy the paintings on the walls of his council chambers in the Vatican palace, to plaster over the old frescoes (painted previously by Piero della Francesca, Signorelli, Perugino and Sodoma) and to cover the walls of the rooms known as the Stanze of Raphael with his own style and choice.

At the same time, Michaelangelo was painting over the Sistine Chapel ceiling his own version of the Christian world and Raphael was meanwhile painting his vision of the Humanist world.

It was named "school" not as an academy, but as an ideal community of intellects from the classical world.

In the picture above, we can see how Raphael was trying to idealize portraits of his contemporaries to represent the main figures and characters of classical wisdom and science; in this case: Plato and Aristotle. Also, if you zoom in the picture, you can see details that I personally found interesting because it's not something many people would notice at first, such as Plato holding his book Timaeus and with his right hand, pointing upwards, supposedly indicating that world ideas, like BEAUTY, GOODNESS and TRUTH are not in or from this world of space, time and matter but are "unreachable", lying beyond in a timeless and spaceless "world" of pure ideas.

Aristotle points with his right hand straight into the solid world of material reality, physical science and reason. He is also holding his own book, Ethics. This particular scene of the School of Athens shows the discussion of Idealism vs. Realism.

Elsewhere, there is also Heraclitus, who was on Plato's side and is also a Pre-Socratic philosopher whose system didn't fit into anybody else's: "The way up and the way down are one and the same" and "No man can step into the same stream twice".

After some technical analysis, it is now known that Heraclitus was painted later as and afterthought, on an area that is somehow away of the other scenes. I also found a very interesting explanation of Rapahel's last-minute addition and I thought it was better to copy-paste it for better comprehension:

"Heraclitus looks a lot like Michelangelo, who was at this time slaving away next door on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. It is said that despite Michelangelo's efforts to keep his work in total secrecy, Raphael managed to sneak into the Chapel to see what his anti-social older rival was up to. And sure enough, not only does the Heraclitus figure look like Michelangelo; in its block-like sculptural solidity, it looks like it was painted by Michelangelo."


What I found really amazing and interesting was, first of all, the meaning and the stories behind each scene of the painting. Because I only read about one or two stories but I'm sure there are a lot more of these surprising stories. I also liked the details and the concept of the human that was then much more detailed and the measures were more similar to the real ones. The depth of the painting, of the arches, is really notorious; you can see how the curved lines and the colors and shadows make the painting look like it's very deep, which is something that was beggining to be used in that time.


SOURCES:

*The Artchive. "Raphael. School of Athens". nd. Web. Consulted 27 sep 2010.
*Bev, Jennie S. "Raffaello Sanzio 'The School of Athens'". July 5th, 2010. Web. Consulted 27 sep 2010.
*Socrated, Silenos. Ancient Worlds. "The School of Athens". May 1st, 2005. Web. Consulted 27 sep 2010.
*Ancient Philosophy. "The School of Athens". nd. Web. Consulted 27 sep 2010.

School of Athens.. by fernanda munguia

"School of Athens"
By Raphael Sanzio. Stanza della Segnatura.
Sep/26

After Raphael had been welcomed by Pope Julius, he started to paint in the Stanza della Segnatura a fresco showing the theologians reconciling Philosophy and Astrology with Theology, in which are portraits of all the sages of the world shown disputing among themselves in various ways.

The original name of the fresco actually is CAUSARUM COGNITIO (Knowledge of Causes) but it is called "School of Athens" from a 17th century guidebook.

School of Athens.
arquivolta.blog. web. sep/26

The School of Athens was painted by Raphael Sanzio or Raffaello Santi (1483 - 1520) for Pope Julius II (1503 - 1513) when he was 27 years old. In this fresco, Raphael depicts the great philosophers and mathematicians of ancient Greece as colleagues in a timeless academy:

Plato is in the center pointing his finger to the heavens while holding the Timaeus. Nexto to him, his younger pupil Aristotle holding a copy of his Ethics while describing the eart and the wide realm of moral teaching, Pythagoras contemplates his system of proportions at the lower left and Euclid draws a circle on a slate at the lower right.

The Fresco of Raphael's School of Athens is a masterpiece of Art. However, over the centuries it has posed many problems to know all details of the person who are depicted. Unfortunately Raphael did not leave any personal notes on this work, but some of the persons can be identified. 

The work shows that Raphael was an educated person, had some knowledge of Greek philosophy and science. We can consider "The School of Athens" as a "visualization of knowledge".

After Raphael finished his work, the pope was fascinated, so Raphael received the commission to paint the entire papal suite.

citations: 

Mlahanas. web. sep/25

Agutie.homestead. web. sep/25

The hellenic world. web. sep/25

Scuola di Atene by Raffaello Sanzio (Fredele)

This fresco is called "The School of Athens" or "Scuola di Atene". Raphaelo (or Raffaello in Italian) painted it around 1509-1510 when the Pope Julius II ordered Raphaelo and many other artists to decorate the walls of the Vatican. This particular piece of art is located in a room saved especially for Raphaelo to decorate, it is known as "Stanze di Raffaello" (Rooms of Raphaelo).

The central figures are Plato and Aristotle, they are surrounded by other scholars and philosophers. According to some, the characters in the fresco are greek philosophers and painters, but it is said that they could also be contemporary (to Raphaelo) artists:

1- Zeno of Citium

2- Epicurus

3- Federico II of Mantua

4- Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius or Anaximander or Empedocles 

5- Averroes

6- Pythagoras

7- Alcibiades or Alexander the Great 

8- Antisthenes or Xenophon

9- Hypatia or Francesco Maria della Rovere

10- Aeschines or Xenophon

11- Parmenides

12- Socrates

13- Heraclitus or Michelangelo

14- Plato or Leonardo da Vinci

15- Aristotle

16- Diogenes

17- Plotinus or Michelangelo

18- Euclid or Archimedes Bramante

19- Zoroaster

20- Ptolemy

21- Protogenes or II Sodoma or Perugino or Timoteo Viti

R- Apelles or Raphael

Greek characters

Renaissance characters 

Since it’s based in ancient greeks, we can see many elements representative of this, such as the statues in the background, the architecture of the building, the clothing and the beauty stereotypes. 

I truly believe this fresco is the best work of Raphael. It is incredibly detailed, every expression is defined as well as the textures of the clothes and the sculptures. I’d be thrilled to see it live. (:


Sources:
Humanities web. The School of Athens. (2010) Consulted at: 25th September, 2010. <http://www.humanitiesweb.org/human.php?s=g&p=c&a=p&ID=849>
Mlahanas web. The School of Athens, Who is who?. Michael Lahanas. (2006) Consulted at: 25th September, 2010. <http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/SchoolAthens.htm>


References: 
Wikipedia. The School of Athens. (2010) Consulted at: 25th September, 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_School_of_Athens#cite_note-7>

Renaissance

Who has not heard of the brilliant pieces of art that were created during one of the most prolific periods in art history: The renaissance.

Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo Buonarroti and other magnificent artists lived and produced the magic of this time.

Below, is a sample of this magic, a wonderful fresco that is in...

Well, I want you to enjoy your research....

I want you to find out as much information as you can about this piece. Follow the same directions that you had for the last post.

This one is due  Thursday 30 at 11pm.

Have fun!

PepeToño- History and events of Notre Dame.

History of Notre Dame:

París was experiencing a period of great demographic expansion and economic dynamism and was affirming its status in the kingdom of France as:

• the political capital of the Capetian kings, Philip I in particular (1060-1108), Louis VI the Fat (1108-1137) and Louis VII the Young (1137-1180);
• an economic centre, as a craftsmen’s and merchant’s village developed on the right bank of the Seine around the Marché des Halles;
• a major intellectual and teaching centre: international influence of the cathedral school.

• demolition of the former Saint Stephen’s and construction of Notre-Dame;
• creation of a square, or parvis, which would serve as an intermediary space between the secular world and the sacred world: an area for catechism and learning through the portal sculptures;
• opening of the Rue Neuve-Notre-Dame: a vast, 6-metre wide street that would give a large population easy access to the cathedral; it would be stage to major processions over the centuries;
• reconstruction of the Bishop’s Palace and the Hôtel-Dieu.

1163:  Notre Dame.

Tradition has it that Notre-Dame’s first stone was laid in 1163 in the presence of Pope Alexander III.

The new building fell under the new art movement known as the gothic style or the ogival style. 

The first anonymous builder began with a double side aisle plan without a salient transept (the same plan used in the previous cathedral, Saint Stephen), a four story construction with tribunes, large, 32.5 metre sexpartite arches, predominantly horizontal lines, original archwork in the curved part of the deambulatory, alternating“strong” and “weak” pillars between the first and second aisles.

12th - Early 13th century:

Four major construction campaigns, led by four builders, were the highlight of this period:

1163-1182 : construction of the choir and its double deambulatory. The choir’s high altar was dedicated on 19 May 1182 by Henri de Château-Marçay, the Papal legat, assisted by the bishop Maurice de Sully. 

1182-1190 : construction of the last three bays in the nave, the side aisles and the tribunes. 

1190-1225 : edification of the façade courses and the first two bays in the nave, connection of the two bays to the upper façade and the Gallery of Kings. 

1225-1250 : upper gallery and two towers on the façade, modification and expansion of the upper windows and fitting out the nave side chapels between the flying buttresses’ abutments 

Recunstruction in the 17th and 18th century:

Refurbishment of the sanctuary and the choir, led by Robert de Cotte, to fulfil the vow of Louis XIII.

Restoration of the South Rose Window.

Replacement of the 12^th and 13^th centurystained glass windows with white windows in the mid-18^th century by the Le Vieil brothers.

Architectural work done by Soufflot:

• new sacristy;
• Refurbishment of the Central Portal.

During the Revolution:

• Disassembly of the 13^th century spire;
• Destruction of the 28 statues from the Gallery of Kings;
• Destruction of all the major portal statues except the
• Virgin from the Cloister portal trumeau.

19th Century:

New context in the early 19^th century: a new concordat is signed in July 1801 et Notre Dame is given back to the Roman Catholic church on 18 April 1802. In 1831.

The restoration project was given to two architects: Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste Lassus. In 1857, after the death of Lassus, Viollet-le-Duc was left as the sole builder.

• reconstruction of the spire;
• restoration of the sculptures (around fifteen sculptors)
• construction of the new sacristy;
• installation of new windows by great master glassworkers.
• refurbishment of the central portal to the pre-Soufflot state;
• reconstitution of part of the Treasury and the furniture;
• wall paintings in the side chapels.

Notre-Dame (: Anahí

The full name for this cathedral is "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres", and this place have housed the tunic of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisia, since 876. The relic was said to have been given to the cathedral by Charlemagne, who received it as a gift during a trip toJerusalem. Because of this relic, Chartres has been a very important Marian pilgrimage center and the faithful still come from the world over to honor it.

Sancta Camisia

The present cathedral is one of several French Gothic masterpieces built because fire had destroyed its predecessors. After the first cathedral of any great substance burnt down in 1020, a glorious new Romanesque basilicawith a massive crypt was built under the direction of Bishop Fulbert and later Geoffroy de Lèves.

The cathedral survived a fire in 1134 that destroyed much of the rest of the town, but was not so lucky on the night of June 10, 1194, when lightning ignited a great fire that destroyed all but the west towers, the façade and the crypt.

Close up to the south spire

The people despaired when it seemed that the Sancta Camisia had also perished in the fire. But three days later it was found unharmed in the treasury, which the bishop proclaimed was a sign from Mary herself that another, even more magnificent, cathedral should be built in Chartres. Donations came in from all over France and rebuilding began almost immediately in 1194. The people of Chartres volunteered to haul the necessary stone from quarries 5 miles away.

The construction project used the plans laid out by the first architect in order to preserve the harmonious aspect of the cathedral. Work began first on the nave and by 1220 the main structure was complete, with the old crypt, the west towers and the west facade incorporated into the new building. On October 24,1260, the cathedral was finally dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX and his family.

Chartres Cathedral was never destroyed nor looted during the French Revolution and the numerous restorations never have altered its glorious beauty. It always stayed the same: a great triumph of Gothic art. The cathedral was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1979

"Chartres Cathedral". Sacred Destinations. Web. September 22 2010 <

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/chartres-cathedral>

Hagia Sophia Fredele

Santa Sophia, or Hagia Sophia is located in Istambul, Turkey. It was an important monument for both Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. The city today has the characteristics of these important cultures and is a perfect example of them. 

Haiga Sophia, used to be a Church; it was known as the “Great Church” or “Magna Ecclesia”. It was built where the first church was (this one used to be a pagan temple). Constantinus II inaugurated Haiga Sophia on 15 February 360 a.C; the church was built by the orders of Constantine the Great. This church, had a wooden roof, with four aisles. Unfortunately, it was burned down in 404. 

After this, Theodosius II ordered the church to be repaired and the second church was inaugurated on October 10th, 405. The architecture of this second church had several elements proper of the Byzantine period, such as: 

•An atrium

•A narthex

•A basilica with galleries

The second church was destroyed during the tumult of Nika Revolt in January 532. 

The church was rebuilt between 532 and 537 under the orders of Emperor Justinian I. 

On May 29th, 1453, Mehmet II (Sultan of the Ottoman Empire) conquered Constantinople; he went to the Hagia Sophia and ordered the church to be turned into a mosque. As years went by, sultans added things to the building; for instance, Sultan Bayezid ordered a minaret changing the previous one of his fathers’. Suleiman the Magnificent brought two huge candles from Hungary.

Two restorations were done in Hagia Sophia: in 1739, Mahmud I included a medrese, a kitchen, and a library; in 1740, a fountain for rituals was built.

In 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (founder of Turkish republic) ordered the mosque to be turned into a museum. The museum was officially opened the 1st of February, 1935. 

Part of the Byzantine style, were mosaics. Hagia Sophia is a great example of this. Inside it, there are mosaics with (of course) religious purposes. The oldest mosaics were destroyed or covered. Some others were sacked during the crusades, and many others had been plastered or whitewashed wile it was a mosque. Most of them were restored around 1931 and 1935. Sadly, many of the great mosaics probably disappeared during the earthquake in 1894. 

Another Byzantine element is the whole architecture of the place; it is considered to be the first masterpiece in Byzantine architecture. It was the largest cathedral until the Seville Cathedral was built. It has a rectangular shape, not very characteristic of the Byzantine period (lets remember that Byzantine buildings often have the shape of a Greeks Cross).

The most representative element of the period and probably the most important reason why Hagia Sophia is so famous is its dome. The dome is at the center of the church and is between two smaller domes that, together, equal to the diameter of the biggest dome (55.6 meters). It is built by brick and mortar; it has lost its round shape because of several repairs and reconstructions. The dome is carried by four pendentives, these distribute the weight of it to the walls underneath it. 

I found it absolutely fascinating because of the architectural features it has, I have always liked Byzantine buildings, although I prefer Gothic architecture and also art nouveau architecture. I think it’s a shame some of the greatest mosaics were lost, but I find amazing the ones that still exist. It’s a place I’d love to go to someday. (:

Sources

"Hagia Sophia." Hagia Sophia. (2010). Web. 18 Sept. 2010. <http://www.hagiasophia.com>.