Medieval Cathedrals
...s a representation of the Trinity. The Gothic arch was based on the meeting of two circles that represented man’s interaction with God. It was believed that the area where the long and short axis met held great sanctity. This area was called the sanctuary crossing and the altar was always placed here. The tall spires of the cathedral forced the eyes of pilgrims towards heaven. Not to mention, they served as beacons to distant travelers. According to Christian theology, Christ was the light of the world. Accordingly, great importance was placed on the acquisition and entrance of light in the cathedral. Builders went to great lengths to insure that sufficient light was brought into the cathedral, making cathedral design challenging. It was believed that God would reward those who built for Him. It seems that it was for this reason that master builders placed small busts of themselves as decorations in the cathedral they built. In “The Pillars of the Earth,” Tom Builder hopes building a new cathedral at Kingsbridge will gain entrance to heaven for Agnes, as she died without confession. The decorations of a medieval cathedral are another area that reflected Christian faith. The use of stained glass added meaning to the windows. Most medieval peasants could not read and stained glass windows were the only way they knew the stories of the Bible, as some depicted scenes from the Old Testament while others depicted scenes from the New Testament. The windows also allowed the glorification and veneration of the cathedrals patron saint. For example, in Canterbury Cathedral, Henry VIII had all the windows that depicted the life of Thomas Becket destroyed. However, the soldiers had missed a few panels depicting Becket because they were placed so high in the walls, and a few windows survive to this day. Stained glass windows not only depicted Christian faith, but the politics of the day as well. In King...