PBL: MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE

ROMAN EMPIRE

ROMAN BATHS

• breath-taking interior space using arches, domes, vaults, and buttresses.
• provided a place to perform good hygiene in Ancient Rome
• served as a social community among Romans

ROMAN THEATERS

• Roman theaters were, of course, inspired the the Greek version
• Theaters were commonly built in a completely stone semicircle
• Included columns, projections, pediments, and statues

At 103 meters long, 1.80 meters thick, and 37 meters high, The Roman Theater of Orange is a well-preserved theatre built in the 1st century AD for watching theatrical performances. It is still running today, which makes it the most memorable piece of architecture from the Roman Empire.

I think that the purpose of style for the Roman Empire was to flaunt wealth and status of the empire. Having lavish and grand trends in architecture made the empire come off stronger and superior to other empires.

MEDIEVAL EUROPE

MEDIEVAL CATHEDRALS

• Far larger than castles built
• Symbolic of their huge importance to medieval society
• Religion dominated lives at the time, from rich to peasants
• Took a team of craftsmen with tools to build
• A sign of wealth

GOTHIC ARCHS

• Sharp-pointed arch formed of two arch segments (parts of a circle)
• Lower part of arch parallel sided, up to level of spinning points
• Archs designed with geometric shapes
• Created by masons with few tools, but the motivation of God

The Notre-Dame is the most monumental piece of architecture from Medieval Europe due to its stand-out size and high importance, during the time. Cathedrals were very important, especially this grand one, because of religion was very important to medieval Europeans.

It's no question that Medieval European architecture was a sign and glorification of wealth. The execution of grand pieces of work, such as cathedrals, showcased the high values at that point in time--money, power, and religion.

SIMILARITIES IN BOTH CIVILIZATIONS

• Showcase of empires values
• Archs
• Grand
• Built out of the motivation of God
• Built and designed by a team of nobles

DIFFERENCE IN BOTH CIVILIZATIONS

• The Roman Empire had a romantic aesthetic
• Medieval Europe had a gothic aesthetic
• Roman architecture had a more complex execution
• Romans commonly used concrete
• Medieval Europe architecture commonly used stone