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Discover The Grand Medieval Delight Of Chester Cathedral, UK
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[Chester](http://trip101.com/article/discover-chester-a-beautiful-english-city-with-lots-of-history) is a charming city in the northwest of England. Filled with delightful architecture and a strong sense of history, Chester Cathedral is one of the city’s main attractions. A proud medieval gem, there are many ways to enjoy the stunning religious site! Whether you admire the intricate and imposing facades, step inside to marvel at the beautiful interiors, soak up the views from the top of the soaring tower, take a tour to learn more about the cathedral, or relax in the former refectory (now used as a cafe), Chester Cathedral is a great place to visit when in [Cheshire](http://trip101.com/article/5-fantastic-things-to-do-to-discover-the-many-charms-of-cheshire-uk).
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In the 900s the remains of St Werburgh were placed in the church that once stood where Chester Cathedral is today, and a shrine to the revered saint was created. Born at the start of the 7th century AD, Werburgh was the daughter of a king. She became famous and well-respected for her kindness and unwavering dedication to trying to help other people. She also had a strong faith, and was believed to have been able to perform miracles. Her life of compassion, tolerance, and devotion led to her becoming a well-known Saxon saint.
The church was destroyed in the late 1000s, with a Benedictine abbey founded on the spot towards the end of the same century. In the 1530s the monastery was abandoned, and St Werburgh’s shrine defiled. The religious building was proclaimed as a Church of England cathedral just a few years later in
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Try and spot Norman-period architecture amongst the largely Gothic details.
Admire the impressive building from outside
Built mainly from local sandstone, sourced from the Cheshire Basin, the overall appearance of Chester Cathedral is one of grandeur. Stained-glass windows, a high tower, arches, turrets, and pinnacles are just a few features that you will observe. Look closer though, at the finer details, and you will see many carvings too. There are detailed statues and grotesque gargoyles! Gargoyles are hideous figures overhanging the gutters. Although their practical purpose is as a water spout, they are designed so as to represent evil, thus showing the devoted how their lives will be if they turn away from their faith.
They are old gravestones scattered throughout the cathedral’s grounds, surrounded by lawns, flower beds, and trees. The grounds are peaceful, and the park benches are ideal if you want to sit for a while in reflection. Falconry displays often take place in the gardens. The price to watch one of the shows, and admire the powerful birds up close and personal, is 3 GBP (approximately 4.40
The original Chartres Cathedral was designed by Fulbert and lasted until 1194, when a fire destroyed almost the entire church. The townspeople pulled together to make a large contribution to the reconstruction of the cathedral (Miller, Malcolm, Chartres Cathedral, Riverside Book Company, 1980, p.5). The present Chartres Cathedral is largely the work of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. However, there are substantial remains of older monuments, notably in the crypt and on the wes...
For many the Cathedral is seen to indicate the grandeur and control of the Normans, who were able to build such monuments to their power despite having only recently conquered England. The precarious situation of being an recently instated alien power was even more pronounced in the north, where even the Anglo Saxon Kings had only had a superficial hold, arguably making the construction of Durham “one of the greatest Anglo-Norman achievements”. This so-called achievement is not restricted to architecture but also refers to the political developments which enabled the Normans to apparently gain enough control to do this within 30 years. However the study of Durham Cathedral alone cannot suffice to give a satisfactory outline of Norman politics and the achievements in Durham and must be put into the context of the region. Hence Durham Cathedral and all its powerful connotations can be argued to only be an anomaly to the reality of Norman England and its politics.
In conclusion, I admire the work ethic of the individuals who built this cathedral because it shows work ethic, precise with mathematics, and a strong religious faith. During this Gothic time frame in history majority of their art resembled images that the Holy Bible describes. Religion during this time period was represented very well even experts are still amazed as to how this cathedral were built so tall and high. Even though this cathedral has been exposed to stress, with the assistant with the flying buttress, ribbed ceiling, and metal this cathedral will be an ongoing restorative process so that it will be around for generation here to come to admire its beauty.
Thesis: Both St. John the Baptist Cathedral and Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Chartres are constructed in French Gothic style which means that architecturally they have many similarities. However, the 700 year gap between their construction offers St. John the Baptist more flexibility in design and style. Still, their likeness and variations extend far beyond the realm of their design.
We remember William of Normandy as a conquering hero. Truly one of the great warrior's of all time. But its is his patronage that still can be viewed in the twentieth century. The churches of St. Etienne and La Trinite as well as the tower of London, are medieval architectural models. All three buildings have a wealth of documentation surrounding them.
With minimal amounts of historical documentation, it is difficult to determine whether a church survived prior to Westminster Abbey (Internet Chronology). While the Venerable Bede provides no records of a pre-existing church, folklore attributes the establishment to King Serbert of the East Saxons (Internet St. Edward). He is also recognized for founding St. Paul’s Cathedral in London (St. Edward). King Serbert built the Benedictine church in 616 AD, after a fisherman is said to have been on the Thames river when he witnessed a vision of St. Peter (Internet Saint Peter). St. Peter is given credit for allegedly consecrating the church himself (Internet St. Edward). One of the Twelve Apostles, the Gospel mentions that he was the first to profess his faith believing Jesus was the Son of God (Internet Chronology). Charters found in the Abbey support the existing folklore (Chronology). Records prove that King Offa made a grant for the monastery in 785 ‘to St. Peter and the needy people of God in Thorney in the terrible, awful place which is called “act Westmunster”’ (Chronology). The charter was also significant in first naming Westminster, setting it apart from its brother to the east, St. Paul’s Cathedral (Internet St. Edward). From Glastonbury to Westminster, St. Dunstan, Bishop of London, brought twelve monks to the Abbey around 960 AD (St. Edward). A charter granting land to the church in 961, by King Edgar, refers to a church existing in the area (Internet Chronology). However a place of worship originated there, it is Edward the Confessor who is credited with the establishment of Westminster Abbey.
Dillard refers to the corpses of the moths beneath the spider web in her bathroom for the 16 years she had quit writing as if it was the death of her writing as the moths died to the spider.
After walking inside and trying to first experience, the church, and all its beauty and ornateness, I began examining the floor plan and elevations of the cathedral. Grace Cathedral was build in a gothic style, which it represents in its architecture inside and out. There were three huge rose windows. One at the very top of the main entrance and one on either end of the transept. There wer...
The structural and technical features of the story point towards a religious epiphany. The title of the story, as well as its eventual subject, that of cathedrals, points inevitably towards divinity. Upon first approaching the story, without reading the first word of the first paragraph, one is already forced into thinking about a religious image. In addition, four of the story’s eleven pages (that amounts to one third of the tale) surround the subject of cathedrals.
...nd optimistic" (Watson 114). The few critics who have written specifically about "Cathedral" tend concentrate on that optimism, seen at the end of the story with the narrator’s "esthetic experience [and] realization" (Robinson 35). In concentrating on the final "realization" experienced by the narrator, the literary community has overlooked his deep-rooted misunderstanding of everything consequential in life.
This cathedral was built during the Medieval Period for the worshipers of God. To this day pilgrims come to see the pure, Gothic cathedral. The massive cathedral seems to loom overhead as if a symbol of God watching over the worshippers that visit. The earlier church burned in 1194, it was rebuilt and has gained a much more appreciated and admirable character distinction, statuary, and stained glass. The distinct character of the thirteenth century was captured, through the “Age of Faith” period. The architecture is Gothic which was very popular in the 1200s. Gothic architects created a frame of support with columns and arches so that the walls no longer need to support the ceilings, but are freed up to hold windows. The Gothic structure allows for plenty of windows. Chartres has a significant collection of medieval stained glass, with over 150 early thirteenth century windows. The windows allowed sunlight to enter the dark, Gothic cathedral in order to highlight the story of Christ through the stained glass windows told throughout history to pilgrims alike. These windows create a spiritual and promising place for thought and prayer. Stained glass was used to help teach the stories of Christ to people that were illiterate during the medieval times. While most worshippers of that day were illiterate, comprehending the symbolism of the story of Christ in each of the windows was vital and gave meaning towards adversity during the medieval ages, as they struggled through their dark and dreary lives, which were filled with hopefulness, while viewing the story through the stained glass windows. The windows are also...
Over the last millennium, a striking Cathedral devoted to St. Paul has been a precious jewel for the city of London. It sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London. The present St Paul 's Cathedral, London, is an Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. Regularly as the Cathedral is at the centre of many nation-wide events, innovations have been examined, and drastic new thoughts have found expression under the iconic dome. Bearing in mind all those occasions, it is certain that they would have left behind some physical evidence as well as reverberations in the imperceptible retention of the Cathedral itself.
Akers, Tim. "Overview: 'Cathedral'." Short Stories for Students 6 (1999): 1-2. Literature Resource Center. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
They were almost like a fortress. Romanesque cathedrals had few windows as a result of their thick walls, so the churches were very dark. In a sense, this echoed the life that was outside of these sanctuaries’ walls during the Middle Ages. Some Romanesque characteristics in architecture were stone barrel vaulting or groin vaulting, thick and heavy pillars, small windows so less natural light, round arches, multiple towers, wooden roofs, and painted decorations, like frescoes, throughout the interior.... ...
When I was a child I used to be frightened of entering such a place for it seemed so imposing and somewhat dangerous, especially when music was being played. One day, in order to keep a promise I had made, I saw myself forced to enter. It took me quite a while to get the courage to pass through the old oak door, but the moment I stepped in, I realized just how enchanting and breathtaking this building could be. Its fantastic architecture and exquisite frescoes reflect perfectly the unity between this earth and the unseen kingdom of angels in such a manner that one cannot say where one ends and the other begins. The way in which the church was built is also the vivid testimony of a medieval period. Although it is a place that can sometimes be cold and ask for respect it is where prayers are answered and magic is done. An overwhelming feeling of inner harmony takes over you once you enter and God seems much closer. Darkness and light are welded perfectly together creating Redemption’s house. The tower allows you to see the entire town from the smallest river to the biggest building site, offering you its mightiness.