The cathedral of Bourges, France, known as Saint-Étienne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church with French gothic architectural style. This cathedral is dedicated to Saint Stephen. Initially, the groundbreaking for this building was in 1195, yet was not fully finished until 1230. The structure is still in use to this day. The Western façade on this cathedral is the most grandiose facade in the compilation of the previous cathedrals that have been visited. Cathedral Saint Étienne too has a gothic porch with receding arch ways, yet the portal contains five entry points rather than one or three (McNarama, 147). The central portal is the largest and most detailed. Both the right and left portals contain carvings that book end the central portal
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The square shape most often refers to the earth, which forms a contrast to the endless, divine shape of the circle (Taylor, 14) Yet on this cathedral the right tower does not reach the height of the left. However, the carvings on both still consist of garden imagery and gargoyles sit at their bases. Thus, one can assume the same story can be attributed to the architecture in that a story of the reuniting of heaven and earth during the end times is taking place. In the lower half of the cathedral, the biblical story can be read as it moves toward heaven. At the top of the cathedral there is an earthly tone in which evil forces reside. But the evil forces, the gargoyles and chimera, meet in the middle with leafy designs on the towers (McNarama, …show more content…
Extra buttresses were also on the lower end to support the walls of the double aisle ways which held the buttresses for the upper portion of the building (McNarama, 119). On the North and South ends were extra entryway porches to allow for the entrance of many individuals. However, the Western portal was the main form of entry (McNarama, 99). Inside the cathedral, a large nave consists in the center yet the aisle ways are unlike the other cathedral because there was a double aisle way rather than one. These collaborate with the 5 entry points from the West side. The nave circling creates a sexpartite vaulting system. In the double aisles ways, the ceilings form a quadripartite vaulting system. The columns were made up of the banding of smaller columns (McNarama, 91; 97; 123). Much like the cathedral in Bordeaux and Paris, a triforium exists above the double archways. This was put into place as cathedrals continued to grow taller (McNarama,
The square shape most often refers to the earth, which forms a contrast to the endless, divine shape of the circle (Taylor, 14) Yet on this cathedral the right tower does not reach the height of the left. However, the carvings on both still consist of garden imagery and gargoyles sit at their bases. Thus, one can assume the same story can be attributed to the architecture in that a story of the reuniting of heaven and earth during the end times is taking place. In the lower half of the cathedral, the biblical story can be read as it moves toward heaven. At the top of the cathedral there is an earthly tone in which evil forces reside. But the evil forces, the gargoyles and chimera, meet in the middle with leafy designs on the towers (McNarama, …show more content…
Extra buttresses were also on the lower end to support the walls of the double aisle ways which held the buttresses for the upper portion of the building (McNarama, 119). On the North and South ends were extra entryway porches to allow for the entrance of many individuals. However, the Western portal was the main form of entry (McNarama, 99). Inside the cathedral, a large nave consists in the center yet the aisle ways are unlike the other cathedral because there was a double aisle way rather than one. These collaborate with the 5 entry points from the West side. The nave circling creates a sexpartite vaulting system. In the double aisles ways, the ceilings form a quadripartite vaulting system. The columns were made up of the banding of smaller columns (McNarama, 91; 97; 123). Much like the cathedral in Bordeaux and Paris, a triforium exists above the double archways. This was put into place as cathedrals continued to grow taller (McNarama,