Victoria Arosemena
ARTH 105-001
Professor Joanne Allen
Paper #1
September 25, 2014
Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral, which is the sixth largest cathedral in the world, is a good illustration of Neo Gothic art. The building design incorporated elements of the gothic style from different parts of the world. In the Gothic period, the architects constructed high buildings in order to worship God. Perhaps, that is the reason why the National Cathedral is one of the highest buildings in Washington.
The exterior of the cross-shaped Cathedral is constructed with Indiana limestone, but materials like steel and concrete where used to support the structure. The cathedral used Gothic elements to decorate its facade.
It has two high towers on the side, and a gable between the two towers. The pointed arches and archivolts frame the enormous doors and windows of the building. The western main entrance has a trumeau in the middle, and is decorated with a carved sculpture of Adam, the first man.
The rose window, which is one of the features that allows light into the building, is located at the top of the main entrance, and is called The Creation Rose. Another important element is the pinnacles, which help the flying buttresses to resist the external part of the interior arches and ceiling vaults.
A carved design of The Creation Of Humanity beautifies the tympanum in the west entrance of the Cathedral. On the left side, a carved design of The Creation Of The Day, decorates the tympanum of Saint Peter's gate, and on the right side, a carved design of The Creation Of The Night, decorates the tympanum Saint Paul's gate.
The cathedral contains 112 gargoyles and grotesques, which are carved stones that "protect the cathedral from dark forces," and repel rainwater...