UNIT 2 - Lesson 1 - Church Structures & Styles in Medieval Period
1. Early Christian Churches
o In about ___________ a new wave of construction of Christian Churches began in
Europe.
o Why? It began with ________________ who made Christianity the official religion of
the Roman Empire.
o Many ____________ were able to convert over to Christianity, which multiplied the
number of Christians who needed a place to worship God.
o The pope grew stronger and as a result, the hierarchy of ____________ members
also grew with specific responsibilities.
o Each major town had a ____________ who had authority over the clergy and the
people living in that town.
o The bishop’s church became known as the “cathedral”. Cathedral comes from
the word _______________ which means “seat of the bishop in his church” (or
community)
o Remember, church can refer to the physical public building itself OR the
________________ of all Christians.
o There could only be _____ cathedral in each town. However, there were other
churches that were built that could equal the same size of that town’s Cathedral.
Word Bank:
Barbarian Tribes:
Clergy:
Cathedral:
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2. Romanesque Architecture:
o Most churches before ______________ were developed with the Romanesque Style.
o The Romanesque style consisted of _______________ and had thick walls to support
the ceiling, therefore there could only be small openings for windows.
o This is why Romanesque churches were __________ on the inside.
o Another problem was that the roof was often made of ____________, which often
created fires due to lightening.
o Romanesque churches also had many large towers, pillars and followed a
symmetrical pattern.
o Romanesque churches appear to be ___________ in comparison to the Gothic
churches that are created afterwards.
3. Gothic:
o This style becomes popular in 1100s and lasts until ___________.
o This style is characterized by _________________, vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses,
and stained glass.
o Gothic churches became very popular and began to ____________ Romanesque
churches.
o Gothic architecture also became ______________ for many castles, palaces and
universities
o Using a pointed arch instead of a rounded arch allowed for ________________ in
interior design
o A pointed arch made it possible to extend the ceiling to ______________________.
o There were also vaulted ceilings which are in the form of an arch, reinforced with
sloping sides that meet in the __________________.
o ____________________ were also used which are bars that begin on a half arch and
extend downwards. Buttresses help carry the weight of the roof and adds support.
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o Some Gothic churches took _________________ of years to build. Often because the
old architect died or retired, then the new architect would make changes
o Many older Romanesque churches were rebuilt with weaker parts built in
_________________.
o There are many churches that have __________ Romanesque and Gothic styles.
o Many churches that were destroyed due to fire or war, had parts rebuilt with the
current style of architecture at that time. Therefore, styles kept changing.
Word Bank:
Romanesque Architecture:
Gothic Architecture:
Chapel Activity: List a feature of a church that is meant to appeal to each of
the five senses.
Sight:
Smell:
Sound:
Touch:
Taste:
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Homework - Check for Understanding:
1. Why was there a fast growth of churches during after 900 A.D.?
2. Why was the bishop’s church known as the Cathedral?
3. Describe Romanesque Architecture.
4. What are (2) two problems associated with Romanesque Architecture?
5. Describe Gothic Architecture.
6. What is (1) one reason why Gothic Architecture became very popular?
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