Cardinal Task
Your task is to recreate your Gothic Cathedral castle as it looks in 1322 C.E.
You and/or your group will create it first on paper and then as a 3-D model
or Poster/PowerPoint, which you will present to the rest of the class.
Step 1 - Daily Life
To begin your research look at the Internet site "Medieval Cathedrals" which
will give you a good look at the types of cathedrals in England in the Middle
Ages. Keep a "Cardinals Journal" in which you record all of the important
aspects of daily life in a cathedral so you can identify these features in the
model of the cathedral. Use the following guide questions to help you take
notes on certain important features and how to build a cathedral:
When researching, look for:
 What is the importance of the church in medieval life?
 What did a typical gothic cathedral look like? Floor plan? Lighting?
 What innovation allowed Gothic cathedrals to be built larger and brighter
than older Romanesque churches?
 What skilled craftsmen would have worked on the cathedral? What tools
would they have used?
 Describe the nave, transepts, choir, and narthex.
 What religious services were held in the cathedral?
 What non-religious uses were there for the cathedral?
 Where were the chapels located in the cathedral?
 How are people seated when they come for mass? Where do nobles sit?
Peasants? Royalty?
 List four things you learned about the bishop.
Be sure to plan how you can show all of the above components in your
model so they demonstrate your understanding of the role of a cathedral.
How will you construct it? Who will present which part? How will you explain
your design of the cathedral?
Step 2 - The Cathedral Architecture
Once you have taken notes on the role of the cathedral the Middle Ages,
you are ready to review specific layout of a medieval cathedral. Use the
Internet's "Cathedral Vocabulary" website to identify the significant features
of a Gothic cathedral. Write the definition of each word on the sheet and
keep it next to the computer for your reference. Be sure you do not leave out
anything as you must ensure you can label your cathedral.
Game Plan: Go to the Cathedral Vocabulary Internet site at
http://kevin.lps.org/middle_ages/cathedrals/index.html and define
the terms listed in the chart below.
Cathedral Design Vocabulary
Cathedral –
Romanesque –
Gothic –
rough mason –
free mason –
buttress –
flying buttress –
choir –
vault ceiling –
rose window –
tracery –
nave –
gargoyle –
spire –
Go to the Medieval Art and Architecture Internet site at
http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/INDEX.HTM and define
the terms listed in the chart below.
Step 3 - Cathedral Research
Once you have made a list of all the features, you may begin researching other
Cathedrals for design ideas. Be sure you stay focused on cathedrals from the
same approximate time frame - 1200 to 1400. A good place to begin your
search is at the 10 Gothic Cathedrals of Europe Internet site.
arch –
keystone –
voussoir –
As you browse through various Cathedrals, be sure to look for features that
will help you make your Cathedral as impressive as possible. In other words,
it must be able to ensure your selection as the next Pope!
Step 4 - Cathedral Layout and Design
Now that you have researched several different cathedral designs, it is time
to begin a model of your cathedral. Begin by establishing the dimensions of
the cathedral; be sure it is large enough to accommodate all of the people
living on the fief, with room for the commoners, nobility, and clergy during
mass.
Use a ruler to draw the dimensions of the cathedral to scale. Drawing to
scale means you must choose a standard scale for measuring so that each
part of the castle is in proportion with the others. For example, each square
meter of cathedral space may equal 1 centimeter on your drawing. You may
choose your own scale.
Be sure that each area of your blueprint is clearly marked with dimensions
and has its function clearly labeled.
1.
Design a gothic cathedral that is an impressive display of the
importance of the church in the Middle Ages.
Step 5 - The Model
Now that you have completed your design, begin the construction of the
model. Your rendering may take the form of a two-dimensional poster, a
three-dimensional model, a tour video, or a sculpture. Your materials will
vary depending on the type of model you produce.
2.
Build a Gothic Cathedral that is an impressive display of the
importance of the church in the Middle Ages.