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DA3. Churches

Statement

Virtually all of the world’s cultures have defined sacred spaces for religious purposes. Choose one place of worship that you are familiar with (it can be from any faith).

  • What do you think is the relationship between the appearance and layout of the space and its religious uses?
  • Include in your discussion a description of the space’s unique structures and characteristics.
  • Please include a picture, if possible.

Answer

Churches are places of worship for the Christian faith. Their architecture and functions have been developing in the last 2000 years. From the early Christian basilicas; to the Romanesque churches with their thick walls and rounded arches; to the Gothic cathedrals with their pointed arches and wide windows; churches have been designed to reflect the role of Christianity in society.

Most churches are built in the shape of a cross to symbolize the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Entrance leads to a small secondary prayer hall called the Narthex. The Narthex leads to a long central hall called the Nave which is the main prayer hall that has rows of benches for people to sit. Walking through the Nave, you will walk through an Arcade of two rows of columns that support the roof, and two Isles on either side of the Nave. The Nave leads to the Crossing, which is the intersection of the Nave and the perpendicular side of the building that is called the Transept. The Crossing leads to the main Altar and then the Apse, which is a semi-circular hall at the end of the church where the Altar is placed. The Choir is located between the Nave and the Apse, where the clergy and the choir sing hymns and prayers (Khan Academy, 2023).
https://cdn.britannica.com/34/7534-050-5610493D/cathedral-plan.jpg
Image from (Britannica, 2024).

Churches, with the main function as a place of collective prayer, have another function of inciting thoughts about God, the world, and the human himself, thus they have this long and high structure with arcade, mosaic works, colorful windows, and sculptures that represent stories from the Bible that are meant to inspire and educate the people. The church, as a building, is meant to be the greatest building in the city or an area so that it reflects the mighty of God and the importance of the Christian faith.

The Christian faith puts a great emphasis on the bonds within the community, and the church reflects this by being a big place where lots of people gather and discuss community issues in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Also, at a certain point in history, there was a strong relationship between the church and the state, so the emperor or the king was the head of the church, and some kings and their families were buried in the church, so the church is also a place of power and politics.

An example of the showing greatness function would be the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, which was built by the Roman Emperor in the 6th century and was the largest building in the world for a thousand years. Another example of the political function would be the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, which was the place where the French kings were crowned especially the famous Napoleon Bonaparte (Henri, 2019).

To conclude, churches were places of worship, education, inspiration, and power. The general structure of the church reflects each single one of these functions and the relationship between the appearance and layout of the space and its religious uses is very strong and clear.

Word Count: 525.

References

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