The Rise and Decline of Cathedral Culture: Reflections on the Fading Significance of French Gothic Architecture in View of the Tragic Destruction of Notre Dame Cathedral (English Edition)

The Rise and Decline of Cathedral Culture: Reflections on the Fading Significance of French Gothic Architecture in View of the Tragic Destruction of Notre Dame Cathedral (English Edition)

Mankind is able to construct historical monuments that will endure long after his own lifespan, yet in time many will ultimately disappear or fall into ruin. In recent years a nation-wide movement in the United States has been successful in removing public tributes to Confederate heroes. Yet whereas statues now considered offensive are fairly easy to remove, colossal-sized monuments, such as Gothic cathedrals, are far more problematic for those who view with disdain any visible representation of religion.
The partial destruction of the iconic Notre Dame de Paris in April of 2019, however, provided the opportunity to debate the future plans for this medieval Catholic cathedral. At the time of its construction, religion dominated the culture of Western Europe, but today France is one of the most irreligious countries in the world, and a Christian cathedral no longer symbolizes the attitudes of the average Frenchman.
This short work reviews the historical development of church architecture in general, the significance of Gothic cathedrals in particular, and the consequences of the French Revolution, which hastened the decline of what can be called “cathedral culture.”

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