I have to answer these questions for a college course and can't find any info to help me! HELP!!!!!?

Question

I have to answer five pages of questions about the Chartres Cathedral and have answered them all except three of which I can't find any information on! Any help you could give me or any info on Chartres would be greatly appreciated. I've already went to many sites, including Wikipedia. Here are the questions. Note: I'm not asking you to answer them, just want some help on where to find the answers or any info you have! Thanks in advance!!!!!



How does the example relate to human form? (I have read the chapter on this, but can't understand what human form means)



In what manner does the design of the interior result in traffic patterns that may be advantageous or disadvantageous to the intent of the structure? ( I cant find any info at all on traffic patterns or anything for Chartres Cathedral)



Does the example make any accommodation to climate? (Can't find any info at all on this subject)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!:)

The Chartres Cathedral is the example I am referring to. I got to choose an example within the chapters.

Answer 1

I hope this might be on the right track--

1.) If you are evaluating a structure/ building and need to know how it relates to human form I would imagine they are referring to it's frame work (the actual skeleton of the architecture). If you have the description of this then just compare it to the human skeleton. (Backbone or spine, radiating bones etc.)

2.) From what you know about the flow of the interior and the purpose for the building's existence (place of worship-- communion, processions, funerals etc ) is the interior laid out so that these events could happen smoothly? If you can site specifics that answer yes then the interior is laid out advantageously. If not ...

3. ) Did the architect use the proper building materials so that the structure would withstand the test of time and the region's weather conditions? You site the specifics


Check out this link. It looked interesting.

http://www.faculty.umb.edu/nancy_stieber/char/index.html

Answer 2

History of the Cathedral

Construction of a new building on the Romanesque foundations was begun in 1145, but a fire in 1194 destroyed all but the west front of the cathedral (and much of the town), so that part is in the "early Gothic" style. The body of the cathedral was rebuilt between 1194 and 1220, a remarkably short span for medieval cathedrals. It has a ground area of 117 058 square feet (10 875 m²).

Chartres is a cathedral that inspires superlatives, and there are few architectural historians who have not waxed lyrical about its soaring aisles and delicate carving. These tributes are richly deserved, for Chartres is truly one of the greatest of all French Gothic cathedrals. From a distance it seems to hover in mid-air above waving fields of wheat, and it is only when the visitor draws closer that the city comes into view, clustering around the hill on which the cathedral stands. Its two contrasting spires — one, a 105 metre (349 ft) plain pyramid dating from the 1140s, and the other a 113 metre (377 ft) tall early 16th century Flamboyant spire on top of an older tower — soar upwards over the pale green roof, while all around the outside are complex flying buttresses.

West end of ChartresAccording to legend, since 876 the Cathedral has housed a tunic that has been said to have belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisia. The relic had supposedly been given to the Cathedral by Charlemagne who received it as a gift during a crusade in Jerusalem. In fact, the relic was a gift from Charles the Bald and it has been asserted that the fabric came from Syria and that it had been woven during the first century AD. For hundreds of years, Chartres has been a very important Marian pilgrimage center and today the faithful still come from the world over to honour the relic.

The church was primarily a church for pilgrimage in the 12th century. The fairs that were held in the surrounding area of the cathedral were attended by many of the pilgrims, for they coincided with the feast days of the Virgin Mary. The fairs were attended by many of the pilgrims who came to see the cloak of the Virgin. The fairs at Chartres were held just outside the cathedral, the property made up of streets and squares which belonged to the church that was immediately adjacent to the cathedral. There were four great fairs which coincided with the main feast days of the Virgin; the Purification; the Annunciation; the Assumption and the Nativity. The main attraction at these fairs was the cloak of the Virgin, so the life of the town was dependent upon them.

You can get the rest by clicking:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres_Cathedral

And That's My Best Answer, isn't it?

Answer 3

human form: a testament to the human builders, life-like carvings that realistically portray human form & emotion

traffic patterns: a place of pilgrimage, surrounding streets flowed directly to Chartres and built to accomodate pilgrims, markets & places to stay built nearby

climate: This could be intellectual climate or weather. Thick, stone walls protected people from the cold & rain.

Answer 4

Sit back and think about what you do know about the cathedral - which is obviously much more than I do. Then apply that knowledge to the questions and use your own interpretation to answer the questions. They may not be looking for a factual answer, but to see how you apply your knowledge to extrapolate possible answers. I hope this is of some help.

Answer 5

There is a discussion of human form at this site: http://www.people.vcu.edu/~chenry/

As to traffic patterns, could this have some relationship to the labyrinth?
http://www.sacredland.org/world_sites_pages/Chartres.html

Answer 6

The reason you cannot find explicit information to answer those is because those questions require you to evaluate what you know about the Cathedral and apply that knowledge to answer these thinking questions. Also, in two of the questions, you refer to an "example" --- what example?