Architecture of the Medieval Period (Essay Sample)

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” —Frank Gehry. The Medieval Times was a period after the fall of Rome. It was seen as a time of chaos. It lasted from around the 5th century to the 15th century. Architecture had a positive impact on the Middle Ages. It played an essential role during this time by helping them grow as a society, and it has influenced our buildings today.

The Middle Ages did not only use influence from other cultures, but they created their own style of architecture, which is called Gothic. The appearance of Gothic architecture is very distinguishable. The style usually incorporates large towers, a ceiling, paintings, stained-glass windows, flying buttresses, gargoyles, turrets, and arches that are pointed instead of being round. Each building can easily be distinguished as medieval architecture, but they all have a unique appearance, which gives them their character. An example of this is the famous Notre Dame.

Notre Dame is a cathedral in the center of Paris, France.

As I mentioned before, each building has its unique features, and Notre Dame is no exception. Notre Dame is a church that was built in 1163 in Paris, France. Incorporate large towers and large windows into them. This building has many unique features, like its stained-glass windows, the gargoyles, and the optical illusion of it having eyes next to the center window.

Architecture underwent many changes and developments during the Middle Ages. This included architectural styles as well as the people who impacted or improved the structures. It had an impact on medieval society as well as the modern globe. In the early stages of the Middle Ages, architecture was vastly different from what we are used to seeing. These new designs took an enormous amount of inspiration from Roman architecture. “Early medieval architecture was a continuation of Roman architecture, relying on the rounded arch and barrel vaults.” When the High Middle Ages came around, the style of buildings slowly changed to what we see today, which is Gothic. “As the early Middle Ages rolled into the high Middle Ages, Romanesque architecture gradually faded out of style and use. It was replaced by what architectural scholars now refer to as Gothic architecture.” Changes in the style of architecture reflect how the people's lives are different from Rome. It impacted people of the time, especially in the medieval world, by allowing them to use technology and creativity to build their own structures. It had a huge impact on the architecture that we see today and changed the direction of architecture for a long time to follow.

In the Middle Ages, architects were responsible for building structures that would last a long time. In the beginning, most of the buildings were made of wood and needed constant maintenance. However,  they began using stone instead of wood for large-scale projects.  It required a lot more skill and time to build these structures. Larger buildings such as castles and cathedrals could take up to 10 or more years to complete. They would use many types of materials to build more complicated structures. Many types of stone, wood, bricks, clay and a variety of masonry were needed as well as a pulley system to move the products in place.

Medieval World, Volume 1—Abelard, Burgundy, page 22.

The construction of medieval architecture was a grueling process. It requires a great deal of knowledge and skill, as well as cooperation and organization from the architects and builders.

Like most other cultures, the larger a building was, the more important it was to their society. Medieval castles and cathedrals were some of the most significant buildings for their people. They were both obvious signs of wealth because of their size and beauty. Cathedrals were usually some of the largest buildings because they were some of the most influential structures. “Medieval cathedrals dominated the skyline of Medieval England... symbolic of their huge importance to medieval society.” Like cathedrals, castles were an essential part of their lives. It was a symbol of a person’s status because only the elite would live there. Castles protected the people who lived there from invasions, and some are still standing today. An article by Mark Cartwright states that “Medieval castles were built from the 11th century CE for rulers to demonstrate their wealth and power to the local populace.” The database World History also gives us information on castles. “One function of a castle was to protect the peasantry and its economy, on which the castle's economy depended. If the region were under attack, all the peasants were supposed to bring all their animals and produce into the castle.” The people in the dark ages built these buildings to create a sense of belonging and community within the cast walls.  

Architecture in the Middle Ages had a positive impact on this time. It was seen as a cutting-edge feat that they were able to create these incredibly complex and beautiful buildings. The construction of these buildings helped the people with housing, protection, faith, and work. Many buildings that were constructed during this time gave people a sense of pride and usefulness. Many of these structures were multi-use spaces including the cathedrals. They were used as meeting places, shelters during battles, places to worship, and marketplaces to sell and buy goods.

The Middle Ages benefited from architecture. It was important during this period because it helped them evolve as a society and offered a place of safety and solitude to the citizens. The medieval architecture allows us to connect our past to our present. It also helps us understand how we can improve architecture through technology over time. It is vital for us to learn about the history of architecture to better understand where we came from and how to improve what we build in the future. Furthermore, it is also a way to appreciate the timelessness and beauty of the human spirit and recognize how far we have come as a society.