Slides with information and pictures about Canterbury Cathedral

1. The Architectural
Styles of Canterbury
Cathedral
By Hermógenes Ruiz Ruiz

2. The Origins of Canterbury Cathedral
• St. Augustine, the 1st
Archbishop of
Canterbury, arrived on
the coast of Kent as a
missionary to England
in 597 AD.
• He established his
seat within the Roman
city walls and built the
first cathedral there.

3. Plan of the Cathedral

4. The Crypt
• 11th Century- the oldest existing part of
the Cathedral.
• Early Romanesque in style
• The largest of its period in the country

5. Characteristics of Romanesque
Architecture
• Massive, solid,
strong
• The building is
supported by its
walls, or sections of
walls called piers
(not buttresses)
• Columns (often
“paired”)
• Alternation of piers
and columns
• Thick walls

6. Characteristics of Romanesque
Architecture
• Semicircular
(arched) doors and
windows. In
Canterbury, we
can see the
beginnings of the
pointed arch.
• Barrel and Groin
vaults (as seen
here).
• Dark, simplistic
interiors
• Small windows

7. Characteristics of Gothic Architecture
• Use of pointed
arch
• Groin vaults
• Buttresses and
flying buttresse
• Thinner walls
• Large windows
• Taller buildings
• Luminous interiors
Nave of Canterbury CathedralNave of Canterbury Cathedral

8. Characteristics of Gothic
Architecture (Exterior)
• Use of the
pointed arch
• Buttresses and
flying
buttresses
• Large windows
• Thinner walls
• Taller buildings

9. Other Very Important Elements
• Few people were able to read or
write in the Middle Ages
• Paintings and windows told the
stories of the Bible and saints in
pictures
• Monks could explain them to
pilgrims

10. Romanesque Wall Painting
• Large flat walls lead
to murals
• Colorful
• Inspired by mosaics
and illuminated
manuscripts
• The most popular
themes were Christ,
Virgin Mary, church’s
saint, and scenes
from Bible

11. Gothic Stained
Glass
• Stained glass used
in large windows
• Illuminated the
interior of the
cathedral
• Rich in colors
• They used Realism,
movement and
background
landscape

12. Exterior of the Cathedral
On the left side we can see the
characteristics of Gothic
style.
On the right side we can see
the characteristics of
Romanesque style with
some Gothic elements.