Cathedrals

by Robin S. Oggins

Beautiful and imposing, cathedrals were designed as monuments to the greater glory of God. They are important not only for spiritual reasons, but for their often splendid architecture. A medievalist leads an extraordinary photographic tour through the most magnificent examples, from Notre Dame in Paris to the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Nairobi, Kenya. Through engaging commentary, the history and evolution of these buildings unfold, beginning in the early Christian era and Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity in the 4th century, up through the Reformation, and right into the 20th century. Among the most in the ruins of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland; Manila Cathedral in the Philippines, rebuilt five times; and St. Patrick's in New York City.

Genres: Nonfiction, Architecture

Hardcover

First published August 6, 1997

Reviews

[Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful photography and basic background and history.

[Michael Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having recently re-read Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, I’ve been reacquainting myself with the details of medieval cathedral-building. Being an historian, but not an architect, I’ve been interested especially in heavily pictorial volumes, and this is a pretty good one, by a British academic specialist in medieval architecture. Following two informative chapters on the ecclesiastical evolution of the cathedral and the construction process, the main body of the book is geographical in organization: the British Isles, French and Spanish-speaking Europe, the Germanic countries, a whole chapter on Italy, and a closing chapter on non-European cathedrals. The volume is oversized so most of the high-quality photos show plenty of detail, both exterior and interior. Etchings and engineering drawings are scattered throughout, as are quotations from monastic contemporaries. I especially like being able to turn pages and compare one west front to another, one sanctuary to another, and note the evolution of styles. And even though this is mostly a “picture book,” there’s a great deal of useful text.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a university professor, Robin Oggins always illustrated his lectures with slides and photographs of the many places he discussed. More of these photos are in line with his lectures than his other book on castles. Professor Oggins clearly has more interest in cathedrals. The organization and limited discussions were good.