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Universe of Stone: A Biography of Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral, south of Paris, is revered as one of the most beautiful and profound works of art in the Western canon. But what did it mean to those who constructed it in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries? And why, during this period, did Europeans begin to build churches in a new style, at such immense height and with such glorious play of light, in the soaring manner we now call Gothic?
Universe of Stone shows that the Gothic cathedrals encode a far-reaching shift in the way medieval thinkers perceived their relationship with their world. For the first time, they began to believe in an orderly, rational world that could be investigated and understood. This change marked the beginning of Western science and also the start of a long and, indeed, unfinished struggle to reconcile faith and reason.
By embedding the cathedral in the culture of the twelfth century—its schools of philosophy and science, its trades and technologies, its politics and religious debates—Philip Ball makes sense of the visual and emotional power of Chartres. Beautifully illustrated and written, filled with astonishing insight, Universe of Stone argues that Chartres is a sublime expression of the originality and vitality of a true "first renaissance," one that occurred long before the birth of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, or Francis Bacon.
Universe of Stone shows that the Gothic cathedrals encode a far-reaching shift in the way medieval thinkers perceived their relationship with their world. For the first time, they began to believe in an orderly, rational world that could be investigated and understood. This change marked the beginning of Western science and also the start of a long and, indeed, unfinished struggle to reconcile faith and reason.
By embedding the cathedral in the culture of the twelfth century—its schools of philosophy and science, its trades and technologies, its politics and religious debates—Philip Ball makes sense of the visual and emotional power of Chartres. Beautifully illustrated and written, filled with astonishing insight, Universe of Stone argues that Chartres is a sublime expression of the originality and vitality of a true "first renaissance," one that occurred long before the birth of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, or Francis Bacon.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2008
79 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
Philip Ball
66 books500 followersPhilip Ball (born 1962) is an English science writer. He holds a degree in chemistry from Oxford and a doctorate in physics from Bristol University. He was an editor for the journal Nature for over 10 years. He now writes a regular column in Chemistry World. Ball's most-popular book is the 2004 Critical Mass: How One Things Leads to Another, winner of the 2005 Aventis Prize for Science Books. It examines a wide range of topics including the business cycle, random walks, phase transitions, bifurcation theory, traffic flow, Zipf's law, Small world phenomenon, catastrophe theory, the Prisoner's dilemma. The overall theme is one of applying modern mathematical models to social and economic phenomena.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 28, 2016
Got this today. Looks very good. A treat.
August 31, 2017
I had to give this one up because I dropped it in the bath. Was it any good up to the point I'd read to? Well, it wasn't bad. Philip Ball is a polymath - every one of his books isn't just about a different topic, it involves a completely different discipline: the two others of his I own are the fascinating Critical Mass, on using physics to analyse social behaviour, and the (not read yet) Water Kingdom, a history of China centred on its relationship with water.
This means that a Philip Ball book is about an intelligent person trying to get to grips with a topic, as much as it is about their actual conclusions on the topic. The synthesis of primary sources is the subject of the work as much as its precondition. It can be a very rewarding approach, as Ball IS intelligent, and his journey of discovery matches the readers. But in Universe Of Stone he's faced with a question - why did the people who built Chartres Cathedral build it how they did? - where the available evidence is thin, and the various scholars have hardened their positions over the years into entirely incompatible tribes. Chartres was 'sacred geometry', minutely planned so that every detail is an act of worship! No it's not, it was built piecemeal and it's a testimony to architectural invention not religious faith! And so on. Ball is inclined to doubt the wilder claims, but he's also attracted to the idea that the Gothic cathedrals really do represent a philosophical and intellectual break. But the specifics of this break are frustratingly hard to capture - as is almost everything about the builders' pre-modern mindset. Even at the point I had to abandon it, it felt like Chartres' monumentalism had defeated Ball's clarity.
This means that a Philip Ball book is about an intelligent person trying to get to grips with a topic, as much as it is about their actual conclusions on the topic. The synthesis of primary sources is the subject of the work as much as its precondition. It can be a very rewarding approach, as Ball IS intelligent, and his journey of discovery matches the readers. But in Universe Of Stone he's faced with a question - why did the people who built Chartres Cathedral build it how they did? - where the available evidence is thin, and the various scholars have hardened their positions over the years into entirely incompatible tribes. Chartres was 'sacred geometry', minutely planned so that every detail is an act of worship! No it's not, it was built piecemeal and it's a testimony to architectural invention not religious faith! And so on. Ball is inclined to doubt the wilder claims, but he's also attracted to the idea that the Gothic cathedrals really do represent a philosophical and intellectual break. But the specifics of this break are frustratingly hard to capture - as is almost everything about the builders' pre-modern mindset. Even at the point I had to abandon it, it felt like Chartres' monumentalism had defeated Ball's clarity.
June 26, 2014
Ball uses Chartres Cathedral as a lens through which to examine medieval thought and history, but that maybe ends up being a bit more of a limited lens than I thought it was going to be. You'll probably get more out of the book if, unlike me, you've been to or heard of Chartres Cathedral; ideally you'd read the book *in* Chartres Cathedral. Are you allowed to read non-Bibles in a cathedral? I bought The Warlock of Firetop Mountain in Durham Cathedral's bookshop, so I suspect you can.
February 8, 2025
This book is aptly titled, for it is not merely an account of the architecture, construction, and features of Gothic cathedrals. It is that… and more.
Philip Ball’s accessible, enjoyable foray into “the invention of the Gothic” explores the cultural forces that led to the creative vibrancy of a unique period in Western civilization. His goal is to describe “how these elements - the spiritual, the rational, the social, and the technological - came together in twelfth century Europe to produce a series of buildings that are unparalleled in the West, and to which frankly we are quite unable to offer any rivals.” (p. 6)
Chartres cathedral, which is Ball’s particular focus, is indeed a “universe of stone” that encompasses many aspects of medieval society. “Now considered the finest works of medieval art, these churches are even more than that. They represent a shift in the way the western world thought about God, the universe, and humankind’s place within it.” (p.2)
This all may sound intimidating, but Ball has a nice, conversational style, and his writing is clear, descriptive, and interesting. Having previously read Henry Adams’ more truthfully intimidating Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres (see my review), I am aware that the underpinnings of the Gothic age are much more intricate than Ball presents. However, that helps me appreciate all the more Ball’s synthesis of those forces into a much less dense book. Not to mention the fact that this book has much more in it than Adams’ does related to how cathedrals (Chartres, in particular) were actually constructed.
Ball discusses many competing theories about how to answer various questions: how social forces informed the great age of cathedral construction; how (or whether) the architects were influenced by the philosophers of antiquity; even what the sequence of construction at Chartres was.
Other Goodreads reviewers find fault with Ball for not clearing up the mysteries, for not coming down on one side or the other of various historians’ opinions about a host of questions that the Gothic age poses. However, this is an unfair criticism that betrays a lack of understanding not only of Ball’s intentions, but of how the study of history works. Piecing together and getting a full picture of events that transpired a thousand years ago is like putting together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle when many of the pieces are lost, or hidden, or have their shapes or colored surfaces damaged by the passage of time. It’s a painstaking, slow process that often yields alternate opinions based on partial evidence.
In Ball’s words, “We have to come to Chartres prepared to admit that there are many things we do not and may never know, and that such answers as we have are not always simple or secure.” (p.4) Note that this premise is stated very early in the book, so readers do have adequate warning.
This is what makes the study of history so interesting, especially the study of remote times that represent a very different world of what we inhabit today, with wildly different assumptions, mindsets, and contexts. Ball does an excellent job of presenting different viewpoints and theories in a way that allows the reader to participate in thinking about them. In the case of Chartres cathedral, and the forces that culminated in its construction, there are more questions than answers, but the answers we do have (or think we have) are interesting and informative, while the questions give one the chance to practice imagination, patience, and critical thinking.
In the end, although we never know for sure exactly what was in the minds of the Gothic cathedral-builders, “... it cannot be doubted that in twelfth-century France a vision of order was dreamed, and that men wrought such a vision out of the hard, shell-studded limestone of Bercheres and made from it a monument that towers above the wheatfields of Beauce, signifying a new kind of faith and a fresh relationship with the Universe.” (p. 291)
If nothing else, this book is a great reminder that we inhabitants of the 21st century don’t have a monopoly on ingenuity, technical expertise, thoughtfulness about our place in the universe, and the ability to dream.
Philip Ball’s accessible, enjoyable foray into “the invention of the Gothic” explores the cultural forces that led to the creative vibrancy of a unique period in Western civilization. His goal is to describe “how these elements - the spiritual, the rational, the social, and the technological - came together in twelfth century Europe to produce a series of buildings that are unparalleled in the West, and to which frankly we are quite unable to offer any rivals.” (p. 6)
Chartres cathedral, which is Ball’s particular focus, is indeed a “universe of stone” that encompasses many aspects of medieval society. “Now considered the finest works of medieval art, these churches are even more than that. They represent a shift in the way the western world thought about God, the universe, and humankind’s place within it.” (p.2)
This all may sound intimidating, but Ball has a nice, conversational style, and his writing is clear, descriptive, and interesting. Having previously read Henry Adams’ more truthfully intimidating Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres (see my review), I am aware that the underpinnings of the Gothic age are much more intricate than Ball presents. However, that helps me appreciate all the more Ball’s synthesis of those forces into a much less dense book. Not to mention the fact that this book has much more in it than Adams’ does related to how cathedrals (Chartres, in particular) were actually constructed.
Ball discusses many competing theories about how to answer various questions: how social forces informed the great age of cathedral construction; how (or whether) the architects were influenced by the philosophers of antiquity; even what the sequence of construction at Chartres was.
Other Goodreads reviewers find fault with Ball for not clearing up the mysteries, for not coming down on one side or the other of various historians’ opinions about a host of questions that the Gothic age poses. However, this is an unfair criticism that betrays a lack of understanding not only of Ball’s intentions, but of how the study of history works. Piecing together and getting a full picture of events that transpired a thousand years ago is like putting together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle when many of the pieces are lost, or hidden, or have their shapes or colored surfaces damaged by the passage of time. It’s a painstaking, slow process that often yields alternate opinions based on partial evidence.
In Ball’s words, “We have to come to Chartres prepared to admit that there are many things we do not and may never know, and that such answers as we have are not always simple or secure.” (p.4) Note that this premise is stated very early in the book, so readers do have adequate warning.
This is what makes the study of history so interesting, especially the study of remote times that represent a very different world of what we inhabit today, with wildly different assumptions, mindsets, and contexts. Ball does an excellent job of presenting different viewpoints and theories in a way that allows the reader to participate in thinking about them. In the case of Chartres cathedral, and the forces that culminated in its construction, there are more questions than answers, but the answers we do have (or think we have) are interesting and informative, while the questions give one the chance to practice imagination, patience, and critical thinking.
In the end, although we never know for sure exactly what was in the minds of the Gothic cathedral-builders, “... it cannot be doubted that in twelfth-century France a vision of order was dreamed, and that men wrought such a vision out of the hard, shell-studded limestone of Bercheres and made from it a monument that towers above the wheatfields of Beauce, signifying a new kind of faith and a fresh relationship with the Universe.” (p. 291)
If nothing else, this book is a great reminder that we inhabitants of the 21st century don’t have a monopoly on ingenuity, technical expertise, thoughtfulness about our place in the universe, and the ability to dream.
May 30, 2015
Ball gives a good overview of the debates concerning the Gothic as a style, with architectural and philosophical elements. In general, he introduces the various sides of a debate (the East end was started first, the West end was started first; the builder knew the neo-Platonist philosophy, he was just doing his best with available materials), shows the flaws in each side, and then ultimately concludes "Well, we may never know, but it's probably some of both or the prettiest solution is best." It's an honest portrait, I'm not saying that he falsely brings disparate views together. As most of this relies on the scholarship of others, he's not looking to enter the fray but to sidestep the slings and arrows that the other scholars use on each other (he does take some pot shots himself, too, though).
I like reading history because I like seeing other people manipulate quotations and sources to make their arguments--I don't have details from Chartres Cathedral on that, but here's what some other monk said about a similar church about forty years later. I like seeing the logic of my discipline explained in practice, although in general I find it like decent magicians must feel watching each other work. Yeah, that's pretty good. You don't FOOL me, but that's pretty good.
I like reading history because I like seeing other people manipulate quotations and sources to make their arguments--I don't have details from Chartres Cathedral on that, but here's what some other monk said about a similar church about forty years later. I like seeing the logic of my discipline explained in practice, although in general I find it like decent magicians must feel watching each other work. Yeah, that's pretty good. You don't FOOL me, but that's pretty good.
February 6, 2015
This book provides a great historical explanation of the religious and philosophical climate during which Chartres Cathedral was built (as well to what extent these religious/philosophical ideas influence the building) and an even better explanation of how the cathedral was actually built. Laying of stones, stained glass, stone carving were all addressed in fascinating detail. (These details feel particularly interesting after reading Pillars of the Earth earlier this year.)
Because this book is concerned with laying out a "biography" it doesn't offer much in the way of interpretation of the cathedral's imagery. I appreciated the historical tone, though, because I felt that what was said about the art could be trusted to be reasonably accepted among those who study the cathedral.
Because this book is concerned with laying out a "biography" it doesn't offer much in the way of interpretation of the cathedral's imagery. I appreciated the historical tone, though, because I felt that what was said about the art could be trusted to be reasonably accepted among those who study the cathedral.
March 14, 2012
This book tells the story of the building of Chartres Cathedral in France. It also looks at the philosophical and theological trends current at the time of the building. The author seeks to weave the wider historical and philosophical overview into the history of the cathedral, but the two stories never quite come together. I feel like he jumps back and forth between the narrow history of the cathedral, and the wider history of the European world at that time, without ever reconciling them. He also wades in to several controversies about the building of the cathedral, but never takes a firm position on what he believes is the correct answer, which weakens the book overall.
June 26, 2015
There's a lot of interesting information here about structural development, medieval guilds, and comparisons between various cathedrals built in the Gothic style. There is also a lot of disrespect paid to art history (except when he finds it convenient to stand on their shoulders to draw his own seemingly pre-determined aesthetic conclusions) and a lot of blatant bullshittery where he fills in the blanks of scanty documentations with barely-related other texts and overt wish fulfillment.
It was worth the read, but not quite as smart as it thinks it is. Then again, reading over his previous works, the titles themselves are a clue about the sweeping generalizations he is fond of.
It was worth the read, but not quite as smart as it thinks it is. Then again, reading over his previous works, the titles themselves are a clue about the sweeping generalizations he is fond of.
October 30, 2022
Excellent. This is how popular science books should be written. Goes deep enough to satisfy a range of readers and remain engaging; and is peppered with moments of snippy humour.
January 31, 2025
Giants' shoulders
I bought this to read prior to a group trip to Chartres last week (as far as I could tell, almost everyone else in the group was reading it too). It's an excellent account of the history, design, construction and significance of the wonderful cathedral at Chartres, and of the important changes in medieval thinking that it stands for.
The author describes the latter briskly, including an interesting discussion of the conflict between Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter Abelard, which is taken to be an example - very roughly - of the struggle between faith and reason. In the same context, he also mentions the chancellors of the school at Chartres, beginning with Bernard of Chartres, who provided (p108) "[the] vivid image of how knowledge progresses by building on its antecedents. 'We are dwarfs on the shoulders of giants,' he said, 'so we perceive more things than they do'". This remark was of course later appropriated by Isaac Newton (not to mention Oasis ), and it's used in the stained glass windows in the South Transept of the cathedral, which depict the four (rather scrawny-looking) evangelists sitting on the shoulders of four Old Testament prophets.
A similar degree of erudition is exhibited throughout the book - perhaps most divertingly when he refers to a chap described as (p240) "the early Christian Neo-Platonist Pseudo-Dyonisius", an appellation that looks like a bit of a mouthful but which is fully justified and explained. There is also a detailed account of the evolution of the constituents of the Gothic style (strikingly characterised on p49 as "vertical ecstasy"), a fascinating twelfth century account of the way to make and stain glass and a handy list of the parts of a cathedral, in case - like me - you're hazy about the difference between the nave and the chancel (or don't know what a tympanum is).
Although it's not a guidebook, I found that it gave an memorable impression of the importance of the place, how it came to be, the way it was built and what it represents in human history. Without visiting the cathedral, the book could be read as part of a history of architecture, or mechanical engineering, or philosophy, but it's worth noting the apposite comment of John Carey in his review: "after finishing Ball's book, the temptation to catch the next Eurostar and head out to Chartes is strong".
Originally reviewed 28 March 2011
I bought this to read prior to a group trip to Chartres last week (as far as I could tell, almost everyone else in the group was reading it too). It's an excellent account of the history, design, construction and significance of the wonderful cathedral at Chartres, and of the important changes in medieval thinking that it stands for.
The author describes the latter briskly, including an interesting discussion of the conflict between Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter Abelard, which is taken to be an example - very roughly - of the struggle between faith and reason. In the same context, he also mentions the chancellors of the school at Chartres, beginning with Bernard of Chartres, who provided (p108) "[the] vivid image of how knowledge progresses by building on its antecedents. 'We are dwarfs on the shoulders of giants,' he said, 'so we perceive more things than they do'". This remark was of course later appropriated by Isaac Newton (not to mention Oasis ), and it's used in the stained glass windows in the South Transept of the cathedral, which depict the four (rather scrawny-looking) evangelists sitting on the shoulders of four Old Testament prophets.
A similar degree of erudition is exhibited throughout the book - perhaps most divertingly when he refers to a chap described as (p240) "the early Christian Neo-Platonist Pseudo-Dyonisius", an appellation that looks like a bit of a mouthful but which is fully justified and explained. There is also a detailed account of the evolution of the constituents of the Gothic style (strikingly characterised on p49 as "vertical ecstasy"), a fascinating twelfth century account of the way to make and stain glass and a handy list of the parts of a cathedral, in case - like me - you're hazy about the difference between the nave and the chancel (or don't know what a tympanum is).
Although it's not a guidebook, I found that it gave an memorable impression of the importance of the place, how it came to be, the way it was built and what it represents in human history. Without visiting the cathedral, the book could be read as part of a history of architecture, or mechanical engineering, or philosophy, but it's worth noting the apposite comment of John Carey in his review: "after finishing Ball's book, the temptation to catch the next Eurostar and head out to Chartes is strong".
Originally reviewed 28 March 2011
September 11, 2024
No church can surpass the sense of clarity and harmony evoked in the nave of Chartres.
I plan to visit Chartres ten days hence. When I ought to be packing my bags or harvesting my garden, I'm more concerned about finishing this book before I leave! #hazardsofreading
I didn't buy Philip Ball's assertions that the building of Gothic cathedrals marked the beginning of Western science. But I did relish learning about rib vaults, groin vaults, barrel vaults, wheel drums, and the building of arches (among other things).
Quotes I copied down:
± [Peter Abelard] was the kind of person who, delighting in his own brilliance, could not imagine how it might be improved by listening to others.
± So when we experience unity and order in Chartres Cathedral, it is the result of careful and rational planning, motivated not by aesthetics but by morality. The building expresses a conviction that the glory of God's universe is expressed as a system of eternal order.
± ...never forget what it was they were building: a representation of heaven on earth.
± [why stone roofs?] One alternative theory, which is certainly plausible, is that stone vaults improved the acoustic qualities of the church. Once you've heard singing in the choir of the Romanesque church at Thoronet in Provence, it's impossible to deny the attractions of the idea.
I plan to visit Chartres ten days hence. When I ought to be packing my bags or harvesting my garden, I'm more concerned about finishing this book before I leave! #hazardsofreading
I didn't buy Philip Ball's assertions that the building of Gothic cathedrals marked the beginning of Western science. But I did relish learning about rib vaults, groin vaults, barrel vaults, wheel drums, and the building of arches (among other things).
Quotes I copied down:
± [Peter Abelard] was the kind of person who, delighting in his own brilliance, could not imagine how it might be improved by listening to others.
± So when we experience unity and order in Chartres Cathedral, it is the result of careful and rational planning, motivated not by aesthetics but by morality. The building expresses a conviction that the glory of God's universe is expressed as a system of eternal order.
± ...never forget what it was they were building: a representation of heaven on earth.
± [why stone roofs?] One alternative theory, which is certainly plausible, is that stone vaults improved the acoustic qualities of the church. Once you've heard singing in the choir of the Romanesque church at Thoronet in Provence, it's impossible to deny the attractions of the idea.
January 22, 2024
When I picked up this book, I figured it would be a book with lots of pictures of a beautiful cathedral, and I would skim through any technical stuff, should there happen to be any. To my surprise, I found it a very readable and understandable explanation of the time in which the cathedral was built. Not only that, but in discussing the viewpoints and philosophy behind it all, I learned a lot about Plato, Aristotle, and a number of others I had never heard of before.
OK, but when they get to the architecture details, I'll surely skim those. But no! Also very readable, and important for understanding the why and not just the how it all came together.
This was slow reading in that I could only digest a few pages at a sitting. But I kept picking it up throughout the day, as I pondered the angles of downward force, the use of light, how colored glass was made....
Wow.
OK, but when they get to the architecture details, I'll surely skim those. But no! Also very readable, and important for understanding the why and not just the how it all came together.
This was slow reading in that I could only digest a few pages at a sitting. But I kept picking it up throughout the day, as I pondered the angles of downward force, the use of light, how colored glass was made....
Wow.
September 21, 2019
I have always been fascinated by Chartres, especially the labyrinth and stained glass. This book was wonderfully informative. It also had very detailed illustrations and drawings that really brought to life the aspects of the church the book discussed.
February 13, 2020
Dense, but interesting story of all aspects of the culture of the great era of European Gothic cathedrals, focusing on the story of Chartres in France, often thought to be the most beautiful of all. Ball covers the philosophical worldviews that prioritized these great monuments, the social nature of how churches were used by society in this time period, and the economic, technological and construction aspects of cathedral-building.
April 22, 2020
Not quite as much a biography of Chartres as I had expected but more of a story of how Gothic came to be via religion, philosophy, and building technology, using Chartres as an example of the light-filled wonder of the French Gothic cathedral.
November 1, 2021
Good overview of the history and the technology. A bit thin on meaning and symbolism.
September 10, 2022
Well written but too dense for my taste
September 16, 2009
A very exciting tour de force through Gothic buildings in particular and to the science of that time. Several concepts from engineering and architecture are introduced in order to explain the Goth cathedral. The mechanics of arcs, vaults, foundations, etc are explained and put in the context of Europe in the X - XIII centuries. Mainly, is a book about science in those times, and the cite from Adelard of Bath is overwhelming: "If we turned our backs on the amazing rational beauty of the universe we live in, we should indeed deserve to be driven therefrom, like a guest unappreciative of the house into which he has been received." A very good definition of science.
The ideas in the book try to guide the reader to the fact that buildings, even cathedrals, are culture-dependent: the paradigm behind "Gothic cathedrals" is the result of the new of social perception about the universe. Cathedrals, being maps of the universe, reflects those new views.
The ideas in the book try to guide the reader to the fact that buildings, even cathedrals, are culture-dependent: the paradigm behind "Gothic cathedrals" is the result of the new of social perception about the universe. Cathedrals, being maps of the universe, reflects those new views.
October 4, 2017
I visited Chartres and it's cathedral earlier this year. To know a little more about this famous building, I decided to read this book.
I... got to know a bit more than just "a little".
This book is DENSE. Incredibly dense. It doesn't just discuss the building, but places it in a historical context, describing the political and religious situation of the time in which the cathedral was build. Thus, the narrative frequently moves away from Chartres, most often to Paris and St Denis. It also goes indepth on architecture, masonry and glasswork.
The sheer density of the material didn't make for an easily read book. It was admittedly frequently rather a slog. At times it felt like I was learning TOO MUCH about Chartres, or rather that the narrative was getting away from the subject of the book, i.e. the cathedral.
Nice book if you want to know more about Chartres or gothic cathedrals in general, but not an easy read. 3 stars.
I... got to know a bit more than just "a little".
This book is DENSE. Incredibly dense. It doesn't just discuss the building, but places it in a historical context, describing the political and religious situation of the time in which the cathedral was build. Thus, the narrative frequently moves away from Chartres, most often to Paris and St Denis. It also goes indepth on architecture, masonry and glasswork.
The sheer density of the material didn't make for an easily read book. It was admittedly frequently rather a slog. At times it felt like I was learning TOO MUCH about Chartres, or rather that the narrative was getting away from the subject of the book, i.e. the cathedral.
Nice book if you want to know more about Chartres or gothic cathedrals in general, but not an easy read. 3 stars.
Read
August 2, 2011This book was fascinating! I enjoyed both aspects - the first part of the book that talks about the philosophy of medieval thinkers and how it related to the Gothic church crusade and the more practical chapters on how it was actually built. What seems so surprising to me is that we still don't know a lot of answers. In this book you find a little bit of everything: the Roman Empire, the Kings of France, St. Augustine, monasteries, medieval art, history of geometry, Platonic cosmology, abbots, the philosophy of beauty, the church as school, freemasons, medieval scaffolding, stained glass, the worship of lights, money, miracles, architectural thrust, groin vaults and ribs and of course flying buttresses! Of course now I have to revisit Chartres. What a hardship that will be. Oh and probably it's time to re-read the Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (and the new sequel).
October 11, 2015
Ball examines the Chartres Cathedral in the context of the Medieval world in which it was built.
Religious thought dominated the period and science was largely a process of scanning works of the past in hope of recovering some of the lost knowledge of antiquity. Ball reviews the important figures of the time and their views on learning.
The cathedral school at Chartres became a center of learning, being a major conduit of Arabic science and mathematics.
Ball describes the men who planned the Chartres cathedral, and provides much detail on the evolution of the design and architecture, building methods and the organization of the labour.
While the town's people contributed money that helped finance the construction, the total amounts were small. Much of the financing came from taxes on the land. Relics were major fund raisers.
Religious thought dominated the period and science was largely a process of scanning works of the past in hope of recovering some of the lost knowledge of antiquity. Ball reviews the important figures of the time and their views on learning.
The cathedral school at Chartres became a center of learning, being a major conduit of Arabic science and mathematics.
Ball describes the men who planned the Chartres cathedral, and provides much detail on the evolution of the design and architecture, building methods and the organization of the labour.
While the town's people contributed money that helped finance the construction, the total amounts were small. Much of the financing came from taxes on the land. Relics were major fund raisers.
November 23, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. I have a very basic background in Medieval history and none at all in architecture, but didn't find Philip Ball at all too much. Although he deals with some fairly complex ideas (or what seem complex for those who know nothing about them!) he makes them easy to understand and not only interesting but completely fascinating.
Frankly, I was entranced. I found the philosophical and religious links to the Gothic style interesting and the detail about the style's development and the way the cathedrals were built fascinating.
Frankly, I was entranced. I found the philosophical and religious links to the Gothic style interesting and the detail about the style's development and the way the cathedrals were built fascinating.
February 26, 2016
The book gives a view of Gothic style of architecture using the Chartres Cathedral as the main focus. For me who is very ignorant about architecture it was not an easy read especially when it came to the various design differences etc but I was captivated with the cultural aspect of the story. The different roles of workers and their sponsors who were responsible for creating such marvellous buildings. The power of faith in Europe must be at a entirely different level to be able to finish such ambitious projects indeed.
April 26, 2009
Ball attempts to put Chartres Cathedral in its cultural and intellectual context. He admits that asking “why” Chartres was built has been a subject of fierce and unresolved debate, but he wades into the controversy anyway. The result is too casual for the scholarly community, and perhaps a bit involved for general readers without an architectural background. Chronology and early history of the site are well summarized.
January 1, 2020
This book lays out an excellent introduction to the history of medieval thought written in large ars memorial print as regards the use of the art of memory in the western oral tradition as the primary means of instruction before the technology of written language became ubiquitous. This book will be of interest to Freemasons, medievalists, and Anyone planning to tour the history of Europe. It will provide a greater appreciation for art, craft and architecture.
January 1, 2013
This book was an excellent piece of writing. It did a good job of chronicling the social and economic forces that led to the building of the cathedral and the building of the cathedral itself. A few times I got a little lost in the technical details of the building of it, but overall it was a very good read.
June 12, 2013
I'm not sure I needed to read so much about 12th and 13th century cathedrals, how and why they were built. Nor do I really need to know about vaults, arches, clerestories and flying buttresses. Do you know the difference between Romanesque and gothic cathedrals or that St. Augustine was a Neo-Platonist? All this and more if you want to borrow my book. Even so, it was an interesting read.
December 21, 2014
Excellent topic and quite informative book. Only one small blemish as far as I am concerned: the fellow is blatantly a rationalist and indulges -at times- in the usual jazz of "freedom of thought", "proto-scientists", and the like. But, he can be forgiven, on account of his marvelous journey through one of West's all-time achievements...
November 8, 2008
Indispensable for those of you interested in Gothic design and engineering. Minor quibble: the title is somewhat misleading in that Ball's study is not focused wholly on Chartres. But a subject like this requires an expanded / seemingly ever-expanding scope.
July 21, 2009
Philip Ball looks back to the building of the great Gothic cathedrals, particularising Chartres, when we stopped looking back always to the Classical World and began asking our own questions which leads us up to modern times.
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