Light as a Symbolic Definer of Spaces in Romanesque Architecture (original) (raw)
Related papers
LIGHT AS A SYMBOL OF SACRED ARCHITECTURE
Since the beginning of civilisation the history of man is accompanied by the phenomenon of transcendent, something that goes beyond him. Originally, the experience of God is given to man by nature. God dwells in the mountains, rivers, water, and divine reality is interpreted in analogy with the experience of light. In the process of the formation of religions there is continuity of the original symbols thus natural symbols remain the fundamental symbols of the divine nature. Light is a symbol present in all religions: sanscrit's devah, greek's Theos and the latin's deus that we translate God share a common root indoeuropeen's de'o, which means light. Light is therefore omnipresent symbolic determination of God. The light in a special way finds is interpretation through sacred architecture of different religions. Uniformly illuminated spaces, spaces in which light creates certain accents, floating dome etc., are some of the architectural appearances based on different meanings of symbols of light. The intention of this paper is to analyze the symbolic meaning of lights in the world's great religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism and the forms of architectural interpretation of that symbol through selected examples. Contemporary sacred architecture is faced with the problem of "forgetting the symbol" and of reducing complex phenomenon of sacred space to sensoryc - aesthetic level only. With this approach sacred spaces are becoming spaces emptied of meaning, separate from the inner sense which is rooted in the inner meaning of religion. The aim of this paper is to indicate that the use of light as an intangible factor of architectonic and identity of sacred architectural space goes beyond its primarly reasonableness above all in the perception of light in the context of the phenomenology of symbols and its founding in the religious onotology.
Constitutive Role of Light in Christian Sacred Architecture.docx
Light is the central theme of sacred architecture of all religions and so of Christianity. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the inner sense of light and its constitutive role in Christian sacred architecture. The theme of light in Christian sacred architecture is fundamentally connected to its meaning and symbolism of light in Christian theology and liturgy. This fundamental connection is opening the space to the symbolic and theological comprehending of light which was present throughout the history of Christianity and which is lacking in contemporary sacred architecture.
Constitutive Role Of Light In Christian Sacred Architecture
2018
Light is the central theme of sacred architecture of all religions and so of Christianity. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the inner sense of light and its constitutive role in Christian sacred architecture. The theme of light in Christian sacred architecture is fundamentally connected to its meaning and symbolism of light in Christian theology and liturgy. This fundamental connection is opening the space to the symbolic and theological comprehending of light which was present throughout the history of Christianity and which is lacking in contemporary sacred architecture.
2016
Using light as fil rouge reuniting theology and ritual with the architecture, decoration, and iconography of cultic spaces, the present study argues that the mise-en-scène of fifth-century baptism and sixth-century episcopal liturgy was meant to reproduce the luminous atmosphere of heaven. Analysing the material culture of the two sacraments against common ritual expectations and Christian theology, we evince the manner in which the luminous effect was reached through a combination of constructive techniques and perceptual manipulation. One nocturnal and one diurnal, the two ceremonials represented different scenarios, testifying to the capacity of church builders and willingness of Late Antique bishops to stage the ritual experience in order to offer God to the senses.
Architecture of Thought, 2011
This paper asserts that light-related phenomena were essential to the symbolic functioning of Middle Byzantine churches like the Katholikon in the Monastery of Hosios Loukas. Yet, because of the limitations of current dominant models of “knowing” architecture and art, the symbolic use of light in such buildings remains practically unrecognized. This study demonstrates, with the support of new technologies, that by changing certain epistemological assumptions, these previously unknown aspects of Byzantine churches can be revealed. Thus moving beyond the notion that buildings operate symbolically by communicating narratives, which in turn become meaningful and conclusive statements within a particular discourse, I assume that the material phenomena of architecture have always reached beyond the limits of verbal communication. A built environment operates symbolically when it triggers thoughts without concluding them. I propose here that the Katholikon was a crowning example of such a process, and that by using phenomena of light to represent the divine presence, its interior resonated with imagination in a way specific to the Byzantine constitution of religious ideas. By doing so, those experiences manifested, or rather followed in a non-verbal way, a modality of thought that characterized the thinking of early Byzantine theologians and that continued through Iconoclasm. Middle Byzantine architecture did not merely communicate dogma or impose a “correct” way of depicting divine beings. Rather, buildings like the Katholikon were constructed to mentally engage viewers in the difficulty of perceiving and understanding God.
2014
Manipulating Light in Premodern Times is the first of two volumes featuring essays from established and emerging scholars of diverse research fields and addressing various aspects pertaining to the “economy of light”. Organised under the aegis of the project From Ravenna to Vals, the international conference Manipulating Light in Premodern Times held in Mendrisio on the 3rd and 4th of November 2011 was made possible by the generous support of the Swiss National Science Foundation. Due to the character of the extant sources but also to the large chronological span, the present volume focuses on religious buildings and artefacts. The second volume, however, will address the architecture of the 20th century in its many building types and expressions.15 Both volumes are meant to contribute to a developing topic in current academic scholarship, namely the historicisation of the employment of light as a dynamic factor of built space before and after the introduction of electrical illumination. In an era in which the advancing musealisation of historical buildings reinforces their artificial illumination in order to maximise their visibility for contemporary touristic needs (safety and photographability), the collected essays intend to increase the awareness of the importance and relevance of historical lighting conditions and sophisticated techniques in modulating darkness.16 Divided into four sections, the present volume covers both material and theoretical aspects. Art historians, architects, historians, philologists, and restorers all attest to the centrality of the theme despite their various approaches and cultural contexts. Enriched with the contributions of scholars not present at the preceding conference, the volume nonetheless maintains the meeting’s structure.
Use of Natural Light for Catholic Sacred Architecture: Technological Strategies and Symbolic Values
2021
Natural light can filter and penetrate into the spaces through openings and cuts in the envelope going from time to highlight spaces, revealing details and creating atmospheres. The control and diffusion of natural light are strategic to ensure the right light intensity and are, in fact, critical points to manage when it comes to daylighting. One of the first metaphors that we use for an instant understanding of the concept of "holiness" is "light". Since ancient times, sacred architecture has tried to emphasize this intuitive metaphor through a design capable to underline into spaces of darkness the entering of light rays. An emblematic case of creating strategic effect of interplay between light and shadow is possible to be found in the gothic cathedrals. Even in modern and contemporary architecture, a typical design strategy for the project of a mystical atmosphere is guiding people attention with the help of light as a symbolic direction. This strategy let people forget the outside world moving towards a mystical concentration. The work intends to propose some reflections on the role that natural light has in the design of catholic sacred architecture both from the formal-expressive and from the functional-technological point of view through the analysis of some emblematic cases. This role is, moreover, particularly strategic also in relation to the correct lighting of the art world very often present and necessary for the visual enjoyment of the same. In this regards is very important how light sources are set both for the visual enjoyment of the art works and when their valorization is also required. Among the aspects to be considered also, any damage that light can bring to the art works as incorrect illumination can lead to degradation. The work, therefore, will deal with the performance aspects of natural lighting that, in line with the specific functions of the sacred architecture, will concern not only comfort in its various forms but also the relationship between lighting strategy, materials used and technological solution adopted.
2023
Inside Christian churches, natural light has long been harnessed to underscore theological, symbolic, and ideological statements. In this volume, twenty-four international scholars with various specialties explore how the study of sunlight can reveal essential aspects of the design, decoration, and function of medieval sacred spaces. Themes covered include the interaction between patrons, advisors, architects, and artists, as well as local negotiations among competing traditions that yielded new visual and spatial constructs for which natural light served as a defining and unifying factor. The study of natural light in medieval churches reveals cultural relations, knowledge transfer patterns, processes of translation and adaptation, as well as experiential aspects of sacred spaces in the Middle Ages. Contributors are: Anna Adashinskaya, Jelena Bogdanović, Debanjana Chatterjee, Ljiljana Čavić, Aleksandar Čučaković, Dušan Danilović, Magdalena Dragović, Natalia Figueiras Pimentel, Leslie Forehand, Jacob Gasper, Vera Henkelmann, Gabriel-Dinu Herea, Vladimir Ivanovici, Charles Kerton, Jorge López Quiroga, Anastasija Martinenko, Andrea Mattiello, Rubén G. Mendoza, Dimitris Minasidis, Maria Paschali, Marko Pejić, Iakovos Potamianos, Maria Shevelkina, Alice Isabella Sullivan, Travis Yeager, and Olga Yunak. https://brill.com/display/title/63611
The Role of Light In The Architecture of Religious Buildings
Devotion Journal of Community Service
Light is one of the important factors in human life. Lighting especially in houses of worship is considered a very important part for symbolic and spiritual reasons. Light is the main focus in architecture, both in Islamic and Gothic architecture. The purpose of this study is to summarize the role of light in buildings of worship, especially houses of worship. This study uses a qualitative method of literature study. The results of this study indicate that the role of light in buildings of worship, especially houses of worship, is very important for the congregation, both spiritually and visually. Spiritually, the role of light can provide inner peace and also the closeness of the servant to his God. from a visual point of view the role of light can provide beauty and comfort to the room. From these results, the conclusion is that the role of light in religious buildings in the building of houses of worship is very important for worshippers, in shaping the inner kayakinan both in s...