Notre Dame There is a gothic church in the middle of Paris that proves how people used to go to church to be amazed. Visiting Notre Dame de Paris we can find beauty everywhere. In fact, in most churches beauty is present. Hence, there must be a relationship between beauty and religion. Any society tries to please God through tributes or acts of veneration. One of them could be to build a chapel or church to a saint. However, back then and also today going to church is an entertainment, therefore the goal is to please God and believers. As a replacement of a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter and a Romanesque church, Notre Dame de Paris was built not only to hear a mass but to experience it. The sounds, the smells and the sun coming through a rose-window should be like watching a movie or a play. The idea was not to create art but to live it. Today, the modern concept of beauty can still remain the same. We are obsessed with experience new things in life; a clear example could be 3D movies. Another important church would be St Germain des Pres because is one of the oldest church in Paris. The mix of architectural styles is easy to see, even in the main entrance. I remember I told someone about the fact that the entrance seems to be from a different church. I always believed Mexico and France were different talking about architectural styles. When I when to Spain I visited the cathedral Santa María la Real de la Almudena. The similarities with the St Germain de Pres are perceptible. The curved arches, the gallery behind and some parts of the roof have patterns. It is obvious that those influences were brought to Mexico. Many Mexican churches count with several chapels or altars inside dedicated to different saints. I am glad to see those similarities now and I regret not paying attention before. |
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