Cathedral Rose Window Meaning

Designed by cathedral master artisan rowan lecompte and fabricated by dieter goldkuhle the 26 foot window celebrates the majesty and mystery of creation.

Cathedral rose window meaning.

The term rose window was not used before the 17th century and according to the oxford english dictionary among other authorities comes from the english flower name rose. The name wheel window is often applied to a window divided by simple spokes radiating from a central boss or. Chartres cathedral s rose window best illustrates the canonical façade. Rose window if you ve ever visited a cathedral you might have noticed a dramatic circular stained glass window dominating one of the walls.

Rose window also called wheel window in gothic architecture decorated circular window often glazed with stained glass. This type of window is called a rose window or a wheel. The rose window in the south trancept of the cathedral of notre dame in paris displays signs of the zodiac and scenes from the medieval calendar year as do many other rose windows. Some rose windows are almost simple color designs and the effect of the tracery becomes more important.

For more pictures see st. Scattered examples of decorated circular windows existed in the romanesque period santa maria in pomposa italy 10th century. Vitus cathedral rose window photo gallery top of the page. Only toward the middle of the 12th century however did the idea appear of making a rich decorative motif out of a round window.

These windows were made to tell a story and we ll focus on the north rose window specifically to explain how this is done. It dates to c. It is rather new dating from the 1920s and represents scenes from the biblical creation. 1215 ce and depicts scenes from the last judgement with jesus christ represented as the judge of humanity dominating the central panel.

Installed in 1976 in time for the nave s completion and dedication the creation window starts in the middle where pieces of white glass send thousands of rays of light radiating outward as the petals of a rose. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The cathedral features three rose windows so named because of the outward radiating circular pattern they are built in. Reims cathedral rose window west this south rose window is a modern replacement of the original ones.

The one that you get to see is the installation in 1937. Every detail of the rose windows was carefully planned to give a message to onlookers. The rose window is maybe the most beautiful example of stained glass craft in prague. The west rose window is the largest of the cathedral s three rose windows measuring 15 42 metres in diameter.