What are the differences between Gothic and Baroque architecture? Differences seen from Prague's churches and their messages

[Czech Republic/Prague Travelogue] Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque - Church architecture and the messages hidden within

In this article, as mentioned in the latter part of the previous article "A hidden gem for sightseeing in Prague! I highly recommend the Church of St. Nicholas!", I would like to introduce the differences in church architecture and the messages hidden within them.

Characteristics of the Romanesque style

First, let's look at the Romanesque style, using the Basilica of St. George within Prague Castle as a reference.

The characteristics of the building include small windows and a space enclosed by thick walls.

Because of this, the interior of the church is dimly lit, and a heavy atmosphere drifts through it.

The thick, low-center-of-gravity columns that support the building add even more weight to the church's atmosphere.

As I mentioned before, Christianity only began to see major development in the 4th century AD.

Until then, it had been persecuted, so they did not have large churches.

Therefore, early Christians gathered in small meeting places to hold worship services.

This Romanesque style is also an extension of those meeting places.

It served as a place of worship where Christians could pray together.

Prayer is a solemn act.

That is precisely why the space is designed with such weight.

Then, entering the 13th century, an innovative technology emerged in the architectural world.

That is the Gothic style, like St. Vitus Cathedral.

Characteristics of the Gothic style

The most prominent feature is its high ceiling.

The innovative aspect of this technology is that by pointing the arches of the ceiling, it became possible to create high ceilings without using the heavy walls and columns of the Romanesque style.

And because thick walls were no longer necessary, it became possible to create huge windows.

The thin, vertically rising lines of the pillars give the viewer a light image, as if the stone were soaring up to heaven.

And light of various colors pours down from the stained glass installed in the huge windows.

The Christian church of this era was truly seeking church architecture that served as such a beautiful, light, and fantastic stage.

This is because churches at this time were becoming more than just places for collective worship; they were increasingly serving as places of education and as stages where miracles were performed.

Simply holding worship services was no longer enough to satisfy people's needs.

For the church side as well, the issue was how to effectively convey the words of the "Bible" to people at the time who could not even read.

For that purpose, using paintings and statues was indeed an effective method.

But furthermore, it was considered best for the church architecture itself to embody the teachings of the "Bible".

Also, around this time, the ritual of the Eucharist was being performed by priests, and this was regarded as extremely important.

This is a ritual in which bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus through a miracle of God.

A miracle of God is performed right here, and Christ dwells in the bread and wine before one's eyes.

Such faith was the central teaching of the time.

And the church, too, was seeking a mystical stage worthy of that miracle, rather than a building with the traditional dark and heavy atmosphere.

A church as the "Bible" itself, and a church as a stage for God's miracles.

The two ideals that the church sought.

It was this Gothic architecture, invented in the 13th century, that perfectly embodied them.

Please remember.

The various lights pouring down from the stained glass. It is a beauty like light magic.

This world of fantastic light.

And the structure of the pillars that seem to soar toward the heavens.

The viewer cannot help but look up at the sky.

As a stage for God's miracles, no stage more fitting than this had ever existed before.

And the teachings of Christ teach exactly such miracles.

In this mystical space, people feel the world described in the 'Bible' and realize that they are within that world.

Churches of this time placed more importance on the rituals of priests manifesting God's power in this place than on collective worship by the laity.

The work of the priest as an agent performing God's miracles was valued, and people were led by that priest.

'God's miracle is truly here.

This beautiful magic of light, and this church that makes one look up to the heavens.

God's power will descend upon you as well.

God will surely grant you miracles as well.'

Such teachings are the message given by Gothic architecture.

By the way, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which burned down in a fire the other day, was said to be a representative and one of the greatest masterpieces of this Gothic architecture.

Characteristics of the Baroque style

Finally, let's look at the St. Nicholas Church, a representative of Baroque architecture.

Now, can you tell the difference from the churches we have seen so far?

Please, take a close look.

The hint is that the Baroque style is church architecture that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In other words, it flourished during the period of overwriting against the Protestants.

Did you understand?

Yes, Baroque has an enormous number of statues.

And it is filled with luxurious and flamboyant decorations.

This is a major characteristic.

During this period, the church was completely divided into Catholic and Protestant, and furthermore, the Catholic side had emerged victorious in the war.

However, even so, winning people's hearts back to the Catholic side was no easy task.

And to make matters worse, unrest was spreading even among the believers on the Catholic side.

Therefore, the Catholic Church tried to win people's hearts back through culture.

And the greatest supporter of this was the House of Habsburg.

The Habsburgs were a massive dynasty that ruled over Spain, Germany, and Austria.

Spain, in particular, had brought back vast amounts of gold from the Americas discovered by Columbus.

The House of Habsburg used that gold without hesitation to lavishly decorate the churches.

What do you think? Can you feel that luxury?

Perhaps it could even be said that they look like royal courts.

That can also be said to be the influence of the aristocratic culture of the House of Habsburg.

And as I mentioned with the statues of saints on the Charles Bridge, statues are placed everywhere.

This can also be said to be a characteristic of church architecture from this period.

The message conveyed by these features is as follows.

"We will guide you.

Those who believe in the teachings of God can go to such a wonderful world."

Look at that statue of the saint.

That magnificent figure will surely lead you to salvation.

Do not listen to what the Protestants say.

They say that the Bible is all you need.

But that is a lie.

Is it not self-evident when you look at such a wonderful world?

You just need to follow us.

If you do, you will be saved."

That is what it comes down to.

I have spoken, albeit roughly, about three types of church architecture: Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque.

To summarize their characteristics once more:

Romanesque -> Solid construction, worship, church as a gathering place

Gothic -> High ceilings and thin pillars, large windows, magic of light, church as a stage for miracles

Baroque -> Many statues of saints and luxurious decorations, church as an anti-Protestant statement

Just by knowing this, whenever you visit any church, you can observe it while solving the mystery of what kind of architecture it is and what meaning is embedded within it.

Then, churches that you previously looked at vaguely will suddenly start sending messages to you.

From here, I would like to continue using St. Nicholas Church as a subject to talk about how I actually observed church architecture.

The statues of St. Nicholas Church threw messages at me in a surprising way.

I would be happy if this could help you feel a little more enjoyment when you go to visit churches or temples.

Baroque architecture and St. Nicholas Church in Prague: Thinking about the messages visible from the statues

Now, based on the differences in church architecture we have looked at so far, I would like to talk about how I actually received the message from the church at St. Nicholas Church.

Of course, everything I am about to say is my own subjective view.

Unfortunately, I do not have precise knowledge about each and every statue.

I might say something incorrect.

However, the important thing here is how to look at a church and find a story within it, based on the premise of what Baroque architecture is.

There are two main points I am careful about when I appreciate a church.

Which statue is placed in the center, and how are they arranged?

And the other is to observe what each statue is holding and what they are trying to do.

Just by keeping these two points in mind, the amount of information you get will be much greater than just looking at it vaguely.

Now, let's take a look inside the church right away.

The first thing that caught my attention was the main altar in the front.

The cross of Jesus at the bottom is clearly small.

And the saint above it is clearly larger, designed to catch the eye.

What could it mean to be placed above Jesus himself and depicted as an even larger golden statue?

Perhaps it means that this saint, who has received the power of Jesus, is the very object we should be praying to.

In any case, the size and placement of Jesus and the saint seem to have significant meaning.

Now, let's broaden our view a little from the main altar.

What catches the eye are the four large statues placed two on each side.

If you compare them with the woman reflected in the lower left, I think you can imagine their size.

And I first focused on the figure of the statue on the left.

The figure on the left is likely a high-ranking priest of the church.

One can imagine he is a person of high status from his clothing and headgear.

He is pressing down on a person's chin with a staff.

The person being pressed down has their eyes wide open, and it looks as if they are unable to move.

Perhaps this staff possesses a holy power.

If so, is the person being pressed down by the staff some kind of sinner?

Or perhaps a demon...

Defeating evil not with military force, but with holy power.

This may be showing that church clergy have the power to strike down such evil.

And the statue next to it.

Its appearance is clearly different from the previous statue.

Looking at the hairstyle, it looks more like a nobleman than a church priest.

The object held in hand is clearly not a staff. It looks more like a weapon.

If you look closely, the index finger of the right hand is pointing at the tip of the shining weapon.

It is as if he is saying, "This is the power of God."

And one can feel strength from the entire body.

The way of fighting is clearly different from the high-ranking priest mentioned earlier.

This statue might be a figure like a warrior who protects Christianity.

A priest who suppresses enemies with holy power, versus a warrior who strikes down enemies with his own strength and divine protection.

It is very interesting, as if watching a contrast between magic and physical strength.

Now, let's turn our attention to the two figures on the right.

Unlike the statues on the left, neither of these two is holding a weapon.
Now, what exactly are these two doing?

Let's start with the statue in the foreground.

This statue is likely also a member of the clergy. He doesn't look that old, but given his headgear and attire, it wouldn't be surprising if he held a high rank.

His expression is dignified. He looks very intelligent.

In his right hand, he holds what appears to be a large book, perhaps a Bible.

He holds his left hand up, pointing toward the heavens, while his gaze is directed at the angel at his feet.

It is as if he is gently guiding a small child, saying, 'Come here.'

Next, let's look at what the statue next to him looks like.

Interestingly, this statue is also not wearing any headgear.

However, unlike the noble-like hairstyle of the previous one, this figure looks so different that you wouldn't even know he was a member of the church.

In his raised right arm, he firmly grips the cross of Jesus.

His left hand appears to be pointing toward the figure of Jesus.

What could this statue be trying to say?

The key to this likely lies with the young man beside him.

He is likely holding a Bible.

It looks like a scene where he has been startled into wide-eyed realization by the saint's words.

The right hand placed on the young man's chest seems to express that surprise.

Returning to the basics of Baroque architecture, Baroque was anti-Protestant.

Here, I imagine, could this be it?

This young man was on the verge of being swept away by the Protestant teaching that only the Bible is important.

Perhaps this saint is gently pointing out his error and teaching him to return to Jesus...

And there is something that surprised me as I gazed intently at this statue.

When I looked at it up close, it seemed as if the corners of his mouth were turned up just a little.

Surely the expression must look a little different depending on the angle from which you view it.

And I also feel the kindness in his gaze.

A teacher who gently instructs and leads one to the right path.

That was the impression I felt from this statue.

Now, having looked closely at each statue one by one, let us look at the whole again.

The figure of the small Jesus in the center, surrounded by huge statues of saints.

I feel as if that power radiates from the center, which is Jesus, and is being poured into each of the saints.

And the two statues on the left represent the church's holy power to strike down evil,

while the two on the right perhaps represent the power of these statues as teachers trying to lead lost people to the right path.

That is what came to my mind and what I thought about as I gazed intently at this church.

Some people might notice the gorgeous decorations around them more than the statues of the saints, and others might be drawn to the paintings on the ceiling.

Everyone has a different starting point.

However, by being conscious of why they were made that way, the way you see them changes completely. Because of that, things that were not visible before might reveal themselves.

When it becomes like this, you can enjoy the church as if you were solving a mystery.

The reason I came to love this church is that I found a favorite statue as an extension of that mystery-solving.

The atmosphere of the church is also wonderful.

The high level of Catholic culture is truly astonishing.

Why not try observing various things with the feeling of solving a mystery when visiting temples in Japan as well?

Continued

*Main reference materials for this article are here
Shinkyo Shuppansha, Justo González"History of Christianity"
Gendaishokan, Hideto Satsuma"Heretics of Prague: The Reformation as Seen in the Hussites of Medieval Czech"
Kodansha Hiroshi Emura"The Habsburgs"
Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Hiroshi Emura"Charles V: The Glorious Days of the Habsburgs"
Heibonsha Masumi Ishinabe"Rome of the Popes"

Also, for those interested in Baroque art, the following reference books are recommended.
Shogakukan, Shuji Takashina"Light and Shadow of the Baroque"
Yoshikawa Kobunkan, Masumi Ishinabe"Bernini: The Great Star of Baroque Art"

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