Architecture: religious buildings Books

Book SynopsisThe history of burial in Edinburgh and the cityâs graveyards and cemeteries. This fascinating portrait of life and death in Edinburgh over the centuries will appeal to both residents and visitors to the Scottish capital.

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Book SynopsisMaster sculptor Auguste Rodin’s illuminating writings on cathedrals in France are especially relevant and significant following the recent fire at Notre Dame.In this volume, the writer and Rodin scholar Rachel Corbett selects excerpts from the famous sculptor’s book Cathedrals of France, first published in 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I. Cathedrals were central to the way Rodin thought about his art: he saw them as visual metaphors for the human figure, among the finest examples of craftsmanship known to modern man, and as a model for how to live and work—slowly, brick by brick.Here, Corbett takes the fire at Notre Dame and the concerns over its restoration as an entry point in an exploration of Rodin’s cathedrals. Rodin adamantly opposed restoration, as he felt it often did more damage than the original injury. (Many of the cathedrals that Rodin looks at in his texts were, in fact, bombed during the war.) But while he rails against various restoration efforts as evidence that “we are letting our cathedrals die,” the book, with its tenderly rendered sketches and written portraits, is itself an attempt to preserve these cathedrals. The selection of texts in this volume is a reminder—as is the tragedy of Notre Dame—of why we ought to appreciate these feats of architecture, whether or not they are still standing today.

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Book SynopsisIn the 15th century a new home was built for the priceless holy relics taken from Jerusalem centuries before - a building that, to the initiated, would explain everything about what had gone before and a structure that would be a recreation of the Herodian Temple on the Mount in Jerusalem. This is Rosslyn Chapel and here are its secrets.

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Book SynopsisThe Ṭämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka focuses on one distinctive Buddhist architectural practice from pre-modern Sri Lanka – the construction of Buddha image-houses on elevated wooden platforms supported by stone pillars. As a centre of Buddhism, Sri Lanka has a rich tradition of erecting Buddha image-houses, the origin of which dates to the fifth century. Yet, the ṭämpiṭavihāra tradition only existed from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The ṭämpiṭavihāra is an exceptional type of image-house, not only for its specific timeframe and unique construction technology, but also for its complex architectural conception of the Buddhist worldview and soteriology. This book examines the significant aspects of ṭämpiṭavihāra architecture and documents some of the distinctive examples of ṭämpiṭavihāra with an analysis of their architectural design and symbolic content.Trade Review‘This book, a product of 20-years of journey to experience and reveal the spirit of place and distinctiveness of built structure, is a landmark presenting the continuity of history since late medieval period, as illustrated by the distinct shrines built on stone pillars, called ṭämpiṭavihāra. I am sure this will open new avenues for further research.’ — Prof. Rana P.B. Singh, President- Asian Cultural Landscape Association‘The Tämpiṭavihāras of Sri Lanka makes an invaluable addition to literature on regional Buddhist religious literature. Its excellent documentation, analysis and presentation of architecture, materials and methods of construction, artistic embellishments as well as vernacular nuances and terminologies of Tämpiṭavihāras, along with the Brikshya-chaitya and the Stupa, raises the book to a laudable act of conservation. I find its creative use of classroom and field learning experiences of students and teachers refreshing, instructive and worth emulating.’ — Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, Lumbini College of Buddhism and Himalayan Studies, Lumbini Buddhist University‘The authors provide a systematic and in-depth introduction to Buddhism's history and the tradition of Buddhist heritage in Sri Lanka. The book reveals the hidden treasure of Sri Lankan architecture that was previously understudied or less known. I applaud this book's publication as a valuable addition to the repository of knowledge of Asian architecture. It is indeed an important step to transform Asia from a knowledge consumer into a knowledge producer and a substantial contribution to Architectural discourse in general.’ —Dr Johannes Widodo, Director of Graduate Programs in Architectural Conservation, National University of SingaporeTable of ContentsIllustrations; Acknowledgements; Foreword by Amos Rapoport; 1 Introduction; Part I The Ṭämpiṭavihāra Tradition; Chapter 1 The Tradition of Buddha Image-Houses in Sri Lanka; Chapter 2 The Ṭämpiṭavihāra Design; Chapter 3 The Evolution of Ṭämpiṭavihāras and Their Variations; Conclusion; Part II Illustrations of Selected Ṭämpiṭavihāras; Introduction; Central Province; North Central Province; North Western (Vayamba) Province; Sabaragamuva Province; Southern Province; Ūva Province; Western Province; Bibliography; Appendix: A List of Ṭämpiṭavihāras in Sri Lanka; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis lavishly illustrated volume presents a comprehensive architectural study of 87 individual temples and sanctuaries built in the Roman East between the end of the 1st century BCE and the end of the 3rd century CE, within a broad region encompassing the modern states of Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. Religious architecture gave faithful expression to the complexity of the Roman East and to its multiplicity of traditions pertaining to ethnic and religious aspects as well as to the powerful influence of Imperial Rome. The source of this power lay in the uniformity of the architectural language, the inventory of forms, the choice of styles and the spatial layout of the buildings. Thus, while temples have an eclectic character, there is an underlying unity of form comprising the podium, the stairway between the terminating walls (antae) and the columns along the entrance front - in other words, the axiality, frontality and symmetry of the temple as viewed from outside.The temples and sanctuaries studied in this volume demonstrate individual nuances of plan, spatial design, location in the sanctuary and interrelations with the immediate vicinity but can be divided into two main categories: Vitruvian temples (derived from Hellenistic-Roman architecture) and Non-Vitruvian temples (those with plans and spatial designs that cannot be analysed according to architectural criteria such as those defined by Vitruvius). The individual descriptions presented focus solely upon the analysis of the external and internal space of the temples of all types and do not involve any cultural or ethnic discussion.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I Chapter 1: Temples in the Roman East: Typological Analysis Vitruvian Temples Non-Vitruvian Temples Nabataean Temples Chapter 2: Sanctuaries in the Roman East: Typological Analysis Urban Sanctuaries Extra-Urban Sanctuaries Part II Corpus of Temples and Sanctuaries Part III Selected Terms in Architecture Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisRushen Abbey, now owned and managed by Manx National Heritage, was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1134 and suppressed in 1540. It was the most important religious institution on the Isle of Man wielding significant secular power as well as ecclesiastical authority. Its location in the middle of the Irish Sea and its political connections made it one of the most influential houses in western Britain and Ireland.The first known excavations were carried out in the late 1890s by Deemster Gill, one of the most senior law officers on the island. They were followed in 1912 and again in 1926 by more extensive investigations of parts of the east range the north transept of the church by William Cubbon then owner of the site. The modern study of the site began in 1978 and 1979 with excavations of the presbytery and both transepts by Dr Lawrence Butler, who followed them in 1988 and 1989 with a complete exploration of the east range. In between these two programmes of work Dr Larch Garrad of the Manx Museum carried out an important rescue excavation to the east of the church in 1984, locating a new chapel, part of the monastic cemetery and a charnel pit.Under threat of development for a hotel complex the site was purchased by the Manx Government in 1998 and the Centre for Manx Studies, University of Liverpool was asked to carry out exploratory excavations in the first place, followed by more extensive investigations of a number of areas of the site. These were carried out each year from 1998 to 2008 and succeeded in defining the plan of the church and claustral buildings together with parts of the western courtyard. In addition, to the south of the Cistercian complex an already disturbed early medieval cemetery was investigated. Alongside the excavations, medieval documentary sources were reviewed, and extensive fieldwork was carried out on the abbey's lands throughout the island.This book aims to provide a synthesis of all the available evidence for Rushen Abbey under one cover. Given the numbers of excavations, their complexity and the richness of finds, the detailed evidence on which this overview text is based is provided by a set of 20 online reports.

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Book SynopsisDurham Cathedral was completed nearly 900 years ago, after 40 years of construction. Inevitably it has suffered from the effects of time: physical erosion, from the weather and increasing pollution on stone that was never of the best quality, and cultural erosion, the impact of secular and religious changes – not least the depredations of clerics, improvers, and administrators. Nevertheless, it remains: the stones speak and provide the story of themselves. Building Durham Cathedral explores this magnificent structure by questioning its architectural plans and stonework. As there have been minimal additions we catch sight of it as the Norman builders intended. Remarkably, a few early documents and the stonework itself allow us to glimpse its beginnings and some of the personalities involved. Questions remain, but there may even be a clue to the identity of its original master mason.Trade Review“Explores this magnificent structure by examining its architectural plans and stonework, revealing surprising insights into one of Britain’s best-loved cathedrals." * Methodist Recorder *

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Book SynopsisA history and tour of this exceptionally beautiful designed landscape in North Yorkshire. Dubbed "the Wonder of the North" in 1732, the National Trust's Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Estate (now a World Heritage Site) encompasses one of the largest, most magnificent and beautiful designed landscapes ever created. This richly illustrated volume charts the landscape's history from the first arrival of prehistoric hunters, via medieval monasticism, the Dissolution of the monasteries, eighteenth-century aestheticism and scandal, and the first ages of mass tourism, to the present day. At the heart of the story lies the rise and fall of England's largest Cistercian monastery and how that shaped the origins of the Aislabie family's breathtaking gardens. Their Studley Royalwas at the forefront of every emergent landscape gardening fashion between 1670 and 1800. The book also describes the dramatic history of the family and the monumental scale of their achievements in this field, extending over many dozens of square miles of North Yorkshire - far beyond the limits of the garden as it is seen today (reduced to serve the more limited needs of Victorian day-trippers). The Wonder of the North brings social and garden history together with archaeology to reveal Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal - too often seen as "just" a ruined medieval monastery - as one of the world's greatest artistic creations. Mark Newman has been the National Trust's archaeological adviser for Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal estate since 1988. He was also resident there, living in Fountains Hall from 1988-1995.Trade Review[A] uniquely complete and beautiful book...The book is produced to the very high standards which we expect of Boydell. * NORTHERN HISTORY *A fascinating story, not only of a garden and the historical events that affected its development, but of the people who created it. It is also a beautifully produced book - thoughtfully laid out in manageable chapters that take you through the history of this World Heritage site..Anyone interested in garden history will not be disappointed. * ENGLISH GARDEN *This is a sumptuous volume that does justice to a place whose splendour has been acknowledged by its designation as a World Heritage Site. * FOLLIES MAGAZINE *This thorough and illuminating history...is a welcome addition to the history of the English landscape garden. * COUNTRY LIFE *Table of ContentsPreface: The 'Wonder of the North' Priming the Canvas: Natural and Man-Made Landscapes Before 1132 Utility and Sanctity: Fountains Abbey and its Surroundings 1132-1540 From Dissolution to Resurrection: The Manors of Fountains and Studley, 1539-1667 Founding a Dynasty: The Emergence of Studley Royal Emerging Wonders: The Unfolding of a Designed Landscape, 1723-42 Filling the Landscape: William Aislabie at Studley, 1742-67 Beyond Studley's Domain: Kirkby Fleetham, Hackfall, Laver Banks and Fountains Estates Combined: Fountains and Studley, 1768-81 Arcadia Declining: The Estate in the Earlier Nineteenth Century A Place of Popular Resort: The Rising Tide of Visitors Relicts of Our Own Days Conclusion: A Future for Studley Royal

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Book SynopsisOrkney's Italian Chapel was built by Italian POWs held on the island during the Second World War. In the sixty-five years since it was built it has become an enduring symbol of peace and hope around the world. The story of who built the chapel and how it came into existence and survived against all the odds is both fascinating and inspiring. Author Philip Paris's extensive research into the creation of the Italian Chapel has uncovered many new facts, and this comprehensive new book is the definitive account of the chapel and those who built it. It is a book that has waited to be written for sixty-five years.

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive overview provides the first detailed account of the phenomenon of the Arts & Crafts church, examining 150 of the finest examples, mostly built between 1884 and 1918 in England, Scotland, and Wales. Arts & Crafts studies tend to focus on houses and furniture; churches were no longer central to architects' practice. A handful of well-known churches have been written about extensively, but these famous examples obscure the existence of scores of churches that express Arts & Crafts ideas every bit as vividly. They also are rarely set alongside each other, nor seen within the wider context of not only how they were built, but why. These churches are visually arresting, with often quaint, far-fetched, or capricious exteriors. Internally, they often contain beautiful elements, including reredoses, pulpits, stained glass, and altars. They also tell a fascinating story about religion as Britain entered the age of modernity. While the architects were often religiously skeptical, they were still committed to making beauty. Author Alec Hamilton sets out the social and political context in which these churches were designed and constructed in the introductory section. The book is then divided into regional sections. Each section is headed by a short essay highlighting key architects and descriptions of notable churches within each region.Trade Review'So pleasantly written, and so comprehensively and beautifully illustrated, that it will surely attract many new enthusiasts.' – The Victorian Web'A beautifully written and designed gazetteer, illustrated in colour throughout with the author’s own excellent photographs, it provides detailed information, lively anecdotes and firm opinions in equal measure.' - Spectator, 'Books of the Year''This book is a truly major contribution to the study of Victorian and Edwardian church architecture and a wonderful travelling companion.' - Ken Powell, The Victorian magazine'beautifully illustrated' - Ayla Lepine, Church Times'an excellent introduction' – Pre-Raphaelite ReviewTable of ContentsWhat is an Arts & Crafts church? Architecture as Art. Religion in an age of irreligion. The cultural context. Regional Sections: The West Country; The South; The South East; London (and Middlesex); Home Counties; The Marches; The West Midlands; The East Midlands; The East of England; The North West; Yorkshire; North of England; Wales; Scotland. Key figures include J.D. and E.H. Sedding, Norman Shaw, E.S. Prior, W.R. Lethaby, Robert Weir Schultz, Sidney Barnsley, Henry Wilson, W.D. Caroee, Robert Lorimer. Local Heroes: Edgar Wood, Charles Ponting, Percy Currey, W.J. Hale, Herbert Luck North, W.G. Rowan, John Douglas, Richard Bassnett Preston. Artistic innovators: Heywood Sumner, Phoebe Anna Traquair, Sarah Losh, Mary Seton Watts, the Pinwills, the Ropes, the Bromsgrove Guild. Also sections on: Birmingham and Byzantium; Arts & Crafts Oxford; the Quakers; Unitarians on Merseyside; the self-built, the hand-made and local grown. Appendices

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Book SynopsisThis book offers the first critical account of Studio Aalto’s religious modern architecture. Aalto’s ecclesiastical oeuvre is viewed as an evocative subgenre of the practice's portfolio, but its relationship to religion has eluded enquiry. Where previously discussed, the longstanding collaboration between Aalto and the Church has been put down to reciprocal expediency, and the buildings perceived as spatially and structurally stirring experiments, yet devoid of religious meanings or implications. The idiosyncratic plasticity of the Church of the Three Crosses (1955–58) in Imatra, Finland—the most famous and architecturally impressive of Aalto’s churches—is cited as ultimate evidence of Aalto’s exploitation of the religious brief for the creation of a 'sculptural irrationality'. This book challenges the assumed autonomy of Studio Aalto’s ecclesiastical oeuvre from religion. Analysing designs for churches, parish centres, funerary chapels and cemeteries in Finland, Denmark, Germany and Italy, the book shows that Aalto’s engagement with religion transcended artistic opportunism. The book addresses Aalto’s sacred oeuvre in its entirety, yet pays particular attention to the Church of the Three Crosses, broadly considered the apotheosis of Aalto’s sacred career. Through a detailed analysis of the religious actors and factors that shaped the design and construction of Aalto’s sacred works—from local parish building committees to bishops, and from liturgical reform movements to post-war debates on sacred art—this book shows that religious influences were neither extrinsic nor peripheral to Aalto’s modernism, but intrinsic and intimately related to it. The study of previously uncovered primary archival materials establishes that Aalto’s engagement with the Church was a consciously and productively symbiotic partnership which drew from shared interests and values, yet which also encompassed compromise and conflict. The resultant buildings neither glorify nor deny institutional religion — instead, this book argues, they challenge rigid dogmatism in religion as much as in modern architecture.Trade Review'While the book travels deep into specifically Finnish territory, the questions it raises have strongly universal dimensions for all modern architecture.' - Timothy Alouani-Roby, IndesignTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. Building Country and Community. 2. The City and the Sacred. 3. Making a Modern Church. 4. Resisting Reform. 5. Modernist Milieux of Religion. 6. Priestly Patronage. 7. The Gift of Doubt. 8. Conclusions

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Book SynopsisChurches are Britain’s most completely surviving class of historic monument. They are also usually the oldest buildings within their settlements. As such, these structures, from parish church to cathedral, from medieval to Georgian, are a huge architectural and archaeological resource. The last couple of decades have witnessed an unprecedented upsurge of public interest in the historic environment, and the growth of the tourism and ‘heritage’ industries has focused new attention on churches. While some visitors to churches, cathedrals and monastic ruins seem content to wander around with little or no understanding of what they are looking at, many have an interest in learning about the history or usage of the building. How far does it go back? Where is the earliest part of the building? Warwick Rodwell discusses the archaeological techniques that can attempt to answer such questions. In this lavishly illustrated, informative guide, Professor Rodwell explores the buildings themselves, their component parts, from foundations to finials, their sites, furnishings, fixtures and fittings, as well as churchyards and monuments.

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Book SynopsisThis latest book by Tarquin Blake documents eighty abandoned Church of Ireland churches, preserving a record of fragile religious ruins. Their history, dating back to early Christianity in Ireland, paints a stark portrait of a Protestant aristocracy and a Catholic majority. Under the 1801 Act of Union, the Church of Ireland was united with the Church of England. Following this about GBP1 million (100 million in today's money) was spent building over 700 Protestant churches. The Church of Ireland was the Established Church and Protestantism the official religion. Most Irish resented the Church of Ireland, a minority church controlled by Englishmen, unsympathetic and friends of the landlords. As Protestant congregations declined in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries an attempt was made to keep churches open by uniting parishes. Eventually non-existent congregations forced closure of many churches. Valuables were removed, churches deconsecrated and abandoned. Blake's haunting images of crumbling ruins and history of the churches tell another fascinating story of troubled times.

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Book SynopsisSt Aidan of Lindisfarne established a monastery at ‘Mailros’ in the 7th century – a place of solitude and contemplation in the Border hills. Five centuries later, Cistercian monks settled nearby and built Melrose Abbey, inspired by the legacy of the early saints. Their austere and simple monastery would grow to become one of the wealthiest abbeys in medieval Scotland. Its magnificent buildings bear witness to almost 1,000 years of work, prayer and worship. Today, Melrose Abbey sits in a busy town. Within a radius of just a few miles lie the ruins of the three other great Border abbeys – Kelso, Jedburgh and Dryburgh. Together they form the greatest concentration of medieval religious houses in Scotland.

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Book SynopsisFollowing on from 100 Buildings 100 Years and 100 Houses 100 Years, this book illustrates and describes 100 churches and chapels built in the UK since 1914, charting the development of buildings for worship. In this period concrete and steel gave a new freedom to construction, while new ideas about how congregations could participate in services changed assumptions about traditional layouts, bringing celebrants and people closer together. The century saw dynamic churches in dramatic shapes of all sizes thanks to ambitious engineering, and brilliant colour from new forms of stained glass, murals and sculpture. Architects whose work is included here range from Basil Spence and Edward Maufe, designers of major cathedrals, to the radical Gillespie, Kidd and Coia whose brutalist seminary lies abandoned near Dumbarton. The book provides biographies of major designers; articles on glass, fittings, and on the synagogues, mosques and temples that play an intrinsic and important part in worship in Britain today. Contributors include architectural historians Elain Harwood, Alan Powers and Clare Price. Beautiful photography throughout showcases the very best of British church design, whether it is the minimal symmetry of a timber-framed altar, or light streaming in through a multi-coloured stained glass panel.Trade Review'An entrancing book that deserves a wide readership' -- Martin Cherry, * AMS Journal *'An enlightening introduction to twentieth-century church architecture' * EASA Journal (The Journal of the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association) *'A [...] subtle and scholarly investigation into the history of British church building in the modern era... brings an eccentric cast of ecclesiastical architects to life.' * The Guardian *'A compulsive page turner' -- Marcus Binney * Country Life *'If you thought that all church architecture of note belongs to the distant past, here is a revelation.' * Best of British *

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Book SynopsisChurch History in Leicestershire charts the story of religion in England from pre-Christian times to the twentieth century, viewed through events and the eyes and experiences of people in Leicestershire. Weaving together ecclesiastical, political and social strands it chronicles the tortuous tale of religion, churches and the people who worshipped there. Where did churches and chapels come from; who built them, when and why? What significance lies in their looks and names? What made people so devoted to them? Why do they still exist? The book covers sweeping religious and political movements, potentates of church and state, but centre-stage are the clergy, their parishioners, churches and chapels: how they thrived or perished, weathered plague and invasions, grappled with their consciences during the Reformation and Civil Wars, founded powerful new denominations and championed social reform when Leicester(shire) became a hub of Christian Socialism and Secularism. Closing sections reflect on the church’s past and future, as it faces debates as fundamental as any previously encountered.

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Book SynopsisOn September 29 and 30 1941 more than 33,000 Jewish men, women, and children were murdered in Babyn Yar, a gorge near Kiev. This event constituted the largest single massacre perpetrated by German troops against Jews during World War II. In commemoration, a synagogue designed in the shape of a book will open on the same site in 2021. When opened, the book building’s inner space and its furnishings unfold. This impressive movable structure was designed by Manuel Herz, whose studio runs offices in Basel and Cologne. This book for the first time shows the Babyn Yar synagogue captured in photographs by celebrated architectural photographer Iwan Baan, as well as through plans and model photos. Yet the core part of the book tells the story of the Jewish people and of Judaism through the medium of space: the Jewish concept of space from biblical times to the present. Space as a leitmotif is understood in broad terms here: territorially, architecturally, psychologically, theologically, intellectually, as well as pertaining to the persecution of the Jewish people. Rather than in an abstract treatise, this story is told through 135 brief and engaging texts by Robert Jan van Pelt, a leading Holocaust researcher and professor of architecture. Each of these reflections is illustrated with drawings and watercolours by New York-based artist Mark Podwal, who is known for his illustration of Elie Wiesel’s works.Table of ContentsOn Reading Between the Lines 9 As to Two Jewish Spaces 12 Prologue: On Jewish Habitations15 An Atlas of Jewish Space 25 Coda—and a New Beginning 295 Bibliography & References 319 Acknowledgments 329 Index 333

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Book SynopsisWhat buried secret lies beneath the stones of one of England's greatest former churches and shrines, the Benedictine Abbey of Bury St Edmunds? The search for the final resting place of King Edmund has led to this site, beneath which Francis Young argues the lost king''s remains are waiting to be found. Edmund: In Search of England''s Lost King explores the history of the martyred monarch of East Anglia and England''s first patron saint, showing how he became a pivotal figure around whom Saxons, Danes and Normans all rallied. Young also examines Edmund''s legacy in the centuries since his death at the hands of marauding Vikings in the 9th century. In doing so, this fascinating book points to the imminent rediscovery of the ruler who created England.Trade ReviewSimultaneously a sophisticated work of history, a compelling detective story and a moving meditation on what it is to be English, this is a fascinating and wonderful book. -- Tom HollandThe author's enthusiasm for his subject, and for the quest to find the mortal remains of St. Edmund, everywhere shines through. Authoritative and reliable, this volume is at the same time an enjoyable and engaging read. -- John Ashdown-Hill, MBETable of ContentsPreface List of Illustrations Abbreviations Chronology Introduction 1. Angelcynn: Edmund’s People 2. Death of a King 3. Invincible Martyr: The Early Cult of Edmund, 869-1066 4. ‘Patron of all England’: Edmund in the Medieval World, 1066-1539 5. A Lost King: Edmund since the Reformation Conclusion: Finding Edmund? Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Victorians built tens of thousands of churches in the hundred years between 1800 and 1900. Wherever you might be in the English-speaking world, you will be close to a Victorian built or remodelled ecclesiastical building. Contemporary experience of church buildings is almost entirely down to the zeal of Victorians such as John Henry Newman, Henry Wilberforce and Augustus Pugin, and their ideas about the role of architecture in our spiritual life and well-being. In Unlocking the Church, William Whyte explores a forgotten revolution in social and architectural history and in the history of the Church. He details the architectural and theological debates of the day, explaining how the Tractarians of Oxford and the Ecclesiologists of Cambridge were embroiled in the aesthetics of architecture, and how the Victorians profoundly changed the ways in which buildings were understood and experienced. No longer mere receptacles for worship, churches became active agents in their own rights, caTrade ReviewScholarly, witty and thought-provoking. * Stella Fletcher, The Times Literary Supplement *Unlocking the Church of St Martin-within-Ludgate, daily, is an evocative experience...This is a gem of a book and should be read by the broadest of audiences, and certainly well beyond the sheltered halls of the academy. * Stephen Platten, Ludgate, London, Theology *Unlocking the Church is an impressive work of historical scholarship, but it is remarkable as well for its serious consideration of a contemporary dilemma that crosses sociological boundaries. * KevinJ. Gardner, Baylor University, Anglican and Episcopal History *Unlocking the Church deserves to be considered not only by historians of church buildings, but more widely as a refreshing model of architectural history writing that dispenses with dry technicalities and connoisseurship in favour of an engaging and lucidly historical approach. * Robert Proctor, Architectural History *In this engaging, eloquently written book, the distinguished historian William Whyte explores the symbolism and sacred space that informed the large-scale movement of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain. * Stewart Brown, The Expository Times *Impeccably researched, thoroughly explored, and expertly argued... the depth of the research and attention to detail make Unlocking the Church an invaluable resource. * Derek R. Davenport, Reviews in Religion and Theology *With a dazzling and witty range of reference to the literature of Victorian religion, be it sermons, controversial pamphlets or three-decker novels , [Whyte] retells the story of the rebirth of the church building as sacred object from J.H. Newmans St Mary, Littlemore, onwards. * Andrew Saint, Burlington Magazine *Whyte is a genial guide and writes with wit and humour... One of the great virtues of the book is that it encourages further reflection... We may not look for answers in the same place as the Victorians did, but we may at least now learn from them, thanks to this book, to face the challenge with the same seriousness of purpose. * Colin Thompson, Oxford Magazine *A thoroughly engrossing book [which cites] a wonderful range of sermons, clerical literature and polemical writing. * Simon Bradley, History Today *I found Whyte's appreciation of the sight-lines and acoustics necessary in a preaching house and explanations of the Victorian rediscovery of the symbolism of mediaeval churches both fascinating and useful. His perspectives reach back before Victorian times and project forward to the challenge and questions of church design today. * The Rev John D Walker, Methodist Recorder *There is much to learn and enjoy in this book. * Peter Howell, Art Newspaper *Fascinating and meticulously-researched. * Andrew Kleissner, Baptist Times *A very important book that deserves careful consideration. * Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper *An eloquent plea for an understanding of the past through built fabric ... William Whyte has raised important issues, with much on which to ponder regarding the future of ecclesiastical buildings. * James Stevens Curl, Times Higher Education *A revealing way of looking at Victorian churches... Unlocking the Church is a necessary corrective to the tendency to look at Victorian churches in purely architectural terms. * Philip Wilkinson, English Buildings *This accessible page-turner... is essential reading for anyone who ever looked at a Victorian spire and wondered how it got there, or what it meant to those who paid for it, and the worshippers across a century and a half who have called it their spiritual home. * Ayla Lepine, Church Times *Masterful... fascinating and useful. * Methodist Recorder *The polymathic verve and spry wit of William Whytes Unlocking the Church: The lost secrets of Victorian space (Oxford) is an exemplary model of a short, comprehensible history covering diverse, delicate and complex themes. * Times Literary Supplement, TLS Books of the Year 2017 *Alarmingly learned and constantly entertaining. * Peter Mullen, Catholic Herald *A country mile distant from the heavy prose of the Victorian churchmen, Whyte writes nimbly and wittily about the resacralisation of Britain through the vast church building of the 19th century. * Oxford Today *Whyte does an excellent job of bringing to the fore the disproportionate focus that today's architectural historians (much like Victorian antiquaries) place on form rather than religious function. * Kristi W. Bain, Marginalia Review *This is an engaging book, written in a lively, accessible and sometimes humorous way.This beautifully written book is an erudite yet very accessible and entertaining study of the relationship between Victorian church architecture and faith. The Victorians built and restored tens of thousands of churches. Understanding more about them and, through them, the faith that inspired them, is to gain invaluable insights into our national history and identity. This book enables just that. * The Rt Reverend Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester *In this erudite, engaging and witty book, William Whyte gives us a brilliantly original account of how the Victorians profoundly reshaped church buildings and their use, and demonstrates how much the Victorians continue to influence our ideas about churches today - often in surprising ways. * Jane Shaw, Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University *You will never look at your local church in the same way again. With an eye for the telling detail, William Whyte has become a master at reading church buildings. Elegantly written, it must be impossible to read this book without pleasure or profit. * Canon Dr Giles Fraser *Table of ContentsPreface Contents List of Illustrations Introduction 1: Seeing 2: Feeling 3: Visiting 4: Analysing 5: Revisiting Afterword: Seeing for Yourself Index

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Book SynopsisA small church nestling deep in the countryside is instantly evocative. Why is it there at all? Whom does it serve? This companion volume to the author''s successful titles on the smallest churches of Wales and England is a county-by-county guide to the smallest gems of Scottish ecclesiastical architecture. John Kinross provides the reader with descriptions of over 50 of the country''s loveliest and most interesting churches and chapels, many of which have a fascinating history and their own unique features. These buildings deserve our attention and further study, and the book offers maps and directions on how to find these churches for those inspired to seek them out.

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Book SynopsisThis book contains the first published results of Schwaller''s 12 years of research at the temple of Luxor and its implications for interpreting the symbolic and mathematical processes of the Egyptians through their sacred architecture.Table of ContentsThe Temple in Man Sacred Architecture and the Perfect Man Translator's Foreword Preface Introduction Definitions Chapter I. A Hypothesis and It's Evolution Chapter II. Significance of the Crown of the Skull Chapter III. Reflections on a Philosophy of Measure Chapter IV. The Plan Chapter V. Orientation Chapter VI. The Temple in Man Chapter VII. The Crossing: Egyptian Mentality Chapter VIII. The Egyptian Canon for a Standing Man Conclusions

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Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of Derbyshireâs historic churches, will be of interest to all those who live in or are visiting this attractive county in England.

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Book SynopsisFormer Archdeacon of London David Meara celebrates the beautiful churches designed by architect Nicholas Hawksmoor.

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Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage pursued by Islamist groups like ISIS, many observers have erroneously come to associate Islamic doctrine and practice with such acts. This book explores the diverse ways Muslims have engaged with the material legacies of ancient and pre-Islamic societies, as well as how Islam’s own heritage has been framed and experienced over time. This is a new collection of articles previously available in issues of the International Journal of Islamic Architecture. The tragically familiar spectacles of cultural heritage destruction performed by the Islamic State group (ISIS) in Syria and Iraq are frequently presented as barbaric, baffling, and far outside the bounds of what are imagined to be normative, 'civilized' uses of the past. Often superficially explained as an attempt to stamp out idolatry or as a fundamentalist desire to revive and enforce a return to a purified monotheism, analysis of these spectacles of heritage violence posits two things: that there is, fact, an 'Islamic' manner of imagining the past – its architectural manifestations, its traces and localities – and that actions carried out at these localities, whether constructive or destructive, have moral or ethical consequences for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. In this reading, the iconoclastic actions of ISIS and similar groups, for example the Taliban or the Wahhabi monarchy in Saudi Arabia, are represented as one, albeit extreme, manifestation of an assumedly pervasive and historically on-going Islamic antipathy toward images and pre-contemporary holy localities in particular, and, more broadly, toward the idea of heritage and the uses to which it has been put by modern nationalism. But long before the emergence of ISIS and other so-called Islamist iconoclasts, and perhaps as early as the rise of Islam itself, Muslims imagined Islamic and pre-Islamic antiquity and its localities in myriad ways: as sites of memory, spaces of healing, or places imbued with didactic, historical, and moral power. Ancient statuary were deployed as talismans, paintings were interpreted to foretell and reify the coming of Islam, and temples of ancient gods and churches devoted to holy saints were converted into mosques in ways that preserved their original meaning and, sometimes, even their architectural ornament and fabric. Often, such localities were valued simply as places that elicited a sense of awe and wonder, or of reflection on the present relevance of history and the greatness of past empires, a theme so prevalent it created distinct genres of Arabic and Persian literature (aja’ib, fada’il). Sites like Ctesiphon, the ancient capital of the Zoroastrian Sasanians, or the Temple Mount, where the Jewish temple had stood, were embraced by early companions of the Prophet Muhammad and incorporated into Islamic notions of the self. Furthermore, various Islamic interpretive communities as well as Jews and Christians often shared holy places and had similar haptic, sensorial, and ritual connections that enabled them to imagine place in similar ways. These engagements were often more dynamic and purposeful than conventional scholarly notions of 'influence' and 'transmission' can account for. And yet, Muslims also sometimes destroyed ancient places or powerfully reimagined them to serve their own purposes, as for example in the aftermath of the Crusader presence in the Holy Land or in the destruction, reuse and rebuilding of ancient Buddhist and Hindu sites in the Eastern Islamic lands and South Asia. This volume presents thirteen essays by leading scholars that address the issue of Islamic interest in the material past of the ancient and Islamic world, with essays examining attitudes about antiquarianism in the Islamic world from medieval times to the present. Main readership will be among scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, researchers, educators and academic libraries working or studying in the fields of the ancient world, antiquities, heritage and the Islamic world.Trade Review'Imagining Antiquity in Islamic Societies makes for an interesting probe into the often complicated relationship between Islam’s nascent sense of self and its precursors as well as contemporary societies and cultures. Framed around the themes of faḍā’il (virtues) and ʿajā’ib (wonders), the authors explore Islamic responses to antiquity: its physical ruins, the incorporation of spolia into its new occupier’s architecture, the thorny issue of heritage from a historic perspective and bringing it up to the present and covering Abbasid Iraq, Yemen, Islamic India, Ottoman Greece, Palestine and Tunisia.' -- Cleo Cantone, The Muslim World Book ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction: Imagining Localities of Antiquity in Islamic Societies – Stephennie Mulder PART 1: Imagining Antiquity in Medieval Islam 1. ‘Return to Origin Is Non-existence’: Al-Mada’in and Perceptions of Ruins in Abbasid Iraq – Sarah Cresap Johnson 2. Medieval Reports of the Preservation and Looting of Pre-Islamic Burials in South Arabia – Daniel Mahoney 3. The Wisdom to Wonder: Ajā’ib and the Pillars of Islamic India – Santhi Kavuri-Bauer PART 2: Imagining Antiquity in Ottoman Lands 4. Explosions and Expulsions in Ottoman Athens: A Heritage Perspective on the Temple of Olympian Zeus – Elizabeth Cohen 5. Spoils for the New Pyrrhus: Alternative Claims to Antiquity in Ottoman Greece – Emily Neumeier 6. Claiming the Classical Past: Ottoman Archaeology at Lagina – Amanda Herring PART 3: Imagining Antiquity in Modernity 7. Destruction as Layered Event: Twentieth Century Ruins in the Great Mosque of Gaza – Eli Osheroff and Dotan Halevy 8. In Situ: The Contraindications of World Heritage – Wendy M. K. Shaw PART 4: Imagining Antiquity in the Contemporary World 9. The Masjid al-Haram: Balancing Tradition and Renewal at the Heart of Islam – Muhsin Lutfi Martens 10. ISIS’s Destruction of Mosul’s Historical Monuments: Between Media Spectacle and Religious Doctrine – Miroslav Melčák and Ondřej Beránek 11. The Radicalization of Heritage in Tunisia – Virginie Rey 12. Heritage Crusades: Saving the Past from the Commons – Ian B. Straughn Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisBar Locks and Early Church Security in the British Isles examines the evidence for the measures taken to make church buildings secure or defensible from their earliest times until the later medieval period. In particular it examines the phenomenon of ‘bar locks’ which the author identifies in many different contexts throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Bar locks take various forms and can be made of different materials, but they all provide a means of locking a door by placing a bar behind it from the inside which is then secured onto the door frame or housings on adjacent walls. The most dramatic examples are provided by thick wooden bars slotted into recesses incorporated in the adjacent door jambs. The volume describes and lists all the examples identified by the author and also publishes his photographs of the evidence for the first time. The recognition of the role of bar locks in securing churches led the author to consider further measures which may have been introduced to enhance church security; these measures could Have had major implications for structural change and design in the buildings. These supplementary protective requirements and methods for achieving them are many and various and are also considered in the volume.Trade ReviewThis posthumously published book serves as an advert, too, for the author's previous studies of the geology and constructional methods of early medieval churches in Britain and Ireland, which deserve more attention than they have yet received. -- Helen Gittos * Current Archaeology *Table of ContentsChapter One: Keys and Bar Locks ; Chapter Two: Church Bar Locks in England ; Chapter Three: Church Bar Locks in Scotland ; Chapter Four: Church Bar Locks in Wales ; Chapter Five: Church Bar Locks in Ireland ; Chapter Six: Comments and Conclusions on Bar Locks ; Chapter Seven: A Review of Possible Church Modifications to Enhance Security ; Chapter Eight: Church Security in England ; Chapter Nine: Church Security in Scotland ; Chapter Ten: Church Security in Wales ; Chapter Eleven: Church Security in Ireland ; Chapter Twelve: Conclusions ; Important Note and Resulting Apologies ; Glossary ; References

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Book SynopsisIn 1991, the town of Pulheim initiated the Stommeln Synagogue art project, a permanent process of examination of this historically significant location. Since then it has continued to make a contribution to a culture of remembrance. A wide-ranging overview of remarkable works is being assembled on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the synagogue. Far from the day-to-day business of culture, international artists have repeatedly taken up the challenge of developing works for the silent building in a remote setting and its remarkable historical context. Virtually all the works were specially designed for the location with its architecture and history; the overview publication shows how they enter into a close inter-relationship, how they define the space and are equally themselves defined by its field of tension. The synagogue in the Stommeln district of Pulheim is one of the few ynagogues in Germany that was not destroyed during the pogroms of 1938 and that did not fall victim to the wave of demolitions that took place after the war.

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Book SynopsisImages are mute spectators of the past ages. Their fine craftsmanship, beauty and polish convey much more than their values. To identify images and architectural remains is a difficult task. India is very rich in both the fields. Indian art of Himalayan region has not only covered the territory of India but its influence is also noticed on other countries like Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and China located in the Himalayan tract. The art and architecture of Himalayan tract is mostly Buddhist but it is different from those which developed in the plain area of Indian Territory. The art and architecture of Himalayan region was influenced by Mahayana and Vajrayana form of Buddhism. In this book, the author has tried his best to cover all the aspects of Buddhist art and architecture prevalent in this zone. The present book deals with the Buddhist art and architecture of Indian Himalayan region, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and China. Definition of a few technical terms used in the book is also given in the glossary. 34 Col. Ilustrations

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“For more than a millennium, as this richly illustrated volume affirms, Islamic architectural styles prospered around the western and southern Mediterranean - from the Alhambra to the Cappella Palatina.”—Apollo Magazine“Offers a tantalising glimpse into the richness of the buildings of the Western Mediterranean, leaving the reader hungry for more- in short this volume serves as the perfect amuse-bouche for the non-specialist, and a welcome contribution for specialists in need of a competent, survey text to introduce Islamicate architecture of North Africa and al-Andalus to new students.”—Sarah Slingluff, Al-Masāq (Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean) “[A] thorough and well-researched book, which draws attention to the fascinating histories of a variety of different Muslim peoples, as well as to the architectural history of regions across the Islamic West…Engaging and informative...Bloom persuasively suggests that the transmission of architectural knowledge, ideas, and motifs was a great deal more complex than scholars previously thought.”—Lydia Ann Jesudason, Aspectus [Journal of Visual Culture, University of York]“A confident and accurate book that could only be accomplished by a mature scholar...Far more than this, it is a book of someone whose enthusiasm for his subject is as strong as his ability to use a broad knowledge of Islamic and European art to focus it.”—Nancy Steinhardt, Orientations“A formidable collection of architectural knowledge...It is made more accessible by being woven into a rich narrative thread that takes the reader from the medieval to the modern world...An unparalleled collection through which the Islamic architectural history of the region can be better understood and relished.”—Shahed Saleem, Transactions of the Ancient Monuments SocietyCHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles 2021Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction and acknowledgments Chapter 1: Islamic Architecture in Umayyad al-Andalus and Aghlabid IfriqiyaChapter 2: Rival Caliphates in the West during the Tenth Century Chapter 3: The Long Eleventh Century: Dissolution of Empire Chapter 4: The Almoravids and Almohads ca. 1050-ca. 1250 Chapter 5: The Nasrids in al-Andalus Chapter 6: The Heirs of the Almohads in North Africa, ca. 1250-1500 Chapter 7: Caught between the Ottomans and the Hapsburgs: Chapter 8: The Sharifan Dynasties of Morocco 1500-1800 Chapter 9: Epilogue: The Legacies of Maghribi Architecture Glossary Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"What the Emperor Built will make even those familiar with the city’s ancient buildings feel that while they may have looked, they perhaps did not entirely see." * South China Morning Post *"[A] detailed study of the architecture created during the early Ming dynasty reign of Yung Lo" * Choice *"[O]ne of her book’s greatest strengths lies in the clarity of both the argument and the handsomely reproduced illustrations presented in its pages...the story of magnificent buildings and the millions involved in their construction is sure to inspire lively discussions about the profound impact of Yongle’s architectural vision on global architectural history and global history as a whole." * Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians *"The book is remarkable for its successful integration of architectural with political and economic history, disciplines that are usually practiced separately... This is architectural history at its best, and sets a standard for future work in the field." * Journal of the American Oriental Society *"State architecture is a transformative art of power and persuasion. In What the Emperor Built Aurelia Campbell employs this lens of Ming imperial architecture to capture how Yongle (r.1402–1424) mobilized a standardized architectural vision to project legitimacy and counter his problematic rise to power through nepoticide and civil war." * Chinese Historical Review *

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Book SynopsisBath Abbey contains the largest collection of monuments in any UK church or cathedral. But how did the ruined Abbey of 1539 become a Georgian gallery of sculpture', where the latest works of art by famous sculptors could be seen? And why are their appearances today so different from their original designs?Long before the city's now-celebrated museums and galleries were established, the Abbey's monuments were one of Bath's newsworthy tourist attractions. Drawing on a wealth of unpublished material on the Abbey's history, this book tells the story of its monuments for the first time how they helped the Abbey rise from the aftermath of the Dissolution to give it a new identity, a unique floor, and walls that tell the social history of Bath.Trade ReviewExtract featured in Autumn edition of The Bath MagazineHandsomely illustrated and full of insight, his book will be of real value to anyone interested in the history of the Abbey, of the city, and of memorials more generally. * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisWith the increasing disappearance of stained glass in medieval churches, the surviving wood carvings on church misericords and bench ends are extremely important in providing an insight into the medieval mind. This book outlines the history of church seating and discusses the craftsmen and the influences behind their work.

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Book SynopsisA visual survey of the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris over the past 850 years. Addresses a series of key themes in the cathedral’s history, including the fundraising campaign, the construction of vaults, and the liturgical function of the choir.Trade Review“Smaller, more concise, and more streamlined than a traditional monograph, it emphasizes a series of graphics developed from Tallon’s 3D-scan data, which together purport to show the development of Notre-Dame over the nine centuries of its history. In this way it helps to make the fruits of recent research on the cathedral’s history readily accessible to nonspecialist readers. The new translation undertaken by Lindsay Cook, who studied with both Murray and Tallon and whose own research considers parish churches constructed in the orbit of Notre-Dame, now effectively expands that mission to anglophone audiences.”—Robert Bork caa.reviews“With up-to-date scholarship and information from a laser scan now being consulted for the repairs of Notre Dame, this survey is at once authoritative and accessible, an important addition to the specialist and non-specialist libraries alike.”—Nancy Wu SpeculumTable of ContentsIntroduction 11163: Planning the CathedralThe BishopThe Cathedral ChapterThe FabricResourcesEpiscopal DonationsCapitular DonationsLay Donations1170: Building the CathedralThe MaterialsThe Master MasonThe DesignThe Construction1177: Constructing the VaultsThe VaultsTechnical Aspects of Vault ConstructionThe Space of the Choir1182: Liturgical Choir and SanctuaryThe Liturgical ChoirStaging the Ecclesiastical HierarchyThe Medieval Sanctuary1208: Form and MeaningThe ChoirThe Nave1220: Portals and the Gallery of Kings1225: Changing TastesA Radical TransformationThe ChangesInstability of the West Front1245: Towers and Bells, Marking Time at the CathedralThe Casting of a Bell1265: Relics and ProcessionsRelics and ReliquariesStational Liturgy and Processions1300: Pious Foundations and TombsThe Choir: Preserve of Prelates and PrincesThe ChapelsConfraternities at Notre Dame1350: A Point of ReferenceThe ArchitectsDirecting the Works1780: Baroque Transformations1860: The Major Restoration of Lassus and Viollet-le-DucNotre Dame in PerilThe Invention of French Cultural HeritageThe CompetitionThe ProjectThe RestorationThe Rational CathedralThe Cathedral TodayConclusionPlan of Notre DameGlossarySelected BibliographyCredits

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive review of the wide and varied range of window tracery designs that emerged during the medieval period. While the terms used to describe the tracery of medieval church windows are familiar (Early English, Decorated, Perpendicular), there has been no really detailed attempt to examine it as a distinct, stylistic architectural form, agap which this book seeks to address. Based upon a visual catalogue of over 250 images of surviving types and styles from churches throughout England, it traces the progression of ideas and the continuity of motifs and themes intracery patterns from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, showing how different themes emerged within the main architectural styles; it also looks at the distinction between a window's architectural form and its tracery style, and describes the several different tracery techniques. The volume is completed with a detailed glossary. Stephen Hart is a retired architect, and the author of numerous works, including Flint Flushwork.Trade ReviewA comprehensive, sophisticated and long overdue survey of the development of Gothic church window tracery. * CHURCH MONUMENTS *It will be a most useful vade mecum for the enthusiastic church visitor. [...] A comprehensive overview of English parochial tracery design. * ECCLESIOLOGY TODAY *Anyone interested in medieval windows will enjoy the great range of examples put forward and discussed by Hart, whose book is a timely reminder of the ingenuity and creativity of England's medieval masons. * JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION *A perceptive, informative, beautifully written, and well-illustrated study of the topic. * SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS NEWSLETTER *In a methodical, clear and notably well-illustrated fashion (there are good plates of some 300 windows) it traces the evolution of tracery through the Lancet, Geometric, Curvilinear and Perpendicular styles. * BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY *The varieties of such stonework are splendidly analysed and illustrated. -- Christopher Howse * DAILY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisGermany is currently experiencing an intense debate about the reconstruction of synagogues that were destroyed under Nazi rule in the 1930s, and the related search for an appropriate architectural expression of Jewish life and culture in the country’s major cities today. This book, which results from a collaboration between the Technical Universities of Darmstadt and Dresden, Hamburg’s HafenCity University, and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, vividly contributes to this discussion. The Synagogue Project features designs for new synagogues replacing the lost buildings on Berlin’s Fraenkelufer and on Joseph-Carlebach-Platz and Poolstrasse in Hamburg by students at the participating universities. They illustrate the search for a structural expression that can provide space for Jewish life and worship in the future. In conversation, members of Jewish communities and Franz-Josef Höing, representing the City of Hamburg’s department of urban development and housing, explain their views on the past and future of synagogues in Hamburg and Berlin. Mirjam Wenzel, director of the Jewish Museum in Frankfurt, Salomon Korn, former vice-president of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, Rabbi Edward van Voolen, and Swiss architect Roger Diener also contribute to the discussion on the history and significance of spaces for Jewish life, culture, and religion in German cities. Text in English and German.

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