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Aachen Cathedral is located in Aachen Germany and built by Emperor Charlemagne. It was built between 790-800 A.D. and modeled after buildings in the Eastern Roman Empire.

To the world of the past, the cathedral represented the unification of the west as well as a spiritual revival under Charlemagne’s rule. He looked to the past at the Roman Empire and sought to make Aachen the cultural center of the world by copying and creating things that the Romans did. The cathedral was made to be a statement so that all who see it would know that Aachen is special.

To the world of today, Aachen Cathedral represents exactly what can happen if we learn from history. Even though Charlemagne lived in the middle of the Dark Ages, he did not let that stop him from building things that would have made the Greeks and Romans proud. He looked at the world of the past and their great accomplishments and strived to be as magnificent as they were in a time when everything had regressed. We can learn from this by striving to create and do the unthinkable even during times when it seems impossible.

To me, the cathedral represents the product of a man who was willing to learn. All too often people speak before they listen and will never learn. Charlemagne chose to be great and be remembered instead of allowing the world he was brought in to get the best of him. The world we are born in to is not the world we will have 10 years from now and definitely not the same as the world we will have 100 years from now. If we do not strive for greatness ourselves then how can we ever change the world and leave a legacy that is worth leaving at all?

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The Laocoön is a sculpture that has been revered by artists since it’s rediscovery in the 16rh century. They statue itself is a scene from Greek mythology depicting a man named Laocoön and his sons being devoured by sea serpents. Depending on the version of the story, either Athena, Apollo, or Poseidon was the god that sent the serpents.The statue is estimated to have been sculpted in 200 B.C in the Greek city Pergamon.

To the world of the past the sculpture was a huge inspiration to artists. It was rediscovered and parades through the streets at the same time that Michelangelo, one of the most famous artists to exist, arrived in Rome. He, like so many artists, were enchanted by this Hellenistic masterpiece and were inspired to create great pieces of art just like it.

To the world of today, I hope when compared to medieval art we can agree that to not ever focus on the arts would be a disaster. The Laocoön was so inspiring because it had been rediscovered at the end of a period of a thousand years where art was created that had not touched its likeness. It should be looked at and admired for all to see to inspire our generation as well. Imagine all the amazing pieces of artwork would have been created had thre knowledge to create things like the Lacoön not been lost when the Western Roman Empire fell?

To me the statue represents the beauty that man can create. It is an impressive piece of artwork but so are all the thousands of other pieces of art from that time period. So are all the cathedrals and castles and palaces that have become known for their impressive qualities. To me, if man can create such beauty and if we are God’s greatest creation on earth, then how beautiful Heaven must be.

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The pantheon which is located in Rome, Italy has been a marvel for all who look upon it since it’s completion in 128 AD by Emperor Hadrian.

To Ancient Rome, the pantheon was not only an impressive structure, but it was named the pantheon to honor their various gods and goddesses. The exact reason behind the pantheon is unknown but it is thought to have been a symbol of the Emperor’s greatness where he could make public appearances and remind the people of his divinity.

The pantheon has influenced today’s world in more than one way. It was the main influence for architects who built the Duomo in Florence, Italy that gave way to the Renaissance movement as well as the inspiration behind the contruction of the U.S. capital building rotunda. It inspired artists including Michaelangelo who thought angles must have built it. It also houses important figures such as the first King of Italy (Vitorio Emanuelle the second).

To me, the pantheon represents man’s desire to acknowledge that which is greater than he. The lengths to which people have gone to glorify and adorn hollow buildings in polytheistic religions as well as monotheistic religions is astounding. God cannot be found in a building, He is found in the very beings that seek to know Him. Amos 5:21-23 says, “ I hate, I despise your feasts. And I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.”

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The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, otherwise known as the Duomo, resides in Florence, Italy. Although it was built in 1296 AD during the Medieval time period, it was built to look like the more simple and elegant designs of the Greeks and Romans.

The Duomo was special to the world of the past because it was one of the major feats of the Renaissance. The Renaissance gained traction in Florence where it spread to the rest of the world. The technology for creating the dome had been lost for centuries since the fall of the Western Roman Empire so the dome (from where it gets its name) was not added to the eastern end of the building until 1436 AD. The architect of the actual dome came up with the solution to have 2 domes, an inner and an outer. The outer dome was made with brick and mortar and each individual, singular brick was designed and shaped to comprise the shell of the building. The inner dome is made of sandstone and marble. This architectural feat helped to inspire engineers and artists alike across the continent as the Renaissance was born.

The Duomo is important for the world of today because it is a price of history that should not be forgotten. Civilizations across Europe had been in a technological regression with little art and new ideas for almost a thousand years. The Renaissance ended all of that. It served the people of the time as a reminder to look back at their ancestors and the beauty they had created. Today it serves as a reminder that we should never cease to create, observe, wonder, and use talents to make the world more beautiful.

To me, the Duomo represents a fresh start. So much beauty was created during the Renaissance after a thousand years of death and turmoil and plagues. It just goes to show that nomatter how bad and long a time of trial may be that there can still be a hope for beauty to come out on the other side.

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This is my test one but I accidentally posted it for the other class (whoops) One of the many Egyptian obelisks that are in Italy. This beautiful one is in Rome and has been christianized by adding a cross to the top. Italy is known for having the most Egyptian obelisks of anywhere in the world. They were sometimes carved out of stone weighing tons. Their pyramidal shape at the top was shaped pointing upwards to honor the sun god Ra. It’s incredible to think about them being carried thousands of miles from the desert to places in ancient Western civilization!