The Angouleme Cathedral

The Angouleme Cathedral Exterior

The Angouleme Cathedral was built in Angoulême, France and finished in the year 1128. The Cathedral is example of Romanesque Architecture that has sculptures on the façade and has high pilasters that divides into five openings. The sculpture is a first example of programing of the church to making it more pleasing. The building has an aisle less (just a long nave) form structure that can be seen in the interior. The nave is 50 feet wide (15.24m) and four parts formed the overall building. The first three are three stone domes that are above the nave and the last is one transept (the center of the Cathedral). The plan is to form a Latin cross that is formed with the nave and transept.

The Angouleme Cathedral Floor Plan

The highest point of the building is 105 feet tall (32m) above ground level. Using the façade the designer wanted to show how inspired with the scaenae frons (stages) that the Roman Theatre had.

 During the Wars of Religion (a conflict between the Protestants and Roman Catholics) the Cathedral was robbed which left the building in ruins as a result one of the bell towers was destroyed. During the French revolution the building became a temple and was known as the temple of reason. During 1866-1885 the building went through a restoration by the French Architect Paul Abadie who added its gabled façade. He also rebuilt the dome that exists today.

[1]Angouleme.”Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica,n.d. wed. 12 Dec. 2016

[2]Watkin, David. A History of Western Archiecture. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Print.