Henry's Gothic Gems Trivia Quiz

Answer: Facade

The purpose of the Gothic facade is to make a huge impression, and, believe me, it does! Before the advent of Gothic architecture, buildings were cold, damp, and dark. They were not so pretty to look at! A Gothic cathedral is light, airy, and inspiring! In addition, there is a lot to look at if I don't want to pay too much attention to the worship service!

King Edward the Confessor began building Westminster Abbey, formerly called St. Peter's Abbey, in 1042; William the Conqueror was crowned there in 1066. It was Henry III who began the construction of the present-day church in 1245. The abbot and monks who serve there are frequently in the service of the king and are very powerful.

Answer: Spire

The spire has two functions. First, it gives the impression of strength, like the power of the religion and the wealth of the patron who donated the money to build it. Next, it points toward heaven, where we all want to go!

The spire of the Salisbury Cathedral is the tallest one of our day (and will still be the tallest in the UK in the 21st century). It is 403 feet tall; together with the tower, it weighs 6,397 tons.

Answer: Gargoyle

The ugliness of the gargoyle not only conveys the concept of evil, but also helps to scare evil spirits from the church, and keeps them on the outside of the building. Constructed to prevent water from running down the walls and eroding the mortar, gargoyles minimize potential damage on buildings. Usually the water runs down a trough and exits through the mouth.

I saw this gargoyle at Llandaff Cathedral in Wales. The Normans appointed Urban as their first bishop there in 1107, and he began the construction of the cathedral a few years later. It is dedicated to St. Paul and St. Peter, as well as three Welsh saints, St. Dubricius, St. Teilo, and St. Oudoceus.

Answer: Portal

The main door, or portal, is a focal point of a Gothic cathedral. Usually located in the center of the face, often with two side doors, it is a work of art by itself. Usually there is a sculpture in the arch of the middle door, and there can be hundreds of carved figures in niches all around the portal, and all across the front of the building as well.

Construction began on the current York Minster in 1220. The intention was to build a church that compared to the Canterbury Cathedral in terms of size and importance. The relics of St. William of York were brought to the cathedral in 1279 in hopes of attracting religious pilgrims.

Answer: Nave

In Gothic church architecture, the nave is the central point in the interior of a church. From the ancient Latin "navis", for ship, the term "nave" might have been taken from the keel shape of the vaulting or from the ship being an early Christian symbol. The nave is the section of the church that is reserved for laity, while the choir is occupied by the priests and choir.

The nave of York Minster was completed between 1291 and 1350. With a roof painted to look like stones, it is the widest nave in all of England!

Answer: Altar

The altar in a Christian church is the table where the bread and wine are blessed during worship. A prominent feature of the church, there are usually two types of altars. One type of altar is attached to the eastern wall, the other is free-standing; both are in the chancel, or area reserved for the clergy during worship. When it touches the wall, the altar is usually decorated like the one in the picture - with an altarpiece.

Construction of the Winchester Cathedral began in 1079, and it was consecrated in 1093. The funeral of King William II took place here in 1100, as did the second coronation of King Richard the Lionheart in 1194.

Answer: Effigy

Usually the term effigy is reserved for recumbent figures. They are typically made of stone or metal and placed on the top of tomb.

This is the effigy of Sir Richard Pembroke, who was one of the earliest Knights of the Garter. Sir Richard was present at all of the major victories of Edward III during the Hundred Years War. His will provided for the construction of his tomb and burial at Hereford Cathedral.

Answer: Rose Window

Saint Catherine of Alexandria was sentenced to be executed on a spiked wheel. She had chastised the Roman emperor, Maxentius, for his cruelty, and then won a debate with people who were considered to be among the best pagan philosophers of the time. After failing to make Catherine yield by way of torture, the emperor proposed marriage to her, which she refused. When Catherine touched the spiked wheel, it shattered and she was subsequently beheaded.

Some Gothic churches have windows that look like wheels; they have a tracery of spokes radiating from a central point. The one in the picture, the "Dean's Eye" from Lincoln Cathedral, is an example of plate tracery, with pierced openings in the form of stained glass. One of the most common subjects of the stained glass in a Rose Window is the Last Judgement. Remember that many medieval people cannot read or write. They depend on the pictorial story shown in stained glass to learn Biblical stories and concepts.

Answer: Crypt

The use of crypts dates back to the early Christian period when crypts were built below the nave or chancel (space around the altar) of the church. Crypts usually contain religious relics or coffins.

The crypt at Hereford Cathedral is very small, but has been used as a charnel house for quite some time. It is next to the library, which contains many old manuscripts. The neatest thing I found here was the "Mappa Mundi", an old map, which was hanging on the wall of a choir aisle. Yes, I took advantage of my time there to check things out!

Answer: Labyrinth

The labyrinth is often located in the nave of a cathedral, and sometimes the names of the cathedral architects are engraved on the stones. Symbolic of the path that pilgrims would have to take to get to such a holy place, many penitent people traced the outline of the maze on their knees.

I haven't seen the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France, but John told me that it is one of the most famous. It was built in the early 1200s, and is as wide as the nave of the church. He says that French clergy dance in the labyrinth during the Easter season!