What is a nave? History of Architecture
Nave of Abbaye aux Dames (Caen, 1050 AD) The nave is the long narrow part of a Roman basilica or a Christian church - the part where people sit in a [...]
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05, 2017
What is mud brick? History of Architecture
Mud brick drying in the sun Most houses in ancient Africa, Europe, Asia, and many in the Americas, were built out of mud brick. You take clay from the riverbank [...]
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05, 2017
Greek and Roman houses – History of Architecture
A peristyle of a Roman house at Ostia - 200s AD In classical Athens around 500 BC, and throughout the Greek world, people built courtyard houses, like earlier ones in Egypt [...]
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05, 2017
Houses – History of Architecture
History of houses: Sibudu Cave, South Africa, from the Stone Age Living in caves The first people lived without any kind of shelter, huddling under trees when it rained. They [...]
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05, 2017
What is a groin vault? History of Architecture
Six-part groin vault (Abbaye aux Dames, Caen, 1050 AD) Stone roofs and fireproofing In Romanesque churches, in the 1000s AD, architects or often just had a wood roof. But wood [...]
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05, 2017
What’s a flying buttress? Medieval Europe
Flying buttress (Rouen Cathedral, 1200s AD) Gothic cathedrals In the 1100s AD, architects in northern France wanted to build big impressive Gothic cathedrals. They also wanted their cathedrals to be [...]
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05, 2017
Why are there double aisles? History of architecture
Looking into the side aisles of the Pisa Duomo (Italy, 1064 AD) What are double aisles? Some big basilicas and churches had two aisles instead of one: double aisles. The [...]
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05, 2017
What is a dome? History of Architecture
Dome history: the Pantheon (Rome, ca. 120 AD) Okay, you've learned how to build an arch. Now suppose you want to make a dome. How would you do that using [...]
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05, 2017
Why use concrete? History of Architecture
History of concrete: The fountain in the center of the courtyard is concrete (This is from the Palace of Domitian in Rome) What is concrete? Concrete is a kind of [...]
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05, 2017
What’s a buttress? History of Architecture
Buttress of St. Germain des Pres (Paris, 1100s AD) A buttress holds up a wall A buttress is a big pile of stone that keeps a building's walls from falling down. [...]
