The construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral started in the 12th century, and it became one of the most iconic examples of French Gothic architecture. Bishop Maurice de Sully was instrumental in initiating its construction, and various architects and craftsmen played roles throughout the centuries. One of the most notable figures associated with the cathedral is architect Viollet-le-Duc, who oversaw a major restoration in the 19th century.
Construction of Cologne Cathedral began in 1248, and it is a prime example of German High Gothic architecture. The identity of the original architect is unknown, but the cathedral’s construction involved numerous architects, master builders, and artisans over its 600-hundred-year construction period.
Most of these old cathedrals were built by guild members who had been initiated into the secrets of their guild.
In medieval Europe, guilds were associations of craftsmen or merchants that played a crucial role in regulating their respective trades, ensuring quality standards, protecting the interests of their members, and passing down the skills and knowledge of the trade from one generation to the next. Guilds often had initiation processes and held certain knowledge and practices as closely guarded secrets. Members who had been initiated into these secrets were considered skilled practitioners of their craft.
The Freemasons were a secretive and highly skilled guild of stone masons and builders. They were responsible for constructing cathedrals, castles, and other grand structures across Europe. The knowledge of architectural design, geometry, and construction techniques was closely guarded within the guild. The exact nature of their secrets and rituals is speculative.
These trade secrets were not merely things like just being taught how to cut stone or glass correctly, though of course that was part of it.
There is a the mystical aspect…
They were spiritual secrets. How do you create a beautiful and majestic building that is awe-inspiring and artistic?
Well, you do that by understanding geometry, for one, which is a sacred science. Sacred geometry considers the metaphysical meaning of shapes. This is related to the same principles that underlie music and astrology, also both once considered sacred sciences. It’s about harmony and ratios.
These buildings are beautiful because they have been encoded with sacred truths. They reflect the divine.
Modern man, with all his computers and tools, cannot make this. Not because he is incompetent, but because he no longer knows anything of metaphysical truth, let alone how to symbolically encode it into a building.
Furthermore, modern man builds to consume space. Traditional man built to consume time. They built with the purpose to recreate the divine order on earth, as a bulwark against chaos. But in this era, we care only for what it cheap, expedient, convenient, and most importantly, easy to tear down and discard when we tire of it. (See Eliade and Evola for more on that.)
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