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Essay Archive - Gothic
Gothic
For nearly four hundred years Gothic style dominated the architecture of
Western Europe. It originated in northern France in the twelfth century, and
spread rapidly across England and the Continent, invading the old Viking empire
of Scandinavia. It confronted the Byzantine provinces of Central Europe and
even made appearances in the near East and the Americas. Gothic architects
designed town halls, royal palaces, courthouses, and hospitals. They fortified
cities and castles to defend lands against invasion. But it was in the service
of the church, the most prolific builder of the Middle Ages, that the Gothic
style....
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