Cathedrals

Built to honor the God that showed them enough mercy to let them live, Cathedrals were monuments to the strength of the faith of medieval people.
	Roman arches were simple in design, providing open space and solid architectural strength.	The gothic arch was based on two circles and represented the interaction of God and man.

	Geometry was important to church design. The entrance to the cathedral would have three doors, representing the Trinity.	The floor plan of the cathedral was laid out to mirror the symbol of the church, the cruciform.

	Flying buttresses shouldered the weight of the towering structures, allowing the walls to be thinned and stained glass windows to be made.	Tall spires forced the eyes of the amazed pilgrim upward to the heavens, and served as a beacon to travelers from up to a dozen miles away.