BUILDING CATHEDRALS: FAITH, POWER, AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Catalog description

This course explores the construction of medieval cathedrals as monumental expressions of faith, power, and technological innovation. Through primary sources, historical analysis, and interactive role-playing, students will examine how these structures embodied the ambitions of bishops, kings, and merchants, shaped urban landscapes, and served as centers of religious life. Topics include the economic and social networks behind cathedral building, the role of relics and pilgrimage, and advancements in architectural technology. A key component of the course is a role-playing simulation in which students engage in a historical debate over the design of the dome for the Cathedral of Florence (1418). (Cross-listed with HIST 4550 ).