The Bent Page

And now we go inside two different cathedrals, each with its own particular atmosphere. The first one is the Cathedral in Seville, Spain. Construction began in 1402. Here Columbus is entombed. From this city sailed the conquistadors to a world unkown to Europeans, and this is a look at the interior of their massive center of worship.

Icons and statues stare down from every ledge. The space is darkened by shadows cast by the massive columns, one of which is under repair as seen on the right side of this photo. The weight of this building presses down relentlessly. The windows are relatively small as is typical of the gothic style, offering little light and no escape.

A much newer cathedral can be found in Madrid. This is the Almudena Cathedral, begun in 1883 and completed in 1993. It has an entirely different atmosphere.

Thanks to more modern building techniques, the windows are much larger, illuminating the entire space more evenly. The eye is drawn upward along columns that seem lighter thanks to the brighter color. Here’s another look.

The windows of the celestory at the top of the frame shine gloriously with the same warm sunlight that brings visitors from darker climes to Spain.

Both of these locations exude their own sense of space, presenting the visitor with two unique experiences. So it is in a good story. What are your favorite spaces? What places leave a dramatic impression on you? Let me know.