4Real Forums: Church Restorations

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The Arts in the Everyday
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Topic: Church Restorations

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JennGM
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
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Posted: March 04 2008 at 10:15am \| IP Logged

Last year in this thread we talked about Station Churches. Dh and I are again enjoying watching "Rome's Hidden Churches" by Dr. Timothy O'Donnell on the Station Churches of Lent.

One thing that keeps striking me, though, is that almost all the early churches were "restored" during the renaissance period. "Baroqued" as Dr. O'Donnell calls it. It seems the popes could not leave any church in their medieval state. The word "restore" seems to be used to actually update and modernize (modern at the time). I know many churches were destroyed, so the rebuilding makes sense, but restorations...well, that seems to be a different story.

And while the churches are gorgeous, I just wonder if at the time some people were appalled at all the changes. Would their feelings be similar to the modernizing of churches in this day?

It's silly, but I guess I love the medieval art and architecture and wish I could see some original churches in Rome.

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SusanJ
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Posted: March 04 2008 at 12:27pm \| IP Logged

We honeymooned in Rome and then lived in Austria for a few months while dh was learning German. The "baroqueing" of churches in Austria was particularly bad. (Bad in that it was so prevalent. I'll let you form your own opinion on the merits of Baroque art and architecture.) We visited a monastery on the outskirts of Vienna and were lucky to get a private tour with a great guide. We were delighted when he showed us a real, live Gothic chapel and the Verdun Altar (hard to find a picture to link to, sorry). When we asked where else in Vienna we could see a Gothic church he said, "There is one." One! We went to it and stayed for a long time. After an entire summer we were so sick of Baroque art! We were told at the time that "historic preservation" is a new idea and the people at the time would have rejoiced at the new, modern renovations. I have to wonder . . .

Susan

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