Subjects:  1. Architectural & Industrial    2. Architecture    3. Photography    4. Religious Buildings    5. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./General    6. USA   

Editorial Review

Filippo Brunelleschi's design for the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence remains one of the most towering achievements of Renaissance architecture. Completed in 1436, the dome remains a remarkable feat of design and engineering. Its span of more than 140 feet exceeds St Paul's in London and St Peter's in Rome, and even outdoes the Capitol in Washington, D.C., making it the largest dome ever constructed using bricks and mortar. The story of its creation and its brilliant but "hot-tempered" creator is told in Ross King's delightful Read more

Reviews (85)

A slice of Rennaisance life
The subject may be the legendary dome, and the man who built it, but thebest part of the book is its characterization of everyday life during that era.The author knows a lot about Rennaisance Europe, and his writing is enjoyable as well. He is no engineer, so it's never clear why this is such an engineering marvel. For that, see Why Buildings Stand Up, although the readibility of that book pales alongside this one.

Easy-to-read, great intro to the subject; but, never attempts to explain its own title
In this book, author Ross King provides an easy-to-read narrative not only of Brunelleschi's procedure in building the dome of the Florence cathedral, but also of the political context, particularly within the Opera del Duomo, the office of works in charge of the cathedral.It's a nice intro for a general audience, but lacks historical analysis and fails to satisfactorily address the statement made in its own subtitle.
The Dome, Yes, but also much, much, more.
Santa Maria del Fiore may just be the one perfect piece of architecture.I dare you to go to Florence, see it, and not be moved.Read this book, and then go climb il Duomo's stairs, passing the frescoes inside the dome to enter the passage between the two domes.Feel the changes in the sharpness of the stairs' angles.Climb out at the base of the Lanterna with the city's red roofs stretching beneath you at every angle.The experience would be exhilerating of itself, but with Ross King's description of the building process echoing through your head, you might find yourself full of wonder and moved to tears like I was.
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Subjects:  1. 1377-1446    2. Architecture    3. Brunelleschi, Filippo,    4. Buildings    5. Design and construction    6. Domes    7. Europe - Italy    8. Florence    9. Florence (Italy)    10. History - Specific Styles    11. Individual Architect    12. Italy    13. Religious Buildings    14. Renaissance    15. Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedr    16. Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral : Florence, Italy)    17. Architecture / History    18. Brunelleschi, Filippo   

Editorial Review

When archeologists working under Stamford Raffles, the British colonialist and founder of Singapore, stumbled on the overgrown monument of Borobudur in the Javanese jungle in the late 19th century, they uncovered an ancient marvel that has astounded archeologists ever since. A cosmos in stone, a visual scripture of Buddhism with 1,460 exquisite carved reliefs, a pilgrimage site and an enormous mandala, Borobudur was the supreme achievement of a Buddhist kingdom that flourished briefly and then died on Java in the 9th and 10th centuries. This exquisite coffee table volume is perhaps the most lavish of the several oversize photographic books on the greatest Buddhist monument in the world. Designed by Molly Shields, the book's almost-square format approximates that of Borobudur itself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Worths the price.
For those who have been there or those who are planning to go this book is a must. It's amazing how publishers are able to realize author's and reader's dreams when they want to. Here you will find: schematic drawings,historical background, maps, breathtaking pictures and all the symbolismassociated with this cosmic mandala."The architecturaltraditions of India and Java"; "The mystery of the hiddenbase"; "The mudras or gestures of the hands";"Borobudur as a pilgrimage site"; "The indonesian Cult ofAncestors"; "The sacred texts behind the reliefs" etc. arejust some of the contents.The appendix brings little black and whitephotographs of hundreds of reliefs. Almost as a buddhist comic-strip. Ihope Angkor and Bagan could get a devoted tribute like this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Buddhist    3. Asian    4. Borobudur (Temple : Magelang,    5. Borobudur (Temple : Magelang, Indonesia)    6. Buddhist art and symbolism    7. General    8. Indonesia    9. Magelang    10. Photography    11. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    12. Religion And Art    13. Religious Buildings    14. Specific Religious Buildings Architecture    15. Asian / Middle Eastern history   

Reviews (15)

Written for a 12 Year-Old
What a disappointment!It is only lacking cartoon illustrations to make it seem competely childish.But more disturbingly it is deceptively simplistic.Told through rose-colored glasses, leaving out what is convenient to ensure a "happy" ending.
Absorbing history that reads like a soap opera
As a lifelong and very active Catholic I was shocked to learn just how little I knew about the history of St. Peters in Rome.
A Mixed Bag
I've been waiting for a popular history dealing with the Renaissance, Reformation, Catholic Reformation, etc. And at first glance this book is it. It's an easy and absorbing read, and endlessly fascinating.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano    4. Buildings, structures, etc    5. Christianity - History - Catholic    6. History    7. History - General    8. History - General History    9. Religious Buildings    10. Religious Buildings Architecture    11. Renaissance    12. Vatican City    13. History / Europe / General    14. Italy   

Reviews (1)

Restoring the Temple of Vision
This book uncovers the early Jewish, Scottish, and Stuart sources of "ancient" Cabalistic Freemasonry that flourished in Écossais lodges in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. General    4. Great Britain - History - Tudor And Stuart (1485-1714)    5. History    6. History: World    7. Interior Design - General    8. Rosicrucianism    9. Sociology    10. Sociology Of Organizations    11. Europe    12. European history: c 1500 to c 1750    13. Freemasonry & secret societies    14. History of ideas, intellectual history    15. Religious buildings    16. c 1700 to c 1800    17. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (2)

Excellent resource
A wonderful approach to making art for sanctuaries, not the "bumper sticker on fabric" approach favored by so many church banner books.Some of the designs are dated, but the text will give you something to chew on.For example, she doesn't look favorably on the idea of lavish floral arrangements for altars every Sunday, saying that the altar is supposed to be a sacred space, not a florist's display window.At my church, I adapted one of her ideas using origami cranes as pieces to form a much bigger design suspended over the altar.It was hugely appreciated by the congregants of my liberal church.

An amazing book
This book will inspire you to really think about liturgical art in terms of spiritual reflection and growth, not just decoration.Ms. Chinn's work is inspiring and awesome.My only complaint was that there aren't many examples of projects in small worship spaces. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Christianity - General    3. Christianity - Ritual & Practice    4. Religion    5. Religion - Church Music    6. Religious Buildings    7. Subjects & Themes - Religious   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Greece    2. Ancient Greece - History    3. Architecture    4. General    5. History - General    6. History - General History    7. History Of Architecture    8. Religious Buildings    9. Ancient Rome    10. Architecture / General    11. Classical Greek & Roman archaeology   

Editorial Review

The Gothic cathedral is one of humanity's greatest masterpieces--an architectural feast that couldn't help but attract the attention of renowned author-illustrator David Macaulay. Once an architectural student at the Rhode Island School of Design, Macaulay glories in the intricacies and beauty of structure, as evidenced in his masterful pen-and-ink drawings in critically acclaimed children's books such as Read more

Reviews (13)

An excellent masterpiece!
Words are useless to describe this masterpiece created by David Macaulay.
spellbinding for children and adults alike
Like all of Macaulay's architectural books, CATHEDRAL is ripe with vivid illustrations that are both enthralling and educational to behold. The drawings not only illustrate the cathedral's method of construction, but convey the presence and majesty of the space as well. One feels the dizzying height of the tower and the formidable strength of the foundation stones. I was always amazed at the ingenuity of the laborers in completing tasks that I would have otherwise felt impossible to attemp without power tools.
A wonderful introduction to architecture and the Middle Ages
Having just finished a great book called "Great Cathedrals", filled with 400 pages of jaw-dropping photographs, I kept wondering how in the world they could have built such marvelous edifices with rudimentary implements over 800 years ago.David Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a book ostensibly written for children but which will fascinate readers of all ages.In scarcely 80 pages, Macaulay takes us back in time to the year 1252 in the fictional French village of Chutreaux where the people decide to build the "longest, widest, highest and most beautiful cathedral in all of France" for the glory of God.Macaulay's text is minimal, but his exquisite black and white line drawings say it all: the step-by-step stages in the building's construction, the craftsmen and the tools they used, and the dedication that kept this project going for 80 years until its completion.We feel a sense of awe at the dedication of the original architects and craftsmen and builders who knew that they would be long dead before the cathedral was finally finished.Macaulay's glossary at the end of the book helps us to understand the major elements of the Gothic cathedral, and his cross-sections and diagrams provide clear illustration of just how the cathedral rose from its foundations.At the end of this volume, we share the awe and pride the townspeople felt at having shared a goal for over 80 years and making it a reality.Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a marvelous creation in more ways than one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Gothic    3. Cathedrals    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. General    7. History - Medieval    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture    10. Religious buildings   

Editorial Review

The restoration of Michelangelo's magnificent frescoes in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel stirred up much controversy and debate among scholars, art historians, and art lovers alike. Originally painted in the late 15th century, it took restorers 14 painstaking years (from 1981 to 1995) to remove the centuries' worth of dust and decay that had obscured the frescoes' brilliant colors and intricate designs. In 250 gorgeous full-color photographs, this unique and beautiful volume presents Michelangelo's restored chapel--perhaps the greatest masterpiece of Renaissance art--in its entirety, from the Creation to the Last Judgment, both before and after cleaning. The only definitive study of the restoration process, this book is the next best thing to actually being there. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A treasure!
Being an admirer of the magnificent Michelangelo I am very pleased to have acquired this book. The pictures are beautifully printed. By the end of the book I wish to revisit the Sistine Chapel to view those parts printed in the book which I have obviously missed with my naked eyes. The details of the restoration work is an added bonus. To get the most of this book, please read it together with "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling" by Ross King. You will not regret the experience. Michelangelo's frescoes are simply sublime!

Stunning artistry, breathtaking color...
The photographs in this book are too good to be believed. I have never had an art book on the Sistine Chapel before that so moved me. Excellent Reproductions and very good text -- Truly Majestic
This is an absolutely superb book, largely because the reproductions of the frescoes are excellent and really capture the colors that you see when you visit the Chapel. I have found many art books disappointing, because they simply fail to capture the works they present.I first saw this book in an American bookstore after visiting the Sistine Chapel, and really thrilled to see if after looking at several other books where colors were much duller and the images simply not as sharp.In addition to its fine colors, the book provides many fine closeups of each individual section.The text is also very good, describing the subjects of the painting, the history behind the paintings, ansd also the recent restorstion.This is a must-have book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1475-1564    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Criticism    5. Criticism and interpretation    6. History - General    7. Individual Artist    8. Individual Painters - Renaissance    9. Michelangelo Buonarroti,    10. Mural painting and decoration,    11. Mural painting and decoration, Italian    12. Mural painting and decoration, Renaissance    13. Preservation And Restoration Of Art    14. Vatican City    15. Individual artists    16. Painting & paintings    17. Religious buildings    18. Religious subjects depicted in art    19. Renaissance art    20. Vatican   

Reviews (7)

Outstanding Photos and history
I purchased three books on Angkor Wat after my week visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia and this book was by far the best I have seen.The photos are excellent and the narration in very informative.It is expensive but worth it.

Awesome Angkor
Wow, what a spectacular book, truly amazing.I was blown away by the quality of the photography, the reader actually feels like they are in the jungle amid the ruins of Angkor.I have never visited Angkor Wat and probably never will, but after experiencing this book, I feel somehow that I have been there.The quality of the book is superior and the book even comes in a wonderful case.The publisher should be congradulated, it's a luxurious book.Some books are extremely expensive and you wonder why, I can assure you, you will not ask that about this one.If you have any interest in this subject or just like to own beautiful things I urge you to purchase this book, it will be a jewel in your book collection

A Must-Have Book on Angkor Temples
Through his magical photographic eye, Jon Ortner has created a wondrous collection of striking images and scholarly prose.His perfectly lit photographs and well-documented historic descriptions allow one to easily understand this complicated ancient subject.Each temple is clearly organized into relevant sections from the central Angkor area to the rare and never-before-seen temples in the outer lying areas.If you have visited Angkor - Ortner's book is the perfect addition to your library.Or, if you have not visited, this book provides the perfect impetus. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Angkor (Extinct city)    2. Archaeology    3. Architectural & Industrial    4. Asia - Southeast Asia    5. Cambodia    6. History - General History    7. International Architecture - Asian    8. Pictorial works    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Temples    12. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500    13. History of art: c 500 CE to c 1400    14. Places & peoples: general interest    15. Religious buildings    16. South East Asia    17. Photography    18. History    19. Travel   

Reviews (1)

An outstanding survey of American religious architecture
This is an outstanding book, but it doesn't quite live up to its title.You can't use it as an identification guide to the style of American religious structures, unless you had absolutely no knowledge of what, for example, gothic revival is.If that's the case, you're probably not thinking of buying this book.But, that said, it is an excellent survey of the best churches and other religious structures in the country.I've read, I believe, all the similar books and this is clearly the best.Perhaps that means simply that I agree with his choices, but he looks at a more thorough cross-section of such buildings than anyone else has.His architectural insights are not profound, but the photography is excellent and the buildings speak for themselves.When I bought this I thought I was simply keeping my collection complete, but it has filled a gap that I didn't realize I had. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Church architecture    3. Religious Buildings    4. Synagogue architecture    5. Temples    6. U.S. Architecture - General    7. United States    8. Sale Books   

Reviews (1)

A Virtual Monastic journey.
Lots of beautiful and new photos of old cloisters: consisting in good panaromic views and details. Well presented with a brief history of Europe andbrief theological explantions of monastic life. Descriptions are simple and short enough for the off-hand reader. The book is huge and heavy; more for desk reading rather than in bed.But it served my purpose of historico-monastic information blended with architectural purposes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Europe    3. Europe - General    4. General    5. History - General    6. Monasteries    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Religious buildings   

Reviews (6)

A Good Read IF YOU'RE into these things
but if not, you'll be bored senseless.

Interesting, I guess, but beware the title
This book was purchased as a gift for me.I am a subscriber to International Living, and San Miguel is a long-time favorite of theirs.
Great door collection!
If you are looking for rustic colonial or American Southwest doors then this book is a must buy. - jim ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Doors    2. Historic buildings    3. Mexico    4. Mexico - History    5. Photo Essays    6. Photography    7. Pictorial works    8. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    9. San Miguel de Allende    10. San Miguel de Allende (Mexico)    11. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    12. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/South America    13. Travel - World/South America    14. Cultural studies    15. Religious buildings   

Reviews (2)

Splendidly illustrated and very informative
Michael Rose's In Tiers of Glory is an excellent follow-up to his earlier book Ugly As Sin. Whereas the earlier book delved into the theology and philosophy of church architecture in order to show how it had been derailed by modernists with an obsession with novelty and an aversion to orthodox Christianity, In Tiers of Glory examines the historical aspects of the Catholic tradition in church architecture. Written for the layman, it is amazingly clear, concise and accurate. Chapter 10 on the return of Iconoclasm and the advent of modernism is worth the price alone. Its greatest asset perhaps is that it is generously illustrated with dozens of examples of beautiful church architecture (along with a few warty toads for contrast).

Reconnecting with Tradition in a Revolutionary Way
The standard stereotype of history, architectural or otherwise, imagines humanity leaping from one sea-change to the next.In the study of architectural history, one style gives way to the next as each generation of designers seek to outdo one another in the name of progress.However, with Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture / History    2. Architecture / Religious Buildings    3. Architecture    4. Catholic Church    5. Church architecture    6. Church buildings    7. Historic buildings    8. History    9. Religious Buildings    10. Roman Catholic Church   

Subjects:  1. India    2. Religious buildings    3. c 1000 CE to c 1500    4. c 1700 to c 1800    5. Encyclopaedias & Reference Works   

Reviews (1)

Exquisite!Scholarship at its best.
This book presents a truly comprehensive account of the Great Mosque of Damascus; from a consideration of both ornament and structure, the author traces the formations of an Umayyad visual culture in an innovative and most illuminating way.The links the author makes between Umayyad caliphate and Byzantium are truly ingenious in their setting of not only the historical context, but also through a reading of the formal and "archival" evidence within the very architecture.In the field of Art History, and specifically, Islamic Art History, this work is destined to be revolutionary and classic all at once. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Islamic    3. Architecture, Medieval    4. Damascus    5. General    6. Interior Design - General    7. Jami al-Umawi al-Kabir (Da    8. JÃ¥ami° al-UmawÃ¥i al-KabÃ¥ir (Damascus, Syria)    9. Religion    10. Religious Buildings    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Syria    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500    15. Islam    16. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Christian art and symbolism    3. England    4. Europe, Northern    5. Holidays - Christian    6. Interior Design - General    7. Medieval    8. Medieval, 500-1500    9. Pilgrims and pilgrimages    10. Religion - Christian Life    11. Religious Buildings    12. Subjects & Themes - Religious    13. Architecture    14. Northern Europe, Scandinavia    15. United Kingdom, Great Britain    16. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (2)

Wished I brought this with me
I just recently returned from a visit to this amazing city. It's huge and so utterly incredible. I sure could have used this book to help understand what I was looking at. This book has great photos, history and temple layouts. I bought a guide book at one of the temples (one needs it because a local guide isn't always understandable) and it is not even half as good as this book is. If you're planning a visit, this book is essential.

Excellent guide!!
First of all, you got to know the author Jean Laur was the Director of Angkor monuments from 1954 to 1959. He's very knowledgible about Khmer Angkor and the architects. Now, if you want to know about Angkors (all of the monunents in Cambodia) you got to read it from the source--the director of Angkors himself!! You can't never go wrong with this book. Every Angkor monument in this guide has some illustrated picture. Surprisingly the monument names are both in English and Khmer. I got 4 copies and gave them to my Khmer friends. They love it, especially the Khmer character names of the monument !! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Asian    4. General    5. History - Medieval    6. Sculpture    7. Architecture / General    8. Art / History / General    9. Cambodia    10. Religious buildings    11. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (4)

JEWEL OF INDIA
The Taj Mahal is one of the most spectacularly beautiful buildings in the world, saying it's breathtaking does not do it justice.Not only is it gorgeous but it has one of the great romantic stories tied into its creation.This book does a wonderful job of giving the reader a real feel for this singular structure.The images are vivid and stunning and the scholarly text is highly informative.The intracate detail and exquisite craftmanship in this building are unparalleled.This sublime garden tomb is truly a wonder.If you have any interst in the Taj Mahal or just apprecate beautiful books then I cannot imagine you not loving this book, oh and be forwarned that after taking in this great book you will want to hop a plane to India.

Enchanting !
This famous monument of love has been a favorite of tourists especially romantics, for many generations now. Visitors from all over the world are drawn to its irresistible charm, beauty and grandeur. Excellent book
Namaste (Hindu Hi)Read more

Subjects:  1. Agra    2. Architecture    3. Architecture, Mogul    4. Asia - India    5. Guidebooks    6. India    7. Religious Buildings    8. Specific Religious Buildings Architecture    9. Taj Mahal (Agra, India)    10. Memorials, monuments    11. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Editorial Review

The physical dimensions alone would be enough to make Read more

Reviews (19)

Excellent book; excellent pictures
The pictures are great, and the recapitulation of the history that follows the construction of these structures is wonderful.This is no small book.The length is over 16 inches and the width is over 12 inches.Thus, the pictures featured here have greater impact on the reader than other books which display smaller images with details that are barely perceivable.The author must have known this to have made the size of this book an issue before the "print" phase came along.

Great Reference Material
Book has many fine pictures, and an innovative format, highlighting multiple photographers capturing a wide variety of Churches worldwide.Clear, hi-definitition pictures of one church are followed by archived material, giving a full range of historical impressions of these fine churches. Nearly a masterpiece.

Churches by Judith Dupre Fantastic
This is the most beautiful book I have ever seen.Having traveled throughout much of the world, I have seen many of these Churches in person.She writes about them in such an informing and interesting way, that I find myself enjoying many of them even more in the book than I did in person because of the in- depth background included in the book.The photography is fabulous.Frequently, we were not allowed to take pictures in the churches, so now we can have a lasting memory of some of our most treasured experiences. I could not believe how reasonably priced the book on Churches was.That book is easily worth $150.00.I have frequently paid much more and gotten much less. I also have her book on Bridges and that too is most interesting. I look forward to acquiring all her books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Church architecture    3. Church buildings    4. Church decoration and ornament    5. General    6. History    7. Pictorial works    8. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    9. Religious Buildings    10. Religious Buildings Architecture    11. Architecture / General