s was quite different. Romanesque style churches employed a heavy stone structure to withstand the force of the buildings height, made possible by stone vaulting. The walls were thick and contained small windows, if at all. Gothic style cathedrals were so large they physically dominated the town. Gothic style cathedrals could reach even greater heights because the round arch, used in the Romanesque cathedral was replaced by the emergence of the pointed arch. Each of these were made of heavy stone, but the pointed arch was much more successful because the weight of the building was thrust downward into the foundation, instead of outward. This made thick walls of the Romanesque style obsolete. Thin walls supported by flying buttresses replaced the thick walls and allowed for many more windows because the walls were much stronger.Stained glass windows dominated many walls of the Gothic cathedral. As the walls were strengthened and thinned, windows became numerous. Unique to the Gothic cathedral, the brilliant stained glass windows often illustrated bible stories. They also held vivid pictures of saints, kings, and workers. They were a delight to the eye of the Middle Ages, casting a rainbow of divine light over the entire body of the cathedral.Though differences are apparent in function, sculpture, and structure, Romanesque cathedrals share the same basic principals as Gothic cathedralsthey each serve as a center for religious concentration. Representative of the hard work and creativity of the Middle Ages, Cathedrals remain a focal point for religious life....
