King's College Chapel

[mizarchivist]

OK-
This afternoon Tom, purple_terror and I- after a few hours of meandering through Cambridge- went to King's College Chapel for evensong. This experience absolutely made the trip. I'm sure I will have other moments of fun and pleasant diversion, but this was, for once: awesome. Stunning. Amazing. Reminds you that sometimes the human condition creates pure beauty.

This video will be a good example of what that was like. And the ceiling--- I have no words.

Comments

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

When I first saw King's College Chapel, I was thunderously unimpressed. It looked like a brick with mismatched windows. I could not understand at all why people made a big deal of it.

Then I stepped inside.

The only words I have to describe my feelings then was that the architecture grabbed a hold of my soul, tossed it heavenward, and let it soar.

alyveritya was still a toddler then, and we were pushing her around in a stroller. I looked down at her, and she was looking up at the ceiling. She let loose an "Ah!", heard it echo in those perfect acoustics, and then spent the next few minutes playing with echolocation. The beaming smile on her face is one of those things totally etched into my memory.

[pir.livejournal.com]

I like pointing out to people that King's College Chapel is several times larger (height and floor area) than the University Church that's across the road and over a bit.

[quiet-elegance.livejournal.com]

oooh ellen, I have to build my cathedral....

luff luff

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

The guy who championed the construction of National Cathedral in DC (100 years ago) felt that elizabethan architecture was the best way to go in church design, for the very reason you describe: tossing your soul heavenwards, soaring - that it brought you closer to god.

very, very cute about alyveritya.

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

pretty neat, innit?

[mizarchivist]

You know I had to say that at least 2x while going in/around it.

[mizarchivist]

the architecture grabbed a hold of my soul, tossed it heavenward, and let it soar.
Amen to that, brother. I may not be remotely Christian, but boy howdy do I appreciate their ability to make beautiful things in the name of their god.