(Return to Quarter 1)

Day 46

1. We’re going to circle back around to a topic we missed: Castles! Today read “Castles Through Time.”

Day 47

1. Read “The English Castle: Dominating the Landscape.”
2. Then watch “How Were Castles Built in the Medieval Period?”

Day 48

1. Read about motte-and-bailey castles.
2. Watch the video “The Problem with Motte and Bailey Castles.”

Day 49

1. A motte-and-bailey castles declined in popularity, they were replaced by stone keep castles. Read about stone castles in England.
2. Watch the video about stone keep castles.

Day 50

1. Read about important architectural elements of a medieval castle.
2. Watch the video “Different Types of Medieval Castles.”

Day 51

1. Today watch “Modern Marvels: Massive Medieval Castles and Deadly Dungeons.”

Day 52

1. Draw a castle. Include at least 5 elements we have studied and label them. Record your score out of 10 (1 point for each element drawn, 1 point for each element labeled.)

Day 53

1. During the Middle Ages, European architecture was dominated by the need for protection and defense. Massive, fortified castles were built to withstand attacks and project the power of kings and lords. Their thick stone walls, narrow windows, moats, and towers reflect a world concerned with survival and warfare. Function came before beauty, and architecture served military and political needs.

But as Europe became more stable, cities began to grow, and with them came a new focus: the Church. In the 12th century, the Gothic architectural style emerged, first in France. While Romanesque churches (such as those built in the 10th and 11th centuries) were dark, heavy, and fortress-like, Gothic cathedrals reached for the heavens. Builders developed new structural techniques like pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, which allowed churches to soar upward while filling the interior with light from large stained-glass windows. Famous examples include Chartres Cathedral in France and Cologne Cathedral in Germany. These buildings were not just places of worship; they were masterpieces of engineering, art, and faith.

As Europe entered the 15th century, a new movement was born: the Renaissance. Originating in Italy, this period saw a revival of the ideas of Ancient Greece and Rome. Architects began to reject the dramatic vertical lines and complex decoration of the Gothic in favor of harmony, balance, and proportion. They studied ancient ruins, read Roman texts like those of Vitruvius, and aimed to recreate the symmetry and geometry of classical temples. Filippo Brunelleschi, one of the first Renaissance architects, famously designed the dome of Florence Cathedral, blending Gothic techniques with classical forms.

In Renaissance architecture, features like columns, domes, rounded arches, and clear mathematical ratios returned to prominence. Buildings like the Tempietto by Bramante or St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome reflect a new mindset: one that valued humanism, order, and the rediscovery of ancient ideals.

Day 54

1. Read about Renaissance Architecture.
2. Watch the video “Who Shaped Renaissance Architecture?”

Day 55

1. Watch the first half of “Great Cathedral Mystery.”

Day 56

1. Watch the second half of “Great Cathedral Mystery.”

Day 57

1. Compare pictures of the Pantheon to the 16th-century Villa la Rotonda. What similarities can you spot? How do these buildings illustrate the Renaissance emphasis on reviving Roman ideals?
2. Watch the video “Why Does Renaissance Architecture Look Like That?”

Day 58

1. Watch the video about the Pazzi Chapel.
2. Watch the video about the Medici Palace.
3. Watch the video about the Palazzo Rucellai.

Day 59

1. Take a virtual tour of St. Peter’s Basilica. Be thorough! Look at all the areas.
2. Watch the video “St. Peter’s Basilica Explained.”

Day 60

1. Read about Michelangelo’s contributions to architecture.
2. Watch the video about understanding Michelangelo’s architecture.

Day 61

1. Watch the tour of the Sistine Chapel.

Day 62

1. Read about the characteristics of Renaissance architecture.
2. Design and draw your own Renaissance building. (Just the outside is fine.) Use at least 5 design elements characteristic of Renaissance architecture and label them. Record your score out of 10 points (5 for drawing, 5 for labeling).