San Diego Mormon Temple and the Chartres Cathedral in France

San Diego Mormon Temple and the Chartres Cathedral in France The San Diego Mormon Temple bases its architecture on gothic roots; where the epitome of early gothic architecture is the Chartres Cathedral in France. The Mormon Temple is made of white aggregate stone and stucco, very angular and massive, built as a Gothic revival temple. Designed by William Lewis, Jr., the architect took into consideration Mormon temples in Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. Hugely bulky at the base, the Mormon Temple rises from an enormous mound of earth, that conceals the lower floor. Built for the Mormons residing in Southern California, this temples marks the forty-fifth Mormon temple in the world. However,†¦show more content†¦The medieval cathedral was physically integrated into the town. Houses crowded up to its very walls and lean-tos were built right against them. In the city, the tower cathedral, was the medieval forerunner of the skyscraper, but unlike its modern counterpart, it subsumed a number of functions. At one moment or another, therefo re the medieval church could serve civic, communal, and commercial purposes (Branner, Robert, ed., Chartres Cathedral, W.W. Norton, New York, 1969, p. 69). However it was first and foremost a religious building. Although in modern times it served primary as a place of worship. The San Diego Temple is not an exact copy of the Chartres Cathedral by any means. However, there are some definite borrowed characteristics that can be found in Mormon Temple, originally appearing in the Chartres Cathedral. The similarity in architectural features is another common theme in both churches. Both structures have large bases that support the massive upper portion of the cathedrals. Both structures have two spires, that reach high into the sky. The San Diego Temple and Chartres Cathedral use an abundance of glass. Both structures are used for religious purposes. Although there are a few aesthetic similarities, the differences outweigh them. While the basic features, of the gothic cathedral are common to both, an abundance of glass,