Today, I will explore the Coventry Cathedral and determine whether it is sacred or profane. I have researched several resources (see below) and through the information I have gathered, I am able to describe how a holy sacred space is created through the decoration and architecture of the building. The Coventry Cathedral was constructed in the late 1300’s to early 1400’s and was elevated to cathedral status in 1918. In World War 2 the German Nazis bombed the English countryside with 74,000 thousand tonnes of explosives, destroying landmarks and industrial towns to demoralize the English people. The Coventry Cathedral was destroyed, with only a few walls remaining. Following this, the congregation and city built a more amazing cathedral next to the remains. I asked myself this question ‘why would they bother to rebuild the cathedral?’ The answer I found was that the cathedral was so sacred to the people that they need to rebuild it to continue their lives. The amazing tapestry of Jesus, and others, and sculptures in the cathedral create a special and respectable church making the cathedral sacred to the people. The incredible stained glass window wall would have taken many months to create, so why was it made. I think the answer is that the people are trying to connect to a greater power, someone holier than themselves, their God. The spire of the cathedral acts as an axis mundi, the place where earth and heaven connect. This awe-inspiring building, with its incredible architecture and decorations, is trying to connect the people with their God, and that makes this cathedral sacred.
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