1. Religion (Christianity and the Cultural Landscape)

2. How is Christianity reflected on the Cultural Landscape?

3. The Cultural Landscape
The cultural landscape is the visible expression of human activity in a place. Contains valuable evidence about a culture.
Often it involves modification of landscape by human activity. Cultures use, alter, + manipulate landscapes to reflect their identity.
It’s what we SEE & what we don’t see.
Some of the cultural landscape is not what we build.
Most of “built landscape” (things we actually construct) is embedded within the cultural landscape
some of built landscape is not part of the cultural landscape

4. How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?
Obvious ways?
Sacred sites (places or spaces people infuse with religious meaning)
Less obvious ways?
Absence of things (liquor stores), certain types of food not being sold (Middle East – no pork; No beef in India. Food taboos)

5. Christian Churches more critical than in other religions
affects landscape
Usually tall, centrally located
Style reflects
cultural influences
Catholic= Roman classical styling, Renaissance Art
Orthodox = Greek pointed domes, mosaics
beliefs
Catholic
reflect power of faith, authority of church
= Gothic Cathedrals
veneration of saints, crucifix
Protestant = simple, protest against corruption of church, don’t ask saints for intercession, crucifix = idolatry
Orthodox cross

8. Protestant Reformation:
1517; 16th Century in Europe (Germany)
Martin Luther fed up with R.C.C.
Corrupt leaders + extravagant spending on military, the arts + personal pleasure
Corrupt popes - fathering children, pursuing worldly affairs + neglecting spiritual duties.
Priests breaking vows (drinking, gambling)
Taking $ from poor - Ex. Corrupt practice of selling indulgences (pardons for sins)

9. Luther’s 95 Theses

10. Christian Churches more critical than in other religions
affects landscape
Usually tall, centrally located
Style reflects
cultural influences
Catholic = Roman classical styling, Renaissance Art
Orthodox = Greek pointed domes, mosaics
beliefs
Catholic
reflect power of faith, authority of church
= Gothic Cathedrals
veneration of saints, crucifix
Protestant = simple, protest against corruption of church, don’t ask saints for intercession, crucifix = idolatry
Orthodox cross
availability of building materials

12. Christianity Disposal of the Dead Calendar
Relate to life of Jesus = Universalizing!
Easter
Christmas
But, still connected to Jewish/pagan seasonal holidays
Jesus was a Jew
Syncretic appeal to win pagan converts
Ex. “Christmas” = December 25th
Roman “Saturnalia” = gifts, green
Scandinavian pagan = yule
Differences between branches
Catholic use “Gregorian”
Orthodox use “Julian”
Burial
Cemeteries
Use valuable land, especially in areas with overpopulation and need for more farmland.
Serve as green space in newly industrializing cities
reflect religion on the cultural landscape
can be repositories of history and culture
spaces for memorialization

16. Administration of space
Catholic hierarchy creates “territories”
Archdioceses, dioceses, parishes

17. Other effects on landscape
toponyms