Throughout this semester, we have engaged with architectural complexes that have served multiple functions, among them the promotion of the authority of the ruler along with the promotion of the religion of the populace. For your final assignment, select three monuments that we have studied (thus from Ancient Rome through Gothic) and contrast how each has used architecture, space, and decoration (either sculpture, painting, mosaic, or architectural forms themselves) to promote the agenda and needs of the site. You might, for example, compare the Pantheon, Hagia Sophia, and the Dome of the Rock; or Aachen, Sainte-Foi, and Chartres. The choice is yours, just be sure to choose monuments from THREE different lectures. You will want to consider function, style, audience, and, of course, the motivations of the patron in your discussion. Be sure to be thorough, including specific details for each site in the formulation of your argument. (750-1000 words)
