View Article: The Long Walk

	The Long Walk
	written by liu9700 / 10.24.2005

The Long Walk

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Part 1:

The concept of the cemetery is to create a place that will attract the living. This is why so much effort goes into the arrangement and presentation of the graves. Today we visited two cemeteries with entirely different approaches at the same basic agenda: to draw visitors in and invite them to linger and remember the dead. The protestant cemetery advertises itself to passersby on the street as a place for a rest and a quiet moment. From the gate it could easily be mistaken for a private botanical garden. Meandering gravel walkways and curious monuments capture the visitor. Benches are provided so that the living may sit, relax, and spend some time with the dead. The British military cemetery is an entirely different experience. There are no benches and only one long concrete aisle for the visitor to stroll. In stark contrast to the wild aesthetic of the protestant cemetery the British cemetery is extremely ordered. The neatly set rows of tombstones vary only in their inscriptions. The landscaping is also very tidy and well tended. The difference in intentionality that I gathered was one of individual versus establishment. The protestant cemetery is full of microcosmic corners. The monuments vary drastically in shape, size and color. It is really a place for self-reflection and to wonder about the occupant of each individual grave, of who they once were and how they lived their life. The British military cemetery begs rather that the visitor remember the establishment to which each occupant of the cemetery dedicated their life and possibly died for. Unlike the protestant cemetery the visitor is compelled to consider this space as a whole. Its order is an allusion to the power and history of the British military.

Part 2:

http://www.traunwalchen.de/trw/images/jpeg/frauenkirche.jpg

Die Frauenkirche

Since we unfortunately were unable to visit Santa Maria in Cosmedin I would like to write about another European church which I have visited many times and have come to appreciate over the years for its crafty architectural motive. The church is named “Die Frauenkirche” and is located in the historic center of Munich, Germany. Literally “The Lady’s Church” it is a cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The building is an impressive sight, with two towers that loom above the visitor from the constricted, winding streets below. When they first step inside the church the visitor finds themselves bathed in darkness. The main aisle tunnels their vision to the sunlit altar which is flanked by flowers and ornament and the figure of the crucifix. As they advance up the central nave they are suddenly hit with slanted columns of light that flood in from the high windows above. The visitor now realizes that the columns in the church have been placed with care so that no light will reach the entrance.

The use of light and dark in Die Frauenkirche is profound. A walk down the aisle mirrors the Christian journey of the soul to salvation, a transition from the shroud of unawareness to the radiance of heaven. The purpose is to associate the interior of the church, the depictions on its walls and the sermons taught within the space with this salvation of the soul. It is an effect that reaches everyone who enters the church. Architecture like this is often employed when an establishment wants to subtlety influence a large number of people coming from a mix of classes or educational backgrounds. Die Frauenkirche uses this technique well to reach the hundreds of visitors it receives everyday.

Part 3:

When I first saw the market place at Testaccio I couldn’t help but think it had a foreboding air about it. The brightness of the sun outside prevented me from looking into the space I was about to enter. If I hadn’t been with the group I would gone past the market entirely. Once inside it took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to its dimness. In those moments I took in the scent of cheese, spices and flowers and the ensuing flood of associated memories calmed me as to the market’s nature. When it finally snapped into focus I found the structure of the market very comforting. Its narrow passages and low ceilings gave me the impression that I was strolling through an oversized rabbit’s warren. The darkness now had the opposite effect. I shied away from the windows and doorways that connect the world of the market back to Rome. The glimpses of sunlight I caught seemed harsh, it was much better now to stay in the cool dark of the market. I noticed the place to be dirty and a little crowded, but in comfortable way. When I finally left the space it was a shock to my system, like jumping into a frigid lake. Before entering I had been comfortable out in the world, under the sun, seeing and being seen. However, after leaving I felt exposed and longed again for the cool snug comfort of the market.

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