The ground plan of Medieval European cathedrals is usually laid out in the shape of a cross, with rose windows often incorporated into the facades and transepts of the building. Notre Dame has several rose windows facing north, south, and west, with the south window being the most famous and measuring 13m in diameter. The windows are all illuminated by natural light throughout the day, casting colorful light onto the walls and floor of the cathedral.
Despite their association with Gothic churches and Catholicism, historians believe that rose windows were inspired by early architectural styles from the Roman Empire and various Islamic empires that came afterward. Indeed, intricate window designs similar to rose windows appeared in the Middle East some 500 years before the construction of Notre Dame began. At the time, Islamic and Christian empires often fought each other. Nonetheless, the popularity of the rose window demonstrates that artistic expression can transcend time, culture and religion.
Photo: AdobeStock 照片： AdobeStock
中世紀歐洲大教堂的平面配置圖通常是十字形的，而玫瑰窗經常被納入建築的正面和耳堂。巴黎聖母院有好幾個玫瑰窗，分別面向北、南和西邊，其中南面那扇窗最為著名，其直徑達十三公尺。這些窗戶在白天都被自然光照亮，將彩色的光線投射到該座堂的牆壁和地板上。
儘管玫瑰窗與哥德式教堂和天主教密切相關，但歷史學家認為玫瑰窗的靈感來自羅馬帝國和隨後的各種伊斯蘭帝國的早期建築風格。在巴黎聖母院開始建造的約五百年前，中東地區的確就已經出現了類似玫瑰窗的精美窗戶設計。當時，伊斯蘭和基督教帝國之間經常發生戰爭。然而，玫瑰窗的流行表明，藝術表現可以超越時間、文化和宗教。
Word in Use
4. architecture n. 建築 architectural a. 建築的
► Venice is celebrated for its canals and beautiful architecture.
威尼斯以其運河及漂亮的建築聞名。
► We will build the bridge according to the architectural plan you gave us.
我們將根據你交給我們的建築計畫建造那座橋。
5. artistic a. 富有藝術性的
► Renoir’s paintings have great artistic value.
雷諾瓦的畫作具有很高的藝術價值。
A Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel “Shunxin-39” was believed to have caused damage to an undersea cable of Taiwan telecoms operator Chunghwa Telecom on the morning of Jan. 3. It was suspected that the Chinese merchant ship, which was registered with the nationality of another country, deliberately cut off the cable by dragging the anchor over it. While the incident is still under investigation, China has a long history of using maritime tactics to sabotage Taiwan’s infrastructure. In February last year, two cables linking Taiwan to its outlying Matsu Islands were damaged within days of each other by a Chinese fishing
Have you ever dreamed of using an entire city as your training ground, effortlessly moving across walls, buildings, stairs, and obstacles? This is not just a fantasy from the movies. In cities around the world, a group of enthusiasts practice this seemingly impossible sport — “parkour.” The origins of parkour can be traced back to 20th-century France. A military officer named Georges-Hebert witnessed the incredible physical abilities of local residents in Africa, which inspired him to create the Methode Naturelle, or natural method. This training method cleverly combined climbing, running, and swimming with artificial barriers to mimic nature. Later, David Belle
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A: The 21st Century is now entering its 25th year. B: So Billboard has released a list: “The 25 greatest pop stars of the 21st Century.” A: Who are the greatest pop singers? B: No. 25 to 16 are: Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Bad Bunny, One Direction, Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, BTS, The Weeknd, Shakira and Jay-Z. A: Wow, my favorite K-pop supergroup BTS has made it to the list. A: 21世紀正在邁入第25個年頭了。 B: 《告示牌》雜誌特別公布：「21世紀最偉大的25位流行歌手」。 A: 最偉大的歌手有哪些？ B: 第25至16名是：凱蒂佩芮、紅髮艾德、壞痞兔、1世代、小韋恩、火星人布魯諾、防彈少年團（BTS）、威肯、夏奇拉、Jay-Z。 A: 哇，我最愛的韓流天團BTS也上榜了！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
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