Building the medieval world

"Some of the great and lasting achievements of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are the architectural wonders of soaring cathedrals and grand castles and palaces. While many of these edifices survive, many more are lost, and it is within the pages of illuminated manuscripts that we often find the best record of the appearance of these amazing buildings. This volume illustrates the creative ways in which medieval artists represented architecture, offering insight into what these buildings meant for medieval people. Such structures were not just made to be inhabited—they symbolized grandeur, power, and even heaven on earth. Building the Medieval World accompanied an exhibition of the same name that was on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum from March 2 through May 16, 2010"--Publisher's website.