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。
Global coffee prices have soared to their highest in nearly 50 years due to poor weather in Brazil and Vietnam, forcing roasters such as Nestle to raise prices and consumers to hunt for cheaper brews amid the cost of living crisis. Spiking prices will benefit farmers with the crop this year, but challenge traders who face crippling hedging costs on exchanges and a scramble to receive the beans they pre-bought. WHAT DRIVES PRICES? Production problems linked to bad weather in Brazil and Vietnam have seen global supplies lagging demand for three years. That has left stocks depleted and driven benchmark ICE exchange prices
A: I love December. There are always so many concerts to attend at the end of the year. B: I just went to Bigbang member Tae-yang’s Taipei concert last weekend, and it was awesome. A: And I went to the weekend concerts at Christmasland in New Taipei City, featuring Tae-yang’s wife Hyo-lyn and various artists. B: Taiwanese superstars A-mei, Mayday, and Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok will also stage shows starting this week. A: It’s so hard to decide. Which one do you want to go to? A: 我好喜歡12月，因為每到年底總有許多演唱會！ B: 我上週才剛去過BigBang太陽的台北演唱會，超精彩。 A: 我也剛去過新北歡樂耶誕城的演唱會，太陽的老婆孝琳還有來表演唷。 B: 台灣天后阿妹、天團五月天、香港天王郭富城等巨星的演唱會從本週起也將陸續開唱。 A: 真難決定，你想去哪一場？ （By Eddy Chang,
The vast ocean stages countless miracles of life, but none are quite as awe-inspiring as the phenomenon of a “whale fall.” When a giant whale reaches the end of its life, its immense body gently descends and eventually lands in the inky abyss. This moment, which might seem like the end, ignites a burst of new life on the ocean floor. Deep beneath the ocean’s surface, where sunlight is unable to venture and nutrients are scarce, a whale fall is like an oasis in a barren landscape. Over decades, even centuries, the remains of a single whale can sustain thousands of
A: Among all the concerts, I’m in highest anticipation of A-mei’s. B: Me too, as she will become the first female singer to hold concerts at the venue. A: And she will stage five shows total, on Dec. 21, 22, 28 and 29, as well as the 31st, New Year’s Eve. B: We were so lucky to get the tickets for her New Year’s Eve show. A: Yeah! It’ll be super exciting to count down to the New Year with A-mei. A: 在這麼多演唱會中，我最期待阿妹的大巨蛋首唱。 B: 我也是，她可是首位在大巨蛋舉辦演唱會的女歌手呢。 A: 而且她將會嗨唱5場︰12月21、22、28、29日，跨年夜31日。 B: 幸好我們有搶到跨年夜的門票。 A: 對啊，能和阿妹一起倒數太興奮啦！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
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