For 700 years of history, the tallest building on Earth was a church. But do you ever wonder how medieval society built them — with no power tools or modern machines?

For 700 years of history, the tallest building on Earth was a church.

But do you ever wonder how medieval society built them — with no power tools or modern machines?

The answer may surprise you... (thread) 🧵

In 1221, Old Saint Paul's Cathedral surpassed the Great Pyramid as the world's tallest building.

In 1311, Lincoln Cathedral took over, then held the title for centuries.

But how did they manage it — in towns of just a few thousand people, transporting materials by ox-cart?

Well, a few key elements at their disposal were unprecedented in history...

First is community. Unlike Ancient Egypt and Rome, the medieval wonders were products not only of political power, but the general will of the people:

Lords, peasants, monks, craftsmen, politicians — not slaves.

They were built not to commemorate the ego of one emperor or pharaoh, but to promote the spiritual flourishing of whole communities.

Most of the labor was ordinary townsfolk or local craftsmen, carving it all lovingly by hand.

And neighbouring communities were spurred on by a compounding spirit of rivalry.

When the giant cathedral in Amiens went up, Beauvais endeavoured to build one bigger — and take its title as the highest nave in Europe.

Next is innovation. Integral to Gothic was the belief that light itself is divine, so major breakthroughs aimed at making entirely new levels of light possible.

The flying buttress and pointed arch made far taller and thinner walls work — supporting giant windows.

And by the 12th century, the cranes invented by the Romans had been rediscovered, allowing massive stones to be hoisted. These were greatly improved upon, with double pulleys and counterweights.

Next, mathematics. A master mason's only design tools were a compass, some string, and a straightedge rule. Yet with these, incredibly complex geometry and proportion was devised.

Why? To reflect the harmony of creation...

Their structures were both harmonious to the eye and structurally coherent, borrowing from rules passed down from antiquity.

They used geometry just as God did in the creation of Earth, so every ratio was of immense importance.

This obsession over sacred geometry made these wildly complex buildings work.

It might seem strange to the modern-day architect — but the results speak for themselves...

But the real answer is time — building with hand tools on this scale only makes sense when you have it on your side. Cologne Cathedral's final stone wasn't laid until 632 years after the first.

But why did they have so much time?

Because they were capable of suspending the needs of the present to begin what would take generations to complete.

And later generations stayed true to the vision, bound by tradition from centuries earlier.

Communities that built cathedrals were united across time.

So imbued with the spirit of building something greater than themselves, men toiled their entire lives for what they would never live to see finished...

That's a wrap!

Hope you enjoyed it.

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