"Light, God's eldest daughter, is a principle beauty in a building." -Thomas Fuller
After hearing this quote, I realized how much the element of light plays into many religious structures. For example, the pyramid built by the Egyptians rises up to one single point. A piece of gold shined at the top at all times of day, reflecting the light of the sun. The idea of the pyramid symbolized pureness and perfection, which is how many view their faith.
Another example of this would be the Pantheon, built by the Romans. It was constructed facing the north, considering where the sunlight would be shining through during the autumn, winter, spring, and summer equinoxes. At the autumn equinox, the light of the oculus reaches the upper hemisphere of the coffered dome. At the winter solstice it reaches its height. At spring equinox it touches the base of the dome, and shines through the grill above the front door. At the summer solstice it is totally on the floor.
Many cultures incorporate a tremendous amount of decoration throughout their temples and other religious structures. The hindu cosmos are a great example of this, because your eyes are constantly moving and you're always finding something new to look at.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of faith expressed through architecture is stained-glass windows. The purpose of stained glass windows doesn't allow people to see outside, but it allows light to shine through, it adds beauty to a building, and often represents an honorable person. Some also tell stories. They flourished during the medieval period and were prominent in the Gothic period and the Renaissance. Today, you can find them in many churches and Cathedrals all over. Different cultures express their faith through designs in different ways. A structure becomes sacred because of what inspired the designer to construct it.
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