Essay about Pilgrim Monument

Submitted By nicole0430
Words: 884
Pages: 4
Open Document
The Architecture of
The Pilgrim Monument

Art301
August 26, 2012

The architectural structure of the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Massachusetts is a monument that I see daily in the distance and have visited on field trips numerous times as a child. Even though I have grown up here I am not very familiar with the history and construction of this structure. This assignment inspired me to visit this part of our town’s history as an adult and learn more about it and its architecture. The Monument was built to commemorate the Pilgrims first landing in Provincetown, as many have often mistakenly believed that landing was first in Plymouth.

What I found interesting in researching this is that the exterior was modeled after the Torre Del Mangia in Sienna, Italy, while the interior was modeled after the St Marks Campanile in Venice, Italy. This monument is impressive in size alone, and the granite only adds to the appearance of grandeur. It is set on a hill and surrounded with a museum that also commemorates the pilgrims, and being on the tip of the cape can be viewed from just about any local beach from across the water, which also adds to its impressiveness.

At 252 feet tall now, this monument began construction in 1907 with the laying of its first cornerstone and was completed in 1909. The design group of Sears and Cummings was commissioned to construct a memorial to the site of the Pilgrims first landing and chose to build this magnificent structure overlooking the harbor. To this day, the Pilgrim Monument is the largest all granite structure in the United States and has been renovated only once.

Charles Cummings of the design group was a student of and fascinated with Italian and Gothic architecture and that can been seen reflected in this monument. This monument was actually the last structure that he designed before his death. Built with all granite, the monument is ominous over the town with its grayish appearance, narrow window slits and of course, gargoyles at the top the structure looking down over the town. It is a powerful structure to view from the bottom.

The exterior design was based on the Torre Del Mangia in Sienna Italy, and the interior design was modeled after the St Marks Campanile in Venice Italy. The term campanile is from the Italian language and literally means bell tower. The Pilgrim Monument itself does contain a bell, however it was constructed as to have one. The upper part of the Pilgrim Monument is strictly similar to that of the Torre Del Mangia which was designed by Agostino di Giovanni in 1338. While the interior on the Pilgrim Monument boasts 116 steps and 60 ramps which circle visitors to the top, bronze shutters and oak doors. This circular ascension of stairs and ramps is similar to that of the St Marks Campanile.

The design and appearance of the Pilgrim Monument has long been a source of contention. Many have commented wondering and being critical about why a bell tower was chosen to commemorate the Pilgrims first Landing and wondering why how that has any historical significance in regards to the intention. I have not found a concrete answer to that myself. The most I have found speculated that the large Portuguese population at the time was more familiar with this type structure. And that to fulfill the obligation of commemorating the Pilgrims, there is a large museum built around the structure.

Some other interesting facts about the construction of this monument are that
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about Pilgrim Monument

Bio lab Essay

Southeast Asia are just good place for the tourist who never experienced or saw ancient civilization, and Buddhism or Hinduism monuments. I toured Angkor Wat in Thailand without any knowledge about art when I was in middle school. However, art history of South Easter Asia from the lecture changed the prejudice to curiosity. Especially, Chandi Borobudur and some huge monuments from Indonesia were not only enough to catch my eye, but also made me to think about ancient people from Indonesia. The great…

Words 1193 - Pages 5

Explain The Progression From Bodhisattva To Buddha

northern doorway there are carved doorframes from the reign of the bellicose King Bayinnaung the Great, third king of the Taungoo Dynasty. Observing the whitewashed exterior of the temple there are square terracotta plaques. These plaques depict pilgrims,…

Words 156 - Pages 1

Ka Ba Research Paper

tradition, the Black Stone was given to Adam and Eve when they were expelled from paradise so he could obtain forgiveness of his sins. Also according to tradition, the stone was originally white but turned black after absorbing the sins of the many pilgrims who have touched it believing that it physically absorbs sin. In Figure 2A, it shows the building diagram of the Ka’ba and Figure 2B shows the Black Stone. The significance and symbolism of the Ka‘ba are evoked in Muslim tradition because it plays…

Words 907 - Pages 4

Catholic Church Research Paper

Pope; Saint Peter's successor http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=10148. In the middle ages, pilgrims followed routes such as 'Via Francigena'; starting from France or even Canterbury, England with Rome as their destination. Christians who wished to visit the 'Holy See' and worship relics such as the tombs of the great apostles Peter and Paul followed this route. For the pilgrims, Rome was the destination and Saint Peter's the final stop, signifying the importance of the city within the…

Words 1547 - Pages 7

Essay On Meaning Of Life

“The meaning of life is to give life meaning.” Viktor Frankl The higher goal of every person is to find oneself in this journey called life. Many people are not even aware they are looking something higher that will fulfill their being. Some people made it sooner and some of them later. Some people „accidentally” find themselves in the river of life that flows quietly, and some individuals have been troubled on stormy waves of life for long time. Whatever the circumstances…

Words 1764 - Pages 8

Florence Catherdral Essay example

consists of tiles specially designed for easy assembly and maintenance. The top of the dome is held together by a lantern, designed by Brunelleschi, yet was completed after his death in 1436. The Florence Cathedral Dome stands out as the tallest monument in Florence and for many is a symbol of economic and religious guidance. The Florence Cathedral Baptistery played a huge role in the artistic contributions to the Italian Renaissance. Because of the competition between Brunelleschi and Lorenzo…

Words 503 - Pages 3

Explain Who Is To Blame For The Death Of Romeo And Juliet Essay

Capulet’s party to see his “love,” Rosaline, Juliet’s cousin, but when he laid eyes upon the gorgeous Juliet he didn’t love Rosaline anymore. “If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss” (Shakespeare 394), are the first words he speaks to the fair Juliet, before he stole a kiss from Juliet’s untouched lips. Compelling her to feel something towards the one who gave her first…

Words 843 - Pages 4

Essay on Exam for death and dying

D&D exam 1) The Laurel Hill cemetery which is located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania evokes this notion by the exclusiveness of who was buried there. Families were buried together to signify heaven as a home. The monuments were made of quality materials such as marble for a more rich display. The cemetery is always plush with flowers and plants and is dubbed the second major rural cemetery. 2) The character I most identify with in the film is the knight, Antonius Block. After his long 10…

Words 1452 - Pages 6

Reformation Bibles Essay

Our precept readings for the semester guided us through different facets of the reformation which proceeded through England and Scotland. We progressed through the major changes made early on through bible translations and books of homilies. We then moved to books of order, worship, and discipline. Finally, we ended with personal reflection and opinion, now possible and appreciated in the new environment of the church. We began with the prototypical igniter of the Reformation, Martin Luther…

Words 1584 - Pages 7

Rhetorical Analysis Of Dr. King

According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), a “rhetorical situation” would refer to a situation where at least one person uses a form of communication to persuade their audience to understand their point of view. These situations exist in our everyday lives. For example, when buying my younger brother a toy during the christmas season, the cashier asked if I would like to add two dollars to my total to help provide a homeless children christmas present this year. Another example would…

Words 1133 - Pages 5