History: troubadours

A troubadour was a strolling minstrel or lyric poet. Troubadours were French, Italian and Spanish composers who sang and wrote about courtly love.

Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals are typified by two distinct types of architecture. The Romanesque cathedral was usually a rectangular basilica style similar to a fortress or castle. The Romanesque cathedral was limited in size because of the weaknesses of its rectangular, monolithic, construction. Gothic cathedrals superseded the limitations of the Romanesque cathedrals and could be built much taller. The Gothic cathedral is typified by spires, arched or domed ceilings and the architectural feature known as 'flying buttresses.' Flying buttresses supported the walls of the tallest cathedrals and allowed the cathedral to be built taller with thinner walls.