around the golden ratio november 2012 – june 2013 collège jean rostand - draguignan carole...
TRANSCRIPT
Around the Golden RatioNovember 2012 – June 2013
Collège Jean Rostand - DRAGUIGNANCollège Jean Rostand - DRAGUIGNAN
Carole Terpereau – May 2013
Le Thoronet Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century, now restored as a museum. It is sited between the towns of Draguignan and Brignoles in the Var Department of Provence, in southeast France. It is one of the three Cistercian abbeys in Provence, along with the Sénanque Abbey and Silvacane that together are known as "the Three Sisters of Provence“.
Le Thoronet Abbey is one of the best examples of the spirit of the Cistercian order. Even the acoustics of the church imposed a certain discipline upon the monks; because of the stone walls, which created a long echo, the monks were forced to sing slowly and perfectly together. The abbey is fundamentally connected to its site, and is an exceptional example of spirituality and philosophy transformed into architecture. It is distinguished, like other Cistercian abbeys, by its purity, harmony, and lack of decoration or ornament.
① The Abbey Church
② The Cloister
③ The Dormitory
④ The Cellar
In the Cellar
In the Cellar
In the Cloister
Our group in the Cloister
Around the Lavabo
The ceiling of the Lavabo’s room
In the Cloister
In the Cloister
In the Dormitory with our guide
Along the wall
The garden of the Cloister
View from the wall
Pupils are discovering the incredible acoustics inside the Church.
The Church
The Chapter House
After lunch in the lay brothers’building
French pupils are working on Maths activities proposed by our guide
Emma is drawing golden rectangles usedfor the construction of the Le Thoronet Abbey
Chaimae, Pierrine & Mewenn are making rulers with a rope to measure lengths in the Abbey using old units
coudée pied empan palme pouce
coudée : pied ≈ 1.618
pied : empan = 1.618
palme : empan ≈ 1.618
palme : pouce ≈ 1.618
Pupils are now measuring ratios between several dimensions on architectural elements in the Cloister with their ropes
Guillaume is noting down all measures on a document given by our guide
Pupils are now creating several geometrical shapes with a 13-knotted rope.
A right angled triangle
A square
A square
A rectangle
With the knotted rope, pupils are measuring the lengthand the width of the inside of the church.
The dimensions of the church are in the Golden Ratio.