Are skyscrapers modern cathedrals? Viewing the Chrysler Building from Florence Cathedral regarding architectural symbolism and political messages across time

Abstract

This paper poses the question of whether skyscrapers are modern cathedrals, functioning as symbols of power and beliefs. Some skyscrapers such as the Chrysler Building, a National Historic Landmark, embody contemporary beliefs. However, existing studies focus on the aesthetics, technicalities and influences of the Chrysler Building only within its own historical context with little reference to architecture or cathedrals in other historic periods. To address this knowledge gap, this thesis compares the Chrysler Building to the iconic Florence Cathedral which represents religious authority and Renaissance spirit, seeking to unveil the political messages of the Chrysler Building and investigate its function as a symbol of power parallel to premodern cathedrals.

Despite the 500-year disparity, the Chrysler Building resonates with the Florence Cathedral in various aspects. This study scrutinizes how the political landscape in the two eras caused similarities and differences in the symbolism of the two buildings. From the background competitions, Florence Cathedral displayed the religious power and civic collaboration of late medieval Florence, while the Chrysler Building represented the ‘race to the top’ in market rivalry and industrial progress in early 20th century America. Chrysler’s crown resembles the Florence Cathedral’s huge dome as a pinnacle symbol of reaching the sky. Yet, ornaments reveal the Christian belief in the divine and the modern technological ambitions respectively. Both edifices employed advanced technologies in craft, while the craftsmanship represented medieval collectivism and individuality in the machine age.

Through literature, variety of images from different periods and first-hand drawings, this research consolidates findings from historical and architectural perspectives. In addition, juxtaposing these buildings offers a premodern lens to canonical buildings that highlights symbolic meaning and historical resonance. Eventually, this paper proposes that skyscrapers like the Chrysler Building continue the legacy of cathedrals, in the height and scale, in demonstrating power and values, as a monument of their times.