The transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture can be attributed to one simple reason: wealth. Throughout Europe, towards the end of the Romanesque era, there was a strong growth of cities and, consequently, a strong growth in trade. Places like Germany experienced rapid growth in population and economy, which encouraged trade with other cities. In relations with other cities there was also a sense of competition and they showed this by building a huge Gothic building which only got bigger. These buildings were a sign of pride and wealth for a city and each city basically said mine was bigger than yours. Places like England and France were still ruled by kings, so their buildings were often built for their rulers, unlike other cities where they were more for the city as a whole. The evolution from Romanesque to Gothic architecture shows man's ability to grow, innovate, and create new and better ways of building structures as well as man's artistic brilliance. Romanesque architecture combines features of Byzantine and Roman buildings. Buildings often have very thick walls with large round arches in doorways and as supports. There are also large towers and highly detailed arcades spread throughout the buildings. Most building layouts were very symmetrical and often appeared very simplistic, especially compared to later Gothic styles. Most windows were small and didn't let much light into the buildings, so they were often dimly lit. A good example of Romanesque architecture is the Piazza dei Miracoli, formerly known as Piaxxa del Duomo and located in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy. It lies inside a large fortified area and is considered one of...... middle of paper...... Manesque to Gothic architecture shows the ability of the man to grow, innovate and create new and better ways of building structures. as well as the artistic genius of man. Buildings such as York Minster and Notre Dame feature a magnificent architectural style that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but structurally sound thanks to innovative techniques of the time. The evolution of the rounded arch towards the pointed arch as well as the reduction in the number of ribs and stages necessary for the construction of these structures show great progress. Progress is also represented by the population and economic growth of the time and the desire to create buildings larger and more majestic than other cities or kingdoms. The Gothic style was a step forward for architecture and helped pave the way for styles such as Renaissance, Baroque and many others that evolved into what architecture is today..