Constructed contrasts and manipulated experiences: the cathedral at Gerasa and its relationship with the adjacent Temple of Artemis complex

Abstract

Buildings interact with, influence, and are influenced by other adjacent and nearby buildings and landscape features. Whether intentionally or not, complex spatial, architectural and experiential relationships were created when early churches were built adjacent to non-Christian religious buildings. The cathedral at Gerasa, in northern Jordan, was built adjacent to a Temple of Artemis complex and can only be satisfactorily understood by exploring both the architecture of each complex and the relationships that existed between them. This is achieved through architectural analysis in combination with a user experience-led method, focussing upon how users experienced each complex in light of the other and by considering the impact of civic and religious memory on user understanding. The comparative architectural experiences impacted user understanding of each complex and the institutions represented, while knowledge of the past was appropriated to create bridges between known non-Christian and less well-known Christian contexts and hierarchies.