There are buildings which attempt to express the entire scope of human knowledge and understanding of the world. I have had the very good fortune to visit four of these. My dates are approximate, but reasonable estimates I believe.

The Museum of Science in Oxford, UK (mid 19th Century AC)

The main gopuram of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Tiruchirapalli, India (17th Century AC)

Chartres Cathedral, France (14th Century AC)

The monastic library at Bad Schussenried, Baden Wuerttemburg, Germany (mid 18th Century AC)

Three of these are religious buildings, and one (in Oxford) is secular. The depth and extent of these heroic and noble efforts is very moving. I can not pretend to understand the mind-set of those who have commissioned these wonderful buildings. However, the emotional impact of each of these great works is only partially aesthetic, and subsidiary to the response I feel for the profound respectfulness and understanding of the builders. I am left wondering whether this kind of effort can ever be made again, so broad is the scope required. This is not simply an architect demonstrating their skill, it is a coordinated effort of many disciplines to express something. A part of me hopes that this type of work continues for the future.

The picture below is the library at Bad Schussenried