The transition from Romanesque architecture to Gothic architecture can be attributed to a simple reason and that is wealth. Throughout Europe, towards the end of the Romanesque era, there was a great growth of cities and, in turn, a great growth of trade. Places like Germany had rapid population and economic growth and this encouraged trade with other cities. Even in their relations with other cities there was a sense of competition and they demonstrated this by building a huge Gothic building which became increasingly grandiose. These buildings were a sign of pride and wealth for a city and every city basically said mine is bigger than yours. Places like England and France were still ruled by kings, so their buildings were often built for their leaders, unlike other cities where they were more for the city as a whole. The evolution from Romanesque architecture to Gothic architecture shows man's ability to grow, innovate, and create new and better ways to build structures, as well as man's artistic splendor. 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 very detailed porticoes located throughout the buildings. Most building layouts were very symmetrical and often appeared very simplistic, especially when compared to later Gothic styles. Most windows were small and did not let much light into the buildings, so they were often poorly lit. A great example of Romanesque architecture is the Piazza dei Miracoli, known as Piaxxa del Duomo and is located in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy. It is located within a large walled area and is considered one of...... half of paper...... from Manesque architecture to Gothic architecture shows man's ability to grow, innovate and creating new and better ways to build structures as well as the artistic brilliance of man. Buildings such as York Minster and Notre-Dame display a stunning architectural style that is not only aesthetically pleasing but is structurally sound using innovative techniques of the time. The evolution from the round arch to the pointed arch, as well as the reduction in the amount of ribs and levels needed to build these structures, shows great progress. Progress is also represented by the demographic and economic growth of the time and the desire to create grander and more majestic buildings than other cities or kingdoms. The Gothic style was a step forward for architecture and helped make way for styles such as Renaissance, Baroque, and many others that evolved into today's architecture.