Instructor: Dr. Angel Rañales is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at USC Aiken. His research expertise focuses on medieval studies, with special attention to book history and visual culture. He teaches courses on the Spanish language, culture, and literature. Description: This course provides an overview of the importance of cathedrals in medieval Europe, with a particular focus on medieval Spain. The course will: examine the multiple construction decisions (location, materials, professionals, structure, aesthetics, orientation), inspect the social and economic factors behind cathedrals, study the architectural evolution (Romanic, Gothic, Neogothic), and unfold the less-known stories and mysteries surrounding these massive structures, especially the role of cloisters and the usage of crypts within the medieval rhetoric of power and representation. The main objective is to learn how buildings can speak to us.