http://www.mahoodsculpture.com/gothic-period-sculptures/
Middle Ages Art History Questions?
1. Emperor Charlemagne’s reign lasted a very short time. However, during this time known as the ___ period, he tried to revive what culture from the past?
2. What were the principal centers of teaching and learning in Ireland during the early middle ages?
3. What type of floor plan did a typical Romanesque cathedral have?
4. What purpose did the carved and painted sculptures on the Romanesque churches serve?
5. Where might you find a rose window in a typical cathedral?
6. Gothic or Romanesque: built in city centers
7. Gothic or Romanesque: First built along pilgrimage routes
I really don’t know them all exactly, to be honest with you. But here’s what I recall from my college days like 25 years ago:
1. Can’t remember the name of the period, but Charlemagne and the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ were trying to ‘revive’ or at least take advantage of the symbolism used in the actual western Roman empire. (The USA and many countries try to do the same thing even to this day – Capitol Hill in Washington DC is essentially an admixture of both Greek and Roman architecture).
2. Don’t know.
3. Basically, it was just a long rectangular floor plan, arising out of buildings called ‘basilicas’ that were previously used as public gathering spaces. That floor plan got transformed or ‘pressed into service’ by early Christian churches. Romanesque churches/cathedrals didn’t have the wide ‘arms’ (again, I can’t remember the exact term) or side aisles that came along later in the Baroque/Gothic era.
4. Most people were illiterate back then, i.e. could neither read nor write. That was the purview and the strength of the clergy – they were the intellectuals back then. The purpose of the sculptures was to give a visual image to the worshippers regarding stories they heard from their preacher. (Puts an image to the story, so to speak – hence making the story easier to remember).
5. Rose windows are generally above the altar in most cathedrals, although quite a few cathedrals, notably in France, have rose windows above the entrance as well. (I love those rose windows).
6. City centers – Romanesque
7. Pilgrimage routes – Gothic (again, notably in France)
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Best wishes from Seattle 
Gothic Art History by historyofpainters.com