I always believed that a clean and clear glass is better than one which is stained. But those stained on purpose, what is their significance? I am a bit curious to find the origins and reasons to have stained glass windows in churches. This window belongs to the St. Nicholas Church, at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic. Can you throw some light for me?
Snapshots of my World 
Stained glass is very ancient. It needs a craftsman to produce a real wonder. These windows are beautiful.
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Thanks Nuvofelt, these are 13th century walls, and very well maintained!
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As I understand it, stained glass is very very old, dating back to the thirteenth and fourteenth century, before there were very many images available for people, whether for instruction or for sheer enjoyment of beauty.
People mostly couldn’t read, so couldn’t read the Bible. They were “taught” by the church through these pictures, and incidentally exposed to beauty as well. Look sometime at the stained glass of Chartres Cathedral in France, or so many many others. You will find Bible stories, and stories of saints, and the like. There were statues of saints (as Sarasvati statues), but a story is something different, and often that is what the stained glass windows provided.
There may be other answers as well — but this definitely one reason for them. Actually, the fact that they are so very very beautiful is like the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae, an extra, but not the main feature.
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Thanks what i love best about you Judith, thanks for sharing that! we usually have carvings and sculptures in ancient Indian temples for story telling. This is something I didn’t really let my m ind drift to. 🙂
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There is a Church in the UK with glass that dates back to 675AD. It was also produced by the Egyptians and Romans. That”s really old…
‘The earliest known reference dates from 675 CE when Benedict Biscop imported workmen from France to glaze the windows of the monastery of St Peter which he was building at Monkwearmouth. Hundreds of pieces of coloured glass and lead, dating back to the late 7th century, have been discovered here and at Jarrow.[1]’ (see Wikipedia – Stained Glass)
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You guys are so awesome! Thanks for sharing that nuvofelt, really appreciate that!
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