The Secrets of Gothic Cathedrals

The author of the book is perhaps the last great alchemist who achieved his philosophical feat in the 20th century, during the triumph of mechanistic materialism and boundless faith in technical progress. The date of birth of this scholar has not yet been documented, and traces of his presence in the world fade away around 1926. An adept who concealed his identity behind the initiatory name Fulcanelli ("Vulcanizing," "Erupting") remains in the history of mankind a brilliant erudite, connoisseur of the Middle Ages, and a prominent architectural theorist. "The Secrets of Gothic Cathedrals" offer keys to deciphering the alchemical puzzle of these masterpieces, where each statue silently conveys to its viewer the secrets of the preparation of the Philosopher's Stone. Referring both to the miraculously preserved copies of esoteric sculptures, to testimonies from a distant past, and to his own experience and insight, Fulcanelli gradually reconstructs the lost language of the "stone books," restoring the holistic picture of the alchemical Great Work. "The Secrets of Gothic Cathedrals" is one of the best studies on this historical style in art, which can rightfully be considered as a guide to mystical France.

The proposed book is valuable not only for researchers of the hermetic tradition and all those interested in alchemy, but also for anyone who is passionate about Gothic architecture, European medieval history, and culture.