What are your thoughts? Why do gothic cathedrals face east?

Question

Traditionally, the cathedral entrance faces east. Why is that? I was thinking it had something to do with Israel. What are you thoughts?

Answer 1

The east is traditionally and quite naturally associated with light and -- for Christianity -- the Resurrection.

The Institute for Sacred Architecture (http://www.sacredarchitecture.org/pubs/s... supplies the following:

The ancient custom of orienting churches alludes not only to Matthew 24.27, “As the lightening cometh out from the east … so also will the coming of the Son of Man be,” but more importantly to the direction the Jewish high priest faced in the Jerusalem Temple when offering sacrifice on Yom Kippur, the “day of atonement,” the most important and essential feast of the Jewish year.

Answer 2

Cathedrals face east so that the rising sun would enter the doors, some kind of weird holy signal.  It does not actually have to do with Israel because cathedrals located east of Israel still face east.  Check out the link below for more information.