Alex Clark: Landscapes of the Sacred 3: topos and chora

From p. 38-40. Topos and chora are two Greek words that mean place. Aristotle and Plato discussed them, respectively, and gave different views on them. Aristotle viewed topos as place just like any other place. Every place was just a spot on the world or on a map. It was a very straightforward, literal interpretation. Plato went in the opposite direction, defining chora as place like a living thing. Not only was chora a living thing, but it was to be revered. Place had power and movement and held experience. We have used these two words and approaches to establish differences between separate types of places. Quite obviously, we use topos as a simple, non-spiritual place on a map, and chora as a more sacred, important place. For example, for me, the Panera on Warwick Boulevard would fall under the category of topos, whereas the old tree house in the woods behind my home would fall under the definition of chora.