GOTHIC
ARCHITECTURE
BACKGROUND
The Gothic style of architecture and art
originated in the Middle Ages and was
prevalent in Europe between the mid-12th
century and the 16th century.
Gothic architecture was named for the
Goths, a nomadic Germanic group that
fought against Roman rule in the late 300s
and early 400s.
BACKGROUND
The style was first realized in France as a
break away from the Romanesque style
which boasted thick walls during a time
when cultural development accelerated
and architects and masonry workers had
the opportunity to explore more complex
structural elements.
FIRST GOTHIC BUILDING
It was conceived of by Abbot Suger
(1081-1151 CE), the mastermind
behind the first-ever Gothic
cathedral, the Basilica of Saint-
Denis.
Basilica of Saint-Denis
FIRST GOTHIC BUILDING
For Suger, and other like-minded
medieval theologians, light itself was
divine and could be used to elevate
human consciousness from an earthly
realm to a heavenly one.
INFLUENCES
Gothic style also abandoned the thick, solid
walls of Romanesque style to make way for
taller, more massive structures.
This necessitated the adoption of some of
the most obvious aspects of the Gothic
form; pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying
buttresses could be used to make the walls
taller and thinner by distributing the weight
of the building more effectively.
INFLUENCES
"Features like high pointed or
Gothic arches and flying buttresses
were in buildings located mostly in
Northern Europe where sunlight can
be scarce, depending on location
and time of year, and they are in big
spaces that are hard to light with
candlelight," Colberg says.
CHARACTERISTICS
1. FLYING BUTTRESSES
The flying buttresses dominate
external Gothic architecture and
create more stability by redistributing
weight from heavier and higher levels
or floors.
Flying buttresses also are adorned
with elaborate carvings to allude to
an aura of grandness.
CHARACTERISTICS
2. POINTED ARCHES
Rather than using round,
Romanesque arches, Gothic
architecture features pointed arches
similar to those found in Islamic
structures. The goal of using pointed
arches was to create more space by
building vertically.
CHARACTERISTICS
3. RIBBED VAULTS
Gothic structures are dominated by
high ceilings and large windows, and
this was possible by implementing
ribbed vaults. Ribbed vaults are not
only visually stunning, but they also
create structural support for rounded
roofs by placing arches next to each
other or in a parallel fashion.
CHARACTERISTICS
4. LARGE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS
Featuring meticulously cut colored
glass, these kaleidoscopic windows—
which are typically either tall and
arched ‘lancet' windows or round ‘rose'
windows—are larger than those found in
other types of churches. This allowed
them to let in more dazzling light.
CHARACTERISTICS
4. LARGE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS
In Gothic architecture, tracery in
windows refers to the stone bars, ribs, or
other supports between sections of glass
that have decorative as well as
utilitarian qualities. Tracery, which is
often made of stone, gives the
impression of a frame or outline and
forms a pattern of interlacing or
interconnected lines.
CHARACTERISTICS
5. GARGOYLES AND ORNATE
DECORATION STONE
A gargoyle is a carved or formed
grotesque with a spout designed to
convey water from a roof and away
from the side of a building, thereby
preventing it from running down
masonry walls and eroding the mortar
between.
CHARACTERISTICS
6. ORNATE DECORATION
A final feature found in Gothic
architecture is the presence of ornate
decorative elements. These include
embellished colonnades and
colonettes, sculptural moldings,
statues of saints and historical figures,
pinnacles and spires, and gargoyles,
grotesque figures that double as
water spouts.
NOTABLE BUILDINGS
BUILT IN THE GOTHIC
STYLE
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, FRANCE
From its enormous
rose windows to its
flying buttresses
and gargoyles, the
cathedral
exemplifies the
Gothic style at its
finest.
CHARTRES
CATHEDRAL,
FRANCE
REIMS CATHEDRAL, FRANCE
Above the central portal is a large
rose window with thin tracery. The
level above the rose window is
reserved for the gallery of kings,
which is made up of 56 statues that
stand 15 feet high. The interior has
innovative four-part rib vaults that
allow for a more uniform
appearance while increasing the
height.
AMIENS CATHEDRAL,FRANCE
Built over the course of just 50
years—a relatively short time in
Gothic architecture—the Amiens
Cathedral is a wonderful example
of the High Gothic.
It represents the apex of trying to
reach for the heavens and stands
as France's largest cathedral. To
put things in perspective, two
Notre-Dame Cathedrals could fit
inside Amiens.
MILAN CATHEDRAL, ITALY
The long history of the Milan
Cathedral spans nearly 600
years, with construction
beginning in 1386 and finishing
in 1965.
It's a wonderful example of how
Gothic architecture transformed
outside of France. The building
is most well-known for its
façade, which has over 90
gargoyles, 135 spires, and about
3,400 sculptures.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY, LONDON
London's iconic Westminster
Abbey took its current form
under the eye of Henry III. He
initiated construction in 1245
and had the abbey church built
in an Anglo-French Gothic style.
It includes all of the classic
Gothic features, including flying
buttresses, rib vaults, rose
windows, and pointed arches.
ST. STEPHEN'S
CATHEDRAL,
VIENNA
Located in Vienna, St.
Stephen's Cathedral is a
combination of Romanesque
and Gothic styles.
It features an impressive spire
that dominates the skyline, but
is most well-known for its
colorful roof. Covered in
230,000 glazed tiles, the roof
has a zig-zag pattern and a
mosaic of a double-headed
eagle.
SEVILLE CATHEDRAL, SPAIN
Spain's Seville Cathedral is not
only the largest Gothic church
in the world, but the largest
cathedral in the world.
Completed in the early 16th
century, it's known for its
immense size, ornate tracery
stonework, and the use of a
former mosque minaret as a
bell tower.
