Gothic Architecture: Hebin Aby Ionic Roll No.18 S4

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
HEBIN ABY
IONIC
ROLL NO.18
S4
INTRODUCTION
What is Gothic Architecture?

The word Gothic was first used in the 16th century by the Italian artist
Giorgio Vasari to mean “barbarian” for the architecture of the Goths
that destroyed the Roman Empire. Today, the word “Gothic”, used in
various fields such as architecture, music, decoration, art and fashion,
is used to express a certain style. Gothic style is mostly seen in
architecture, sculpture and then painting.
When and Where Did Gothic Architecture Arise?

Gothic architecture, which emerged in the 12th century, continued until the
end of the 16th century. This architectural style born in France, then spread
to various countries in Europe. Every artistic movement emerges from
criticizing the previous one. Gothic architecture also emerged with the Examples of Gothic architecture from
development of the Romanesque style, and in time it was replaced by Central Europe
Renaissance style structures.
The place where the Gothic style in architecture emerged and developed
for the first time is the “ Ile de France” region in the North of France,
covering Paris and its surroundings . The first example of Gothic
architecture is St. Denis Church , designed by French historian and
architect Abbot Suger in 1122. Abbot Suger was inspired by the pointed
arches and intricate carvings he saw on his eastern travels in the design
of the church.
Why and How Did Gothic Architecture Emerge?

Gothic architecture characteristics are mostly seen in cathedrals
and churches in Europe. The purpose of cathedrals and churches
is to reflect the power of bishops and wealthy merchants as well
as to glorify God and spread Christianity. For this reason,
cathedrals are designed to impress people with their structures
that are higher than other buildings in the city and easily visible
from far distances. The magnificent structures of Gothic
cathedrals and churches rising to the sky show the power of
kings and Christianity over people.
Basilica of Saint-Denis, France

The Gothic cathedral represents the universe. Every
architectural feature such as the greatness and size of the
building contains a religious message. The most important
message that Gothic cathedrals rising towards the sky want
to give is the greatness and glory of God. Sculptures, stained
glass windows and murals presenting sections from the Bible
are other architectural elements seen in gothic churches.
Churches, which became brighter and greater with the

Gothic style, caused this style to spread gradually and to be
used in different building types such as castles, palaces,
bridges and city gates
Gothic Architecture Characteristics
3 basic Gothic architecture characteristics are rib vaults, pointed arches and flying
buttresses. Other Gothic structure features are listed below briefly:
• The most striking feature of Gothic buildings is the longitudinal growth of the
works. (This feature can be seen in other art forms such as painting and
sculpture.)
• Ornaments used a lot in Gothic buildings. A rich style of decoration is used,
derived from complex and interlocking natural shapes.
• Pointed arches are used. In order to solve the problem of increasing weight as the
buildings rise, support belts were made to spread the building load. These arches
also gave the buildings a decorative and aesthetic appearance.
• Windows and openings came to the fore. In the buildings, the walls have almost
been eliminated and natural light has been brought in through wide openings.
• Light has become even more important. The light beams entering through the
colorful stained glass windows create a spiritual atmosphere in churches.
• Large doors with ornaments, numerous sculptures and reliefs were used on the
previously simpler facades.
• Circular rose windows with religious paintings made with colored glass, located
in the middle of the façade, are one of the other important gothic architecture
characteristics.
POINTED ARCH
• Gothic architecture is not merely about ornamentation.
• The Gothic style brought innovative new construction
techniques that allowed churches and other buildings to
reach great heights.
• One important innovation was the use of pointed arches.
• Earlier Romanesque churches had pointed arches, but
builders didn't capitalize on the shape.
• During the Gothic era, builders discovered that pointed
arches would give structures amazing strength and
stability.
• Builders turned from the semicircular, unbroken arch
to the pointed arch
- Looked lighter and pointed upward
- Exert less thrust than semicircular arch of the same
span
- Solves geometric difficulty inherent in ribbed vaults
- •Impossible to arrange all arches and ribs to a
common level using exclusively semicircular ribs
- • With a pointed arch, ribs could easily be made level
Pointed Arch – Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg, France
RIBBED VAULT
• Organic metaphor alluding to the role of ribs in

anatomy as the body's skeletal structure
supporting tissues
• Arches, usually three pairs per rectangular bay,
running diagonally
• Cross ribs act together with outer frame to create
a complete armature of arches along the edges
and main folds of the vault
• While barrel vaulting carried weight on
continuous solid walls, ribbed vaulting used
columns to support the weight.
• The ribs also delineated the vaults and gave a
sense of unity to the structure.
Rib Vault – Sainte Chapel, Paris

FLYING BUTTRESS
• . In order to prevent the outward collapse of the arches, Gothic
architects began using a revolutionary "flying buttress" system.
• Freestanding brick or stone supports were attached to the
exterior walls by an arch or a half-arch.
Advantages of flying buttress:
-Absorb and channel disruptive forces, such as wind and weight,
safely to the ground
-Towering piers could be erected without much affecting the
nave or choir interior
PINNACLE
Pointed ornament capping flying buttresses ,helps

weight them down as well.
Or the top portion of a tower
Flying Buttresses – Stasbourg Notre Dame Cathedral, France

In architecture, vertical ornament of pyramidal or conical shape,
crowning a buttress, spire, or other architectural member. A
pinnacle is distinguished from a finial by its greater size and
complexity and from a tower or spire by its smaller size and
subordinate architectural role. A tower may be decorated with
pinnacles, each one capped by a finial.
Simple pinnacles were used on Romanesque churches, especially to
mask the abrupt transition from square tower to polygonal spire;
but they were far more prominent in developed Gothic architecture
and decoration, in which they were used to give vertical emphasis
and to break up hard outlines. They appeared at every major corner
of a building, flanked gables, and decorated parapets and buttresses.
Some of the most striking pinnacles crown the piers of flying
buttresses, on which, although primarily decorative, they enhance
the stability of the buttresses, helping to counteract the lateral thrust
of the vault. The buttress pinnacles around the choir of Notre-Dame
at Paris and the magnificent 80-foot (24-metre) pinnacles at Reims
Cathedral (13th century) are representative examples
Stained Glass Window.
• Since the walls themselves were no longer the primary
supports, Gothic buildings could include large areas of glass.
• Huge stained glass windows and a profusion of smaller
windows created the effect of lightness and space.
Gothic Floor Plan

• Gothic buildings were based on the traditional plan used by
basilicas.
• However, single units were integrated into a unified spatial
scheme.
• The nave is generally lined on either side by aisles, usually
singly, but sometimes double.
• The nave is generally considerably taller than the aisles,
having clerestory windows which light the central space.
Circular Rose Window – Saint Denis Basilica, Paris

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GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

What is Gothic Architecture?

When and Where Did Gothic Architecture Arise?

Why and How Did Gothic Architecture Emerge?

Basilica of Saint-Denis, France

Churches, which became brighter and greater with the

• Organic metaphor alluding to the role of ribs in

Rib Vault – Sainte Chapel, Paris

Pointed ornament capping flying buttresses ,helps

Flying Buttresses – Stasbourg Notre Dame Cathedral, France

Gothic Floor Plan

Circular Rose Window – Saint Denis Basilica, Paris

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