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Gothic Architecture
- is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval
period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded
by Renaissance architecture.
Originating in 12th century France and lasting into the 16th century,
Gothic architecture was known during the period as "the French Style"
(Opus Francigenum), with the term Gothic first appearing during the
latter part of the Renaissance. Its characteristic features include
the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress.
Height
A
Vertical emphasis
The pointed arch lends itself to a
suggestion of height. This appearance
is characteristically further enhanced
by both the architectural features and
the decoration of the building.
Light
One of the most distinctive characteristics of Gothic
architecture is the expansive area of the windows as
at Sainte Chapelle and the very large size of many
individual windows, as at York Minster, Gloucester
Cathedral and Milan Cathedral. The increase in size
between windows of the Romanesque and Gothic
periods is related to the use of the ribbed vault, and in
particular, the pointed ribbed vault which channeled the
weight to a supporting shaft with less outward thrust than
a semicircular vault. Walls did not need to be so weighty.
Majesty
The faade of a large church or cathedral,
often referred to as the West Front, is
generally designed to create a powerful
impression on the approaching worshipper,
demonstrating both the might of God and
the might of the institution that it represents.
One of the best known and most typical of
such faades is that of Notre Dame de
Paris.
Notre Dame de
Paris.
Flamboyant tracery
at Limoges Cathedral.
BASIC
A- The nave
B-Rib vaulting (Sort of like a groin vault, only
creased with ridges)
C- Pier (The main supports that hold up the
nave vaulting)
D- The Aisle
E- Clerestory windows (Small, upper
story window that flank the aisles)
A- ARCHIVOLTS-concentric
arches that expand out from the
tympanum.
B- JAMB FIGURES-high relief
sculpture that protrudes out
from the doors.
C- TYMPANUM-symmetrical,
high relief sculpture above the
main entrance way.
D- PINNACLES-usually the
spiked tips of buttresses.
E- ROSETTE WINDOW-a large,
round window located directly
in the front-middle of the
facade.
F- BUTTRESSES-structures that
support and hold up the walls
of the building often very
decorative in Gothic structures.
Constructive system
Flying
Buttresses
Pointed archs
Pointed archs