Gothic architecture

By Anant Nautiyal

Gothic architecture, architectural style in Europe that lasted from the mid 12th century to the 16th century, particularly a style of masonry building characterized by cavernous spaces with the expanse of walls broken up by overlaid tracery. In the 12th–13th centuries, feats of engineering permitted increasingly gigantic buildings

The rib vault, flying buttress, and pointed (Gothic) arch were used as solutions to the problem of building a very tall structure while preserving as much natural light as possible. Stained-glass window panels rendered startling sun-dappled interior effects.

Gothic architecture is common to most surviving cathedrals, churches and abbeys of Europe.

Pointed Pinnacles

GargoylesStained

Glass Windows

Gothic Arch

Ribbed Vault

Flying Buttresses

Add strength and stability to the

structure

Enables buildings to reach new

heights

To make it look light

Pointed Pinnacles

Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges

Pointed Pinnacles

Cathedral, Chartres; France, Chartres

Pointed Pinnacles

Duomo, Milano; Italy, Milano

The origins of the word 'gargoyle' are derived from the

old French word 'gargouille' meaning throat.

Gargoyles came into gothic architecture in the early 13th century and are defined as "a

waterspout, projecting from an upper part of a building to throw

water clear of walls or foundations."

Gargoyles are frightening and intimidating sculptures - perfect for the likes of great Lords and

Kings who built elaborate fortresses and castles in order to

crush and intimidate the indigenous population.

Gargoyles

An illustrated example of a gargoyles….

Gargoyles

Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

Gargoyles

Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

Stained glass windows could now take up much of the wall

space,

letting in light and color for a beautiful and moving effect.

Stained Glass Window


Stained Glass Window


Stained Glass Windows

Basilique Saint-Denis; France

Rose Stained Glass Window


The Medieval Gothic Arch was a major feature of the architecture of the Middle

Ages.

The Gothic architects and builders discovered the amazing strength and

stability of using pointed arches.

The walls of Gothic buildings could be thinner because the

weight of the roof was supported by the arches

rather than the walls.

The use of the Gothic arch gave the builders

tremendous flexibility.

The arch could not only support greater weights but

could also span greater distances, allowing vaults to

be taller and wider.

Thinner walls had wider window openings which encouraged the use of stained glass and the

magnificent Gothic Rose Windows.

Gothic Arch

Santa Maria del Pi Barcelona

Gothic Arch

Cathedral, Chartres; France, Chartres

Gothic Arch

Grace Cathedral , France

The reasons that the cathedrals had so

many of these vaulted roofs is because the

medieval builders thought that they

helped reduce the risk of fire.

That was really good because fires

often spread and there were no fire fighters to

help extinguish the fire.

Also, it made the inside of the cathedral have a finished look.

Gothic Vault

VAULTS

Gothic (Ribbed) Vault

Guildford Cathedral: Britain

Romanesque (Barrel) Vault

Barrel Vault



Exeter Cathedral, England



It serves to transmit the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards (which may arise from stone vaulted ceilings or from wind-

loading on roofs) across an intervening space and ultimately down to the ground.

Another application of the flying buttress is to prop up a wall which may be leaning with a

danger of collapse.

Flying Buttresses

Cathedral at Chartres. France

Flying Buttresses

Flying Buttresses


SOME FAMOUS GOTHIC BUILDINGS

A few cathedrals are listed below:

Durham Cathedral ( 1128-1134)

England

A rib vaulted and a pointed arch roof

Cathedral of Cefalù(1131-1471)

Sicily

In 1420, Portico was added between the two towers of the façade.

St. Denis’ Basilica( 1135- 1140)

France

The flying buttresses, pointed arches and ribbed vault were used as

one unit for the first time in this cathedral.

Noyon Cathedral ( 1150-1231)

France

It is the first true Gothic Cathedral because of the heavy use of all

features that came to be known as Gothic including pointed arches,

flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting.

Wells Cathedral ( 1174-1239)

England

The first building of its kind to entirely dispense with the round

arches in favor of the pointed arch and is thus the very truly Gothic

cathedral.

The Notre Dame de Paris

The Notre Dame de Paris is one of the finest

monumental buildings of French Gothic style of

Architecture.

It was started by Bishop Maurice De Sully in

1163 and the west towers were the last to be

completed in 1250.

Its length is 420 ft. X 226 ft. and has height of

226 ft.

The Cathedral was to be built in the new gothic

style and had to reflect Paris’s status as the

capital of the kingdom France.

It was the first cathedral built on a monumental

scale and became the prototype for future

cathedrals in France.


The original plan contained double ambulatories

and was on a bent axial line.

The interior elevation was of four levels with an

area of pillars.

It has a wide nave, double aisles, transepts

surrounded with chapels and western towers.

The central nave is divided into number of bays

with cylindrical columns of Corinthian capitals

carrying pointed arches.

The main doorway has a central pillar with a

statue of Christ.

The cathedral is crowned with a beautiful

central wheel window of 10m in diameter.

The frontal west façade features 3 wide portals.

Above the portals is the Gallery of Kings with

28 statues of Judean Kings and higher up

are the famous gargoyles and grotesques.


Notre-Dame de Paris was among

the first buildings in the world to

use the flying buttress (arched

exterior supports). The building

was not originally designed to

include the flying buttresses

around the choir and nave but

after the construction began,

the thinner walls (popularized in

the Gothic style) grew ever

higher and stress fractures

began to occur as the walls

pushed outward. In response,

the cathedral's architects built

supports around the outside

walls, and later additions

continued the pattern.

Prepared by: Anant NautiyalDhir DhwajRishabh Dev Sharma

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Gothic architecture