Gothic Architecture

By Anant Nautiyal

Gothic Architecture

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.

Elements of the Gothic Architecture

Pointed Pinnacle

sGargoyl

es

Stained Glass

Windows

Gothic Arch

Ribbed Vault

Flying Buttress

es

Add strength and stability

to the structure

Enables buildings to reach new

heights

To make it look light

Pointed Pinnacles

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

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 Windows

Stained Glass Window

Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges

Stained Glass Window

Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges

Stained Glass Windows

Basilique Saint-Denis; France

Rose Stained Glass Window

Basilique Saint-Denis; France

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

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.

Ribbed Vault

Gothic Vault

VAULTS

Gothic (Ribbed) Vault

Guildford Cathedral: Britain

Romanesque (Barrel) Vault

Barrel Vault

Gothic (Ribbed) Vault

Gothic (Ribbed) Vault

Exeter Cathedral, England

Gothic (Ribbed) Vault

Basilique Saint-Denis; France

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

Flying ButtressesCathedral at Chartres. France

Flying Buttresses

Flying Buttresses

Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges

SOME FAMOUS GOTHIC BUILDINGSA few cathedrals are listed below:

Durham Cathedral ( 1128-1134)EnglandA rib vaulted and a pointed arch roof

Cathedral of Cefalù(1131-1471)SicilyIn 1420, Portico was added between the two towers of the façade.

St. Denis’ Basilica( 1135- 1140)FranceThe flying buttresses, pointed arches and ribbed vault were used as one unit for the first time in this cathedral.

Noyon Cathedral ( 1150-1231)FranceIt 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)EnglandThe 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 ParisThe 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 Notre Dame de Paris

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.

The Notre Dame de Paris

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.

THANK YOU

Prepared by: Anant Nautiyal Dhir Dhwaj Rishabh Dev Sharma