history of architecture

8
the gothic split
the building
into two -
the skelton and the skin

GOTHIC
ARCHITECTURE
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The style was adopted first in northern France and by the English, and spread throughout France, the Low Countries and parts of Germany and also
to Spain and northern Italy. It was also accepted by Norman Kings of Germany. Geological conditions varied to such a great extent in Europe that its
impact is seen through the variation in the materials according to the countries. Italy was characterized by white and colored marbles. France and
England used coarse grained stone. Germany and Lombardy exhibited excellent brickwork. These materials were largely responsible for
determining the architectural character in these countries.
the church at Notre Dame
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Architectural character
Gothic architecture has nothing to do with the historical Goths. It was a pejorative term that came to be used as early as the 1530s to describe culture
that was considered rude and barbaric. Since then the term Gothic has been restricted to the last major medieval period, immediately following the
Romanesque. The Gothic Age is now considered one of Europe's outstanding artistic eras.
Architecture was the dominant expression of the Gothic Age. Emerging in the first half of the 12th century from Romanesque antecedents, Gothic
architecture continued well into the 16th century in northern Europe. Although a vast number of secular monuments were built in the Gothic style, it
was in the service of the church, the most prolific builder of The Middle Ages that the new architecture evolved and attained its fullest realization.
The style emphasizes verticality and features almost skeletal stone structures with great expanses of glass, pointed arches using the ogive shape,
ribbed vaults, clustered columns, sharply pointed spires, flying buttresses and inventive sculptural detail. These features are all the consequence
of the use of the pointed arch and a focus on large stained-glass windows that allowed more light to enter than was possible with older styles. To
achieve this "light" style, flying buttresses were used as a means of support to enable higher ceilings and slender columns.
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The aesthetic qualities of Gothic architecture depend on a structural development: the ribbed vault . Medieval churches had solid stone vaults (the
structure that supports the ceiling or roof). These were extremely heavy structures and tended to push the walls outward, which could lead to the
collapse of the building.
In turn, walls had to be heavy and thick enough to bear the weight of the stone vaults. Early in the 12th century, masons developed the ribbed vault,
which consists of thin arches of stone, running diagonally, transversely, and longitudinally. The new vault, which was thinner, lighter, and more
versatile, allowed a number of architectural developments to take place.
By omitting the second-story gallery derived from Romanesque churches but retaining the triflorum, a simplified three-story elevation was
reestablished. Additional height was now gained by means of a lofty clerestory that was almost as high as the ground-story arcade. The clerestory
itself was now lighted in each bay or division by two very tall lancet windows surmounted by a rose window. At one stroke the architect of Chartres
established the major divisions of the interior that were to become standard in all later Gothic churches.
Late Gothic architecture is known as flamboyant, from the flame like forms of its intricate curvilinear tracery. The ebullient ornamentation of the
flamboyant style was largely reserved for the exteriors of the churches. The interiors underwent a drastic simplification by eliminating the capitals
of all the piers and reducing them to plain masonry supports.
below: flying buttresses
right: pointed vault arches
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All architectural ornamentation was concentrated in the vaults, the ribs of which formed an intricate network of even more complicated patterns.
Fllamboyant architecture originated in the 1380s with French court architect Guy de Dammartin. The great surge in building activity however,
came only with the conclusion of the hundred Years War in 1453, when throughout France churches were being rebuilt in the new style.
The fast flowering of flamboyant architecture occurred between the end of the 15th century and the 153Ds in the work of Martin Chambiges and his
son Pierre, who were responsible for a series of grand cathedral facades, including the west front of Troyes Cathedral and the transept facades of
Senlis and Beauvais cathedrals.
New Testament

Gothic cathedrals could be highly decorated with statues on the outside and painting on the inside. Both usually told stories,
emphasizing visual between prophecy and the .
Biblical
topological allegories Old Testament
barrel vault cross ( groin ) vault
vaulted arches of gothic
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The Notre Dame
The Notre Dame, Paris is the oldest of the French Gothic cathedrals. The plan is on a bent axial line, typical with wide nave, double aisles and
buttresses. The impressive but sombre interior has 3 nave arcade with cylindrical columns and Corinthianesque capitals carrying pointed arches
and shafts to support the ribs of the sexpartite vaulting. It has three deeply recessed portals with successive encircling tiers of statued niches and
central doorway is divided into two by a central pillar with a statue of Christ. The backside apse end is supported by a beautiful array of flying
buttresses. The scale of these buttresses itself makes them look appealing.
The Gothic architects brought into the world the idea of a skin and bone structure. As we can see in the internal elevation the void between arches is
filled by stone. However, it is non-loadbearing. Thus, the arch acts as the bone and the non-load bearing wall acts as the skin. The pointed arches,
twin towers flying buttresses were all outcomes of a very successful attempt to bring out the identity of something as complex as religion from
something as basic as architecture.
right: the church of Notre Dame
below: the plan
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