MODULE I

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
 GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
(12 – 15TH CENTURY)
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE is a style that flourished in Europe
during the High and Late Middle Ages. It evolved from
Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by
Renaissance architecture. Originating in 12th-century France, it
was widely used, especially for cathedrals and churches, until the
16th century
A Gothic revival began in mid-18th-century England, spread
through 19th century Europe and continued, largely for
ecclesiastical and university structures, into the 20th century.

The first notable example is generally considered to be the Abbey

of Saint-Denis, near Paris, whose choir and facade were
reconstructed with Gothic features. The choir was completed in
1144. The style also appeared in some civic architecture in
northern Europe, notably in town halls and university buildings

Why?
There was a need to progress in the development of building
design. There was a desire to reach perfection in the buildings and
this perfection was to resemble Gods relationship with the
 A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that
universe.
provides seating for the clergy and church choir.
 Ecclesiastica: relating to the Christian Church or its clergy.
 Clergy: the body of all people ordained for religious duties, especially in the Christian Church .
 Early Gothic (1130–1200)

 The Gothic style originated in the Ile-de-France region of northern France in the first half of the 12th century. A
new dynasty of French Kings, the Capetians, had subdued the feudal lords, and had become the most powerful
rulers in France, with their capital in Paris.

 They allied themselves with the bishops of the major cities of northern France, and reduced the power of the
feudal abbots and monasteries. Their rise coincided with an enormous growth of the population and prosperity of
the cities of northern France. The Capetian Kings and their bishops wished to build new cathedrals as monuments
of their power, wealth, and religious faith.
The church which served as the primary model for the style was the Abbey of St-Denis, which underwent reconstruction by t
Abbot Suger, (was a French abbot, statesman, and historian. He was one of the earliest patrons of Gothic architecture, and
is widely credited with popularizing the style )first in the choir and then the facade (1140–44),

Suger was a close ally and biographer of the French King, Louis VII, who was a fervent Catholic and builder, pand the
founder of the University of Paris. Suger remodeled the ambulatory of the Abbey, removed the enclosures that separated the
chapels, and replaced the existing structure with imposing pillars and rib vaults.

This created higher and wider bays, into which he installed larger windows, which filled the end of the church with light.
Soon afterwards he rebuilt the facade, adding three deep portals, each with a tympanum, an arch filled with sculpture
illustrating biblical stories. The new facade was flanked by two towers. He also installed a small circular rose window over
the central portal. This design became the prototype for a series of new French cathedrals.
 Feudal – old fashioned/ subdued – quiet/depressed
 HOW DID GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE GET ITS NAME?
What is Gothic Architecture?
The Gothic style became popular throughout Europe. ... For some
Gothic architecture is a European style of architecture that time the Gothic style was described as modern, in contrast to the
classical Roman, which was called antique. But to provide it with
values height and exhibits an intricate and delicate aesthetic.
a name of its own, people of the Renaissance took the word
Though its roots are French, the Gothic approach can be found "Gothic" from the Goths, the people who had overrun the Roman
in churches, cathedrals, and other similar buildings in Europe Empire.
and beyond.
A thousand years ago, the word 'Gothic' referred to the Goths,
History Of Gothic Architecture: a group of Germanic barbarians who had invaded and looted
much of the Western Roman Empire.
During the Middle Ages, a new style of architecture emerged in
When the people of the 12th century called Sugar's new church
Europe. Initially referred to as Opus Francigenum, or “French
Gothic, they meant it was unrefined, barbaric and non-Roman.
Work,” this architectural genre dominated European tastes—
namely, that of the Roman Catholic Church—until the 16th Those critics were almost entirely wrong. First of all, Gothic
century, when it became known as “Gothic.” churches showed incredible refinement. Second, they marked
the apex achievement of medieval civilization.
The Gothic style evolved from Romanesque architecture, a
However, they were right about one thing: these churches
medieval aesthetic characterized by arches, vaulted ceilings, and
certainly were not Roman. This is what makes Gothic
small stained glass windows. architecture so fascinating. After centuries living in the shadow
of Rome and trying to copy the marvels of the Roman Empire,
Western Europe had finally come up with something new,
something marvelous in its own right: the Gothic cathedral.
 Gothic architecture adopted and adapted these
Thick walls to thinner walls Romanesque elements to produce a new style
of building that featured exaggerated arches,
increased vaulting, and enlarged windows. In
addition to reinterpreting these characteristics,
however, Gothic architecture also abandoned
one key feature of Romanesque architecture:
thick walls. To construct taller, more delicate
buildings with thinner walls, Gothic architects
employed flying buttresses for support. These
stone structures allowed architects to create
sky-high cathedrals and churches that evoked
ethereality and reached toward the heavens.

WHY IS IT CALLED THE DARK AGES?

Another reason why the Middle Ages are

often called the Dark Ages is because,
compared with other eras, historians don't
know as much about this time. In some ways,
this period of time has been lost to history.
A Romanesque Abbey Many important records from this time have
not survived.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
• airy and bright
• focus on verticality • stone structures
• pointed arches • large expanses of glass
• rib vaults • clustered columns
• flying buttresses • sharply pointed spires
• large stained glass • intricate sculptures e.g-
windows GARGOYLE
• ornaments and pinnacles

What did it look like outside?

Gothic architecture outside:

1. Pointed arches
2. very linear
3. Tall and slender in appearance
4. Very decorative

The overall pointed look was for

the church to appear that it
pointing towards God and the
Heavens.
1
An archivolt (or voussure) is an ornamental
molding or band following the curve on the
underside of an arch. It is composed of
bands of ornamental moldings (or other
architectural elements) surrounding an
arched opening, corresponding to the
architrave in the case of a rectangular
opening.
Spire, in architecture, steeply pointed
pyramidal or conical termination to a
tower.
In its mature Gothic development,
the spire was an elongated, slender form
that was a spectacular visual culmination
of the building as well as a symbol of the
heavenly aspirations of pious medieval
men.
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

Three phases of Gothic architectural design can be distinguished:

• Early (1120-1200)

• High (1200-80) also known as "Rayonnant“ Gothic

• Late Gothic. (1280-1500) also known as "Flamboyant“ Gothic

Gothic
architecture
Northern European Gothic - England

Southern European Gothic

Basically seen in Cities : Spain & Portugal

Italy
French Gothic English Gothic
architecture Architecture
 French Gothic EARLY GOTHIC IN FRANCE
architecture Abbot Suger (about 1081–1151), who is often credited with
11th Century inventing Gothic architecture, felt art was central to religious
experience. In 1140–44 he renovated the eastern end of his
church, the abbey of Saint-Denis.

The first major building project in the new Gothic style, it would
be followed by a series of great Gothic cathedrals, in Paris
(Notre-Dame), Soissons, Chartres, Bourges, Reims and Amiens.
12th century onwards, the Much of Saint-Denis was rebuilt in a later style of Gothic during
Gothic style spread from the 1230s. Portions of its early Gothic architecture survive in the
Northern France to other walkway around the eastern end (the 'ambulatory') and in the
regions of France and crypt beneath it.
gradually to the rest of the
Europe The Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, completed in 1248, is the only
remaining portion of the palace complex built by King Louis IX
(reigned 1226–70). With its masonry engineered to support large
expanses of glass, the Sainte-Chapelle became the most
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES influential building of the period. Form and decoration were now
taking over from height and volume as the main aims of Gothic
• French Gothic architecture architecture. Smaller-scale buildings were better able to showcase
• English Gothic architecture this new attention to detail and delicacy.
• Germany architecture
• Spanish architecture
• Italian architecture
 Exterior view of St Peter
EARLY GOTHIC IN ENGLAND Dunchurch, Warwickshire,
England, UK, photograph by
Sir Benjamin Stone, 1899.
The new Gothic style emerging in France was rapidly taken up Museum no. E5491-2000. ©
in England. It was used in two highly important buildings: Victoria & Albert Museum,
London
Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, where royal
coronations took place.
English Gothic buildings often include
• plant decoration,
• adding to the tree-like effect of the interiors.

E.g-At York Minster, the stone 'pendants' suspended from the

canopies above the seats in the walls of the chapter house are
carved with botanically accurate leaves that seem to burst into
life.

In the later Middle Ages, creativity in Gothic architecture York Minster Chapter
shifted from cathedrals to parish churches. Many small churches House, York, Yorkshire,
serving local communities were built according to the latest England, UK, begun
fashion or refurbished in the style. Parish churches across about 1260
Europe still display the great variety and inventiveness of
medieval architects and stonemasons working within a shared
family of Gothic styles. Coronation:the ceremony of crowning a
sovereign or a sovereign's consort
 A parish
church (or parochial
church) in Christianity is
the church which acts as
the religious centre of
a parish.

 In many parts of the world,

especially in rural areas,
the parish church may play
a significant role in
community activities, often
allowing its premises to be
used for non-religious
community events.

 The church
building reflects this status,
and there is considerable
variety in the size and style
of parish churches.
Many villages in Europe ha
ve churches that date back
to the Middle Ages, but all
PLANT DECORATION
periods of architecture are
represented.
LOCAL ADAPTATIONS OF GOTHIC Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy

Regional building practices also had an impact on Gothic

architecture. In north Germany and the Baltic region, the
main building material was brick, resulting in striking
exteriors. In central Europe, the ribs of Gothic ceilings
evolved into beautiful star and net patterns. The spectacular
cantilevered tower at Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire
reflects the local tradition for timber construction. The
pointed arches on the ground floor of the Doge's Palace in
Venice are a variation on the arcading typical of buildings in
north and central Italy.

Star & net pattern

 LATER VERSIONS OF GOTHIC
Later versions of Gothic exaggerated key features of the style.
Buildings decorated with miniature architectural forms by the
Parler family of architects were enormously influential in
central Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries.

In France, the late Gothic style extended its characteristic flame-

like window tracery into other parts of the building in the form
of stone screens.

In England, the move was towards larger rectangular windows

and elaborate, fan-shaped vaults.

Thick layers of ornament are found in Spain, where

Netherlandish and Islamic styles came together in the 15th
century, as well as in Portugal, where the decoration was
inspired by maritime travel.

West façade of the church of Saint-Maclou, Rouen, France, begun 1437.

FLAME-LIKE WINDOW TRACERY INTO OTHER
PARTS OF THE BUILDING IN THE FORM OF
STONE SCREENS.

LARGER RECTANGULAR WINDOWS AND ELABORATE,

FAN-SHAPED VAULTS.
Thick layers of ornament are found in Spain,
where Netherlandish and Islamic styles
CASTLES
The visual characteristics and structural
engineering of Gothic architecture were
also used to build great castles and
fortifications. These monumental
buildings were planned for defence and
administration, but also for their
psychological impact on the local
population. Following his conquest of
Wales, Edward I of England (reigned
1272–1307) built a series of castles along
the boundary of his new territory. Jaume
II of Majorca (reigned 1276–1311) built
Bellver Castle on regaining his lands in
the Balearic Islands. The Teutonic
Knights established the castle complex at
Malbork in Poland during their
subjugation of the surrounding region.
The Basilica of Saint Denis is a large
medieval abbey church in the city of Saint-
Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The
building is of unique importance historically
and architecturally as its choir, completed in
1144, shows the first use of all of the elements
of Gothic architecture.

Construction started: 1135

Architects: François Debret, Jacques

Moulin
PINNACLE. GARGOYLE
WHAT IS A GARGOYLE
A pinnacle is a vertical ornamental In Architectural terms only the creature
AND WHAT DOES IT
element crowning a buttress, turret, serving as actual water spout is called a
SYMBOLIZE?
parapet, spire or other structure. It is Gargoyle, otherwise is it known as a
most commonly associated Grotesque. A grotesque may function
Gargoyles were commonly
with Gothic architecture. solely as decoration. Gargoyles
used in medieval times. Their
were usually carved in the form of a
two main purposes were to
grotesque face, figure or frightening
scare off evil, and to divert
creature projecting from a roof gutter
rainwater
FLYING BUTTRESSES

The flying buttresses would carry the weight of the

roof away from the building and down a column of
stone to the ground. It wouldn't matter what the walls
were made of anymore, because they wouldn't be
carrying the weight of the roof
A pointed arch is an archway with curved sides that meet at a point, rather than a smooth semi-circular
curve. This design was first used in medieval Islamic architecture, where engineers realized it concentrated
the stress of the building and allowed for taller arches, thinner walls, and much more interior space.

Pointed Arch
What did it look like inside?
• Gothic architecture inside
• Bright and airy
• High ceilings
• Very decorative
• Lots of windows
• Stained glassed windows.
• Pointed arches.
• Vertical and slender in appearance.

What are its characteristics inside?

• Ribbed vaults
• Pointed arches
RIB VAULT
The intersection of two to three barrel vaults produces a
rib vault or ribbed vault when they are edged with an
armature of piped masonry often carved in decorative
patterns; compare groin vault, an older form of vault
construction.
• The pointed arch relieved some of the thrust, and
therefore, the stress on other structural elements. It
then became possible to reduce the size of the
columns or piers that supported the arch.

• So, rather than having massive, drum-

like columns as in the Romanesque churches, the
new columns could be more slender
HAMMER BEAM
A hammerbeam roof is a decorative, open timber roof
truss typical of English Gothic architecture and has been
called "...the most spectacular endeavour of the English
Medieval carpenter."They are traditionally timber framed,
using short beams projecting from the wall on which
the rafters land, essentially a tie beam which has the middle
cut out. These short beams are called hammer-beams[2] and
give this truss its name. A hammerbeam roof can have a
single, double or false hammerbeam truss
TYPICAL GOTHIC CHURCH PLAN
ABBEY OF SAINT-DENIS, NEAR PARIS