GOTHIC

ARCHITECTURE
TIMELINE
 “ THE GOTHS “
• “Goths” - So-called “Barbaric Tribe”
- One Of The 2 Germanic Tribes, The Other Being The
“Vandals”, Who Clashed With The Roman Empire And
Occupied Various Regions Of Europe Around 5th - 8th Century
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
• Architectural style of the High Middle Ages in Western Europe which emerged from
Romanesque and Byzantine forms in France in the later 12th century until the 16th
century
— reference Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Cyril M. Harris, ed., McGraw-Hill, 1975, p. 231

- A radical departure from the Romanesque style

- known as the Era of the Cathedrals (esp. in Britain And France)
- was known during the period as "the French Work"

- The term Gothic originated as a pejorative description. In the 16th century, Giorgio
Vasari , an Italian writer of the Renaissance period used it to describe the art and style
that was considered rude and barbaric.
IMPORTANT INFLUENCES
ON
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
I. GEOGRAPHICAL
I. GEOGRAPHICAL
I. GEOGRAPHICAL
FRANCE - birthplace of the Gothic Style, hence it was previously called the
“Opus Francigenum” or“French work”
- The Basilica of Saint-Denis - considered as the first true
Gothic structure
- rebuilt and expanded by Abbot
Suger in the 12th century, which
introduced innovative structural
and decorative elements
- Notre Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathedral and Chartres
Cathedral are just some of the other notable examples

ENGLAND - Gothic style also flourished in England during the

High Middle Ages
- The Salisbury Cathedral and the Westminister Abbey are
some of the examples
I. GEOGRAPHICAL
GERMANY - characterized by its intricate stone tracery and ornate details
- examples include Cologne Cathedral and Ulm Minster

ITALY - although more famous for its Renaissance architecture, Gothic

elements/ influence can be seen in some of its structures such as the
Pisa Baptistery, Milan Cathedral and the Santa Maria Novella in
Florence

SPAIN - Burgos Cathedral and León Cathedral are examples of Gothic style in
this region

PORTUGAL - Monastery of Batalha and Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon

BELGIUM and the NETHERLANDS - Cities like Bruges and Ghent boast
stunning Gothic structures, including
town halls and cathedrals.
II. GEOLOGICAL
II. GEOLOGICAL
II. GEOLOGICAL
• Countries where building stones are not available
-Northern Germany
-Netherlands
-Northern Poland
-Denmark
-Baltic
• Strong tradition of building brick
--Style is known as ―Brick
Gothic ”Backsteingotik”
• Backsteingotik - a specific architectural style
that flourished in Northeast and
Central Europe, particularly in regions
around the Baltic Sea
• examples are: Stralsund Town Hall - A UNESCO
World Heritage Site; St. Nicholas’ Church
(Nikolaikirche) in Stralsund; St. Mary’s Church Stralsund Town Hall
(Marienkirche) in Lübeck, Germany
II. GEOLOGICAL
•Italy
-Stone was used for fortifications. But brick was preferred for other
buildings.
-They also use marbles.

•Availability of Timber influenced the style of Gothic Architecture.

-affects the method of Roof Construction across Europe.

•Hammer Beam Roofs

-It is said to be developed in response to the lack of Timber.
II. GEOLOGICAL

Modern hammerbeam roof at Windsor Castle

III. SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCE
• The rapid growth of towns and the • France and England were much under the
development of commercial activity, heel of the feudal system, which retarded
with the consequent increase of wealth, municipal activity but gave opportunity for
inspired a rivalry between neighboring domestic architecture.
cities which was expressed in the
creation of magnificent buildings both • Italy was divided into republics and
municipal and ecclesiastical. dukedoms, in which smaller cities were
subject to the more powerful and where
• In Germany towns united for mutual they developed with greater freedom owing
defense, as exemplified in the famous to disputes between the papacy and the
Hanseatic League. Holy Roman Empire and to the comparative
freedom of Italy from the feudal system.
• Civic buildings were of great
importance to these towns as asign of Hanseatic League - medieval network of merchant guilds
and market towns in Central and Northern Europe.
wealth and pride The League’s initial aim was to protect traders against
robbery and expand their commercial interests.
IV. RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE

• BENEDICTINES
- whose great abbey churches outnumbered any others in England.
- they built abbeys in towns.
• CISTERCIANS
- have ruined abbeys and it is seen in the remote countryside.
• FRANCISCANS
- established by St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.
- “Grey Friars” - a mendicant order
• DOMINICANS
- founded by St. Dominic in the 13th century in Tolouse and Bologna
- famous for the oratorical and fiery sermons, hence they’re called Order of Preachers.
 3 PHASES
OF
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
-

- 3 Phases of Gothic Architecture

– In France and Germany:

1) Early Gothic 2) High or “Rayonnant” & 3) Late Gothic or “Flamboyant”

– In England:
1) Early English or Lancet” 2) Decorated & 3) Perpendicular
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

1. Early Gothic
• The first phase of Gothic architecture
(Early Gothic or Primaire) lasted from
1150 to the 1200s (12th century).

• It is a period distinguished by pointed

arches and geometric traceried
windows.

• Its foremost example is the Abbey of

Saint Denis.
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

q Abbey Church of Saint-Denis

• In the Abbey Church of Saint-Denis,
architects linked the transept and the choir
together, reducing the size of the transept ,
and creating single or double ambulatories
with radiating chapels and side aisles

• church exterior was also characterized by

double span flying buttresses and the light
admitting rose window

• more realistic sculptures

• tracery, pinnacles, and gargoyles also

became another common feature
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

2. High Gothic / Rayonnant

• Rayonnant or Secondaire period
(13th century) was a
period characterized by circular
windows with wheel tracery.

• More of the wall surface

than ever before was pierced by
windows and buildings were
often given lace-like tracery
screens on the exterior to hide
the bulk of load bearing wall
elements and buttress
COLOGNE CATHEDRAL
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

2. High Gothic / Rayonnant

• Increase in the size of window
openings and the development
of the band window, in which a
central strip of richly coloured
stained glass is positioned
between upper and lower bands
of clear or grisaille glass, allow in
even more light to flood in
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

2. High Gothic / Rayonnant

 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

2. High Gothic / Rayonnant

 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In France & Germany)

3. Late Gothic or “Flamboyant”

 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In England)

1. Early English/ Lancet Style

 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In England)

2. Decorated Style
 “ GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE “
(In England)

3. Perpendicular Style
§ CHARACTERISTICS OF GOTHIC STYLE
1. POINTED ARCHES
- likely borrowed from
Islamic architecture
- served to relieve some
of the thrust from the
roof
1. RIBBED VAULTS

2. FLYING BUTTRESSES
- are masonry structures
typically consisting of an
inclined bar carried on a
half arch that extends
(“flies”) from the upper
part of a wall to
a pier some distance
away and carries the
thrust of a roof or vault
3. ROSE AND STAINED
GLASS WINDOWS
§ CHARACTERISTICS OF GOTHIC STYLE
4. PIERS FOR STRUCTURAL STABILITY
• decorated with colonnettes to disguise its
massiveness

5. SPIRES

6. AXIALITY/ SYMMETRY

7. STRUCTURAL BASED ARCHITECTURE, A

PURELY STRUCTURAL STYLE

8. LIGHTNESS VERSUS DARKNESS

• introduced more light inside the structure
through tall stained glass windows

9. VERTICAL PERCEPTION OF SPACE

10. GARGOYLES

11. HUGE IN SCALE