Far Eastern University

Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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WEEK NO. 3
Topic: GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

Overview
This lecture explains the historical development leading to the evolution of Gothic Architecture as an architectural style
during the 12th to 16th century. The lecture will discuss stylistic features of the period as well as architectural examples
from different parts of the world. Notable architects, builders and patrons of architecture and art will likewise be
explained in the course of the lecture.

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to:
• Explain the historical developments before and during the Age of Faith of the Gothic period;
• Identify architectural and art forms during this period;
• Recognize notable artists, architects, builders and patrons of art and architecture and their contributions to
architectural historical development; and,
• Draw and write about architectural examples and features or details of the Gothic architectural styles.

Additional Readings/Materials
• Gothic Architecture Style Characteristics & History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxK4-IJcLWg
• Romanesque v. Gothic Architecture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwKg4ESvYG4
• Gothic Architecture
https://www.britannica.com/art/Gothic-architecture
• Gothic Architecture
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/gothic-architecture.htm
• Gothic Art and Architecture
https://www.theartstory.org/movement/gothic-art-and-architecture/

References
• Burden, Ernest E., Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture. New York: McGraw-Hill, c2012.
• Ching, Francis, A Visual Dictionary of Architecture. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, c2012.
• Cruickshank, Dan, Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture (Twentieth Edition). Oxford: Architectural
Press, c1996
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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Week no. 3
Topic: GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the High and Late Medieval period. It evolved from
Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture. It originated in France in the 12th century
and existed in the western half of Europe through the middle of the 16th century. It is characterized by progressive
lightening and heightening of the structure, use of the pointed arch, ribbed vault and a system of richly decorated
fenestration

Abbot Suger
Father of the Gothic style, his innovative new choir for the abbey church of St. Denis reflected the rise of France as a
political and cultural force and inaugurated a glorious outburst of French cathedral-building that lasted until the 13th
century.

PERIODS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

1. French Gothic Architecture
a. Early French Style
First phase of French Gothic architecture and characterized by the pointed arch and geometric tracery
b. Rayonnant Style
The middle phase of French Gothic architecture from the end of 13th through the late 14th century and
characterized by circular windows with radiating lines of tracery
c. Flamboyant Style
The final phase of French Gothic architecture from the 14th through the middle of the 16th century. It is
characterized by flame-like tracery, intricacy of detailing, and frequent complication of interior space
2. English Gothic Architecture
a. Early English Style
The first phase of English Gothic architecture from the late 12th through the 13th century; characterized
by the lancet window and plate tracery
b. Decorated Style
Second of the three phases of English Gothic architecture from the late 13 th through the late 14th century;
characterized by rich tracery, elaborate ornamental vaulting and refinement of stonecutting techniques.
Geometric Style – late 13th and early 14th century characterized by the use of geometric tracery
Curvilinear Style – second half of the 14th century characterized by the use of curvilinear tracery
c. Perpendicular Style
The final phase of the English Gothic architecture prevailing from the late 14th through the early 16th
century. It is characterized by perpendicular tracery, fine intricate stonework and elaborate fan vaults.
Also called Rectilinear Style.

The Term ‘Gothic’

It came to be used as early as the 1530s by Giorgio Vasari to describe culture that was considered rude and barbaric.
In English 17th-century usage, "Goth" was an equivalent of "vandal", a savage despoiler with a Germanic heritage and
so came to be applied to the architectural styles of northern Europe from before the revival of classical types of
architecture.

Regions
At the end of the 12th century, England was divided into a multitude of city states and kingdoms. Throughout Europe at
this time there was a rapid growth in trade and an associated growth in towns. Germany and the Lowlands had large
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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flourishing towns that grew in trade and competition with each other, or united for mutual wealth, as in the Hanseatic
League.

Materials
In France, limestone was readily available. England had coarse limestone, red sandstone as well as dark green
Purbeck marble. In Northern Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Baltic countries and northern Poland local building
stone was unavailable but there was a strong tradition of building in brick.
Brick Gothic - called "Backsteingotik" in Germany and Scandinavia

Building Materials
In Italy, stone was used for fortifications, but brick was preferred for other buildings. Because of the extensive and
varied deposits of marble, many buildings were faced in marble. The availability of timber also influenced the style of
architecture.

Religion
The early Medieval periods had seen a rapid growth in monasticism, with several different orders being prevalent and
spreading their influence widely.
a. Benedictines - the Benedictines were founded by Benedict of Nursia, the most influential of western monks
and called “the father of western monasticism.”
b. Cistercians - the next wave of monastic reform after the Benedictines came with the Cistercian movement.
The first Cistercian abbey was founded in 1098, at Cîteaux Abbey. The keynote of Cistercian life was a return
to a literal observance of the Benedictine Rule, rejecting the developments of the Benedictines.
c. Dominicans - the Dominican Order came into being in the Middle Ages at a time when religion was starting to
be contemplated in a new way. Men of God were no longer expected to stay behind the walls of a cloister.
Instead, they traveled among the people, taking as their examples the apostles of the primitive Church.
d. Franciscans - The inspiration for the Franciscan Order came in 1209 when Francis heard a sermon on
Matthew 10:9 that made such an impression on him that he decided to devote himself wholly to a life of
apostolic poverty. Clad in a rough garment, barefoot, and, after the Evangelical precept, without staff or scrip,
he began to preach repentance.

Romanesque Tradition
The basic structure of the cathedral church, the parish church, the monastery, the castle, the palace, the great hall and
the gatehouse were all established. Ribbed vaults, buttresses, clustered columns, ambulatories, wheel windows, spires
and richly carved door tympanums were already features of ecclesiastical architecture.

Separation of Gothic from Romanesque

Gothic broke the tradition of massive masonry and solid walls penetrated by small openings, replacing it with a style
where light appears to triumph over substance.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOTHIC CHURCHES

1. Emphasis on verticality and lightness
2. Pointed arches
3. Clustered columns
4. Pointed ribbed vaults
5. Flying buttresses - a buttress slanting from a separate pier, typically forming an arch with the wall it supports
6. Towers
7. Pinnacles - in architecture, vertical ornament of pyramidal or conical shape, crowning a buttress, spire, or
other architectural member. A pinnacle is distinguished from a finial by its greater size and complexity and
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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from a tower or spire by its smaller size and subordinate architectural role. A tower may be decorated
with pinnacles, each one capped by a finial
8. Spires - 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

PLAN OF GOTHIC CHURCHES

Most Gothic churches are of the Latin cross (or "cruciform") plan with a long nave, transept and, beyond it, the choir,
chancel or presbytery. The nave is generally flanked on either side by aisles. Gothic churches of the Germanic tradition,
like St. Stephen of Vienna, often have nave and aisles of similar height and are called “Hallenkirche”

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER OF GOTHIC CHURCHES

1. Pointed Arch
The pointed arch is used in every location where a vaulted shape is called for, both structural and decorative.
Gothic openings such as doorways, windows, arcades and galleries have pointed arches. The pointed arch
developed within window spaces into complex Gothic tracery forming the structural support of the large
windows that are characteristic of the style

2. Vertical Emphasis
A characteristic of Gothic church architecture is its height, both absolute and in proportion to its width. A
section of the main body of a Gothic church usually shows the nave as considerably taller than it is wide. In
England the proportion is sometimes greater than 2:1, while the greatest proportional difference achieved is
at Cologne Cathedral with a ratio of 3.6:1

3. Light
One of the most distinctive characteristics of Gothic architecture is the expansive area of the windows. The
increase in size between windows of the Romanesque and Gothic periods is related to the use of the ribbed
vault, and in particular, the pointed ribbed vault which channeled the weight to a supporting shaft with less
outward thrust than a semicircular vault. Walls did not need to be so weighty

4. Majesty
The façade of a large church or cathedral, often referred to as the ‘West Front’, is generally designed to create
a powerful impression on the approaching worshipper, demonstrating both the might of God, and the might of
the institution that it represents

BASIC SHAPES OF GOTHIC ARCHES

1. Lancet Arch
Lancet openings are often grouped, usually as a cluster of three or five. Lancet openings may be very
narrow and steeply pointed

2. Equilateral Arch
Many Gothic openings are based upon the equilateral form. In other words, when the arch is drafted, the
radius is exactly the width of the opening and the center of each arch coincides with the point from which the
opposite arch springs. This makes the arch higher in relation to its width than a semi-circular arch which is
exactly half as high as it is wide.
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Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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3. Flamboyant Arch
The upper part of each main arc turns upwards into a smaller arc and meets at a sharp, flame-like point.
These arches create a rich and lively effect when used for window tracery and surface decoration. The form
is structurally weak and has very rarely been used for large openings. It is not employed at all for vaulting.

4. Depressed Arch
The Depressed or four-centered arch is much wider than its height and gives the visual effect of having been
flattened under pressure. Its structure is achieved by drafting two arcs which rise steeply from each springing
point on a small radius and then turn into two arches with a wide radius and much lower springing point

GOTHIC WINDOW TRACERY

1. Plate Tracery – 13th century

2. Geometrical Tracery – 13th century
3. Intersecting Tracery – 13th to 14th century
4. Reticulated Tracery – early to mid-14th century

GOTHIC ELEMENTS
The earliest complete Gothic structure is the ambulatory of the abbey of Saint-Denis in France. Built between 1140
and 1144, the church became a model for most of the late 12th-century French cathedrals, including those at Chartres
and Senlis.

Earlier Romanesque churches had pointed arches, but builders didn't capitalize on the shape. During the Gothic era,
builders discovered that pointed arches would give structures amazing strength and stability. In Gothic buildings, the
weight of the roof was supported by the arches rather than the walls. This meant that walls could be thinner.

Earlier Romanesque churches relied on barrel vaulting. Gothic builders introduced the dramatic technique of ribbed
vaulting. While barrel vaulting carried weight on continuous solid walls, ribbed vaulting used columns to support the
weight. The ribs also delineated the vaults and gave a sense of unity to the structure.

In order to prevent the outward collapse of the arches, Gothic architects began using a revolutionary "flying buttress"
system. Freestanding brick or stone supports were attached to the exterior walls by an arch or a half-arch.

Since the walls themselves were no longer the primary supports, Gothic buildings could include large areas of glass.
Huge stained glass windows and a profusion of smaller windows created the effect of lightness and space.

Since the walls themselves were no longer the primary supports, Gothic buildings could include large areas of glass.
Huge stained glass windows and a profusion of smaller windows created the effect of lightness and space.

Medieval man considered himself an imperfect reflection of the divine light of God, and Gothic architecture was the
ideal expression of this view. New techniques of construction permitted buildings to soar to amazing new heights,
dwarfing anyone who stepped inside. Moreover, the concept of divine light was suggested by the airy quality of Gothic
buildings, which were much lighter than churches in the earlier Romanesque style.

Gothic ideas never completely vanished. During the nineteenth century, builders in Europe, England and the United
States borrowed Medieval traditions to create an eclectic Victorian style: Gothic Revival. Even small private homes
were given arched windows, lacy pinnacles, and an occasional leering gargoyle.
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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EXAMPLES OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

1. FRANCE
Cathedrals were erected out of funds provided by the laity, not as part of monastic establishments. It served
as a library for illiterate townspeople. The stained glass of the cathedral told biblical stories. The vaulting
framework of intersecting pointed arches over shorter span and sometimes retaining semi-circular arches for
diagonal or longer spans.

Amiens Cathedral

2. ENGLAND
The Westminster Abbey is considered one of the most important building in Britain, comprised of an abbey
church and a square cloister court. It was built by several master masons and master carpenters. It is
geometric in style with pinnacles and tracery windows.

Westminster Abbey

3. CENTRAL EUROPE
Style came from France, not from German Romanesque. Brick was the common building material.
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Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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Ulm Cathedral

4. BELGIUM AND NETHERLANDS

French Gothic influence

Antwerp Cathedral
5. SPAIN
The Seville Cathedral – largest Medieval church in Europe and second largest church in the world, next to St.
Peter’s, Rome; large because it was erected on site of a mosque

Seville Cathedral
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Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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6. ITALY
Siena Cathedral - one of the most stupendous undertakings since the building of the Pisa Cathedral with a
zebra marble striping on wall and pier

Siena Cathedral