HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE-IV

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE-
TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS
 GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
 It began in France. It spread to England and rest of the
Europe till the end of 12th century.
 It began towards the end of Romanesque architecture.
During the course, gothic architecture went through
several changes in the design and appearance of
churches both in exterior and interior part.
 This type of architecture started because there was need
for the better development in the building design.
 They desired to reach perfection in the building & this
perfection was to resemble gods relationship with the
universe.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Gothic architecture is characterized by
 Tall minarets
 Pointed arches
 Large windows
 Stained glass painted with Bible stories
 Flying buttress
 Long beam-column: for creating a sense of flying.
 Majestic appearance with vast space & long windows with
stained glass- produces strong religious atmosphere.
 Plan- It was based on Latin cross with a pair of towers
added on both sides of the doors at west.
POINTED ARCHES:
It is simply known as gothic arch & was
reconstructed from cylindrical vault of
Roman architecture.
There are 4 stones in the end of the arch
supporting the power from the top so that
the height & the span of the arch were
not restricted.
The arch could be made as large & high
as possible. The interior of Noyon
Cathedral
FLYING BUTTRESS:
Buttress are also known as Kongfuduo.
It is the supporting facility to share the
pressure from main walls. It was largely
used in Roman architecture.
The original buttress was solid and Flying buttress of
covered by the roof but in gothic style of the Notre-Dame de
architecture, it was exposed one, so it got Reims.
the name ‘flying buttress’.
Due to requirements in the design of the
building it went under several
modification to match the required height
and were covered with complicated
decorates & elaborate carvings.
STAINED GLASS:
In this type of architecture, they
reduced the gallery & aisles &
Interior of the rose at
increased the size of the window. Strasbourg Cathedral
The windows are high enough ,
almost to be used as the walls.
These glasses were covered with
religious stories which shows the
high artistic achievement.
They mainly used blue and red
colored glasses. Blue symbolizes Orvieto
Cathedral in Italy has
heaven and red symbolizes the round striped columns
blood of Christ. and an open wooden
roof
The scenes depict the people’s
longing for the kingdom of heaven.
Florence
BEAM-COLUMN: Cathedral in 
There were use of many no. of Italy is
colorful with
columns emphasizing the vertical brown stone
columns and
lines. plaster walls
They brought a grand appearance in painted
pinkish-
the interiors. orange.
EXTERIOR ELEMENTS:
 Pointed arches-these were
given to indicate the arches
pointing towards god and
the heaven.
 They were tall and slender
in appearance.
 The exterior was very
decorative.
 Flying buttress-these were
attached to the outside
walls of the church. This
gave extra support to the
roof & the thinner walls.
They also took the weight
of the roof away from the
walls.
 INTERIOR
ELEMENTS:
 The interiors had high ceilings.
 They were extensively
decorative.
 There were lots of windows
i.e., stained glasses.
 They had pointed arches inside
to get a grand appearance.
 Due to high ceilings, the
interior looked slender in
appearance.
 They used ribbed vaults.
RIB VAULTS, POINTED ARCHES AND DECORATIVE
ELEMENTS
 Local adaptations of Gothic Architecture

Regional Vaulted ceiling

building practices also had an in Pelplin
impact on Gothic architecture. Abbey, Poland
For ex, 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.
Octagon Tower, Ely
Cathedral, Cambridge
shire, begun after 1322. 
 Later versions of Gothic Architecture

Later versions of Gothic exaggerated key features

of  the style.
Buildings were decorated with miniature
architectural forms by the Parler family of
architects were enormously influential in central
Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries. King’s
In France, the late Gothic style extended its College
characteristic flame-like window tracery into other Chapel,
Cambridge,
parts of the building in the form of stone screens.
1446–
 In England, the move was towards larger
1531. 
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, 
DIFFERENCE FROM THE ROMANESQUE STYLE