GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

History of Architecture 2
Compiled by: Ma Socorro A. Gacutan

FRENCH GOTHIC 1
 GOTHIC-FRANCE 12TH TO 16TH CENTURY
GEOGRAPHICAL-
West of Europe land divided into by River Loire
Franks on the north and Roman races on the
south, architecture was influenced not only
by geographical location but also by races
Romanesque influenced Provence
Byzantine for Garonne since it was the trade
route of the merchants from Marseilles to
Bordeaux to the East
Moorish Spain has also shared its style
North of France was influenced by the Northmen
who started the Gothic style
“Ile de France”- or Royal Domain- an old
district where Paris was the capital became
the headquarters of the Kings of France, the
place where the pointed arch was introduced
from the Muslims was brought by the early
Crusades. Rapid constructions of Gothic
churches followed in Paris, Bourges and
neighboring provinces at Chartres, Laon,
Le Mans, Amiens and Rheims

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CLIMATIC
The north of France resembles' the cold
climate of south of England
West- Warmer along the Atlantic coast
South -Sub-tropical along Mediterranean
The climatic variations regulated the
fenestrations of the structures.
Window and door openings decrease
in size toward the south.
The cold dull weather of the North
permitted large tracery windows
GEOLOGICAL
Presence of excellent stones found in
Caen in the north
Volcanic stones found in mountainous
regions gave rich chromatic
appearance
Local stones in the south used for
classical traditions
FRENCH GOTHIC
RELIGIOUS
Christians united against the Muslims
and send Crusades
1189 century, France joined the third
Crusades under Philip Augustus and
1249-1270 AD the 8th and 9th Crusades
under S. Louis and was marked by the
construction of many gothic
cathedrals done by the laity and free
communes
The clergy as an organization gained the
highest power.
The papacy was powerful stayed in
France
Inauguration of cults for saints in
different locations led to the
construction of beautiful shrines
which acquired wealth and
importance as pilgrimage centers
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SOCIAL
The country occupied by different races
who were at war with each other
King Hugh Caper in 987 ruled the country
The Gothic period was marked by
restlessness of the people intellectually
and spiritually as seen in the character
of Gothic cathedrals
Feudal system was practiced. Kings’ rule
over the common people was
tyrannical. Wars within the same lords
against kingly power.
When the king is strong, the nobles were
kept in check and people prospered,
thus people and the king fostered the
communes against the nobles.
12 century marked the continuous struggle
of the communes to assert their
freedom.
1285-1314 Parlement de Paris became the
principal law court which covered the
ecclesiastical and feudal powers.
FRENCH GOTHIC
During that time, agriculture prospered
1347-49- Black Death -death of large
number of population which slowed the
construction of buildings.
HISTORICAL
1180-1223 AD Philip Augustus forfeited all
the fiefs belonging to king john of
England
Conquered Normandy and other English
possessions
Attacked English, German, and Flemish
forces
Many Cathedrals were constructed under
his reign
1226-70 AD Louis IX-Philip’s son acquired
the Crown of England further increased
the power but he died in Tunis when
setting the 9th Crusade.
He was able to get hold of the
Mediterranean, Atlantic and English
Channels and consolidation of French
Kingdom where different nationalities
were under one rule. This era marked
the great cathedral building of the
thirteenth century.
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HISTORICAL 1461-83-inaugurated reforms and
strengthened central power, unite
1328-50- Philip VI defeated the Flemings France by annexing burgundy, Artois
1337-Hundred years War with England and Provence .
1346- Battle of Crecy was won by the 1483-98-charles VIII by marriage with
English Anne of Brittany united that
province with France. This marked
1356-French lose the war to the English
the end of medieval period and
at Poitiers.
marked the united France free from
1420- Henry V defeated France Agincourt invasions.
war
1422-61- during the reign of Charles VII,
there was an outburst of national
sentiment when Joan of Arc was
burned as witch by the English
1453, the English were expelled fro
France except in Calais. Also ended
the Hundred Years War

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ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
The style started half century earlier
in France than in England
It is characterized by:
• Lofty vaults
• High pitched roof
• Western towers
• Tapering spires, pinnacles
• Flying buttresses
• Tracery windows
Gothic style or Style Ogivale in
French term, lasted from 1150 to
1500 AD.
FRENCH GOTHIC
Three stages
12th century Primaire or Gothique a
lancettes, period of pointed arches
and geometric tracery windows and
transition from Romanesque began
in Ile de France, Sens, and Senlis
13th century Secondaire or Rayonnant,
characterized by circular windows
with wheel tracery, as in Amiens,
Rheims and Bourges
14th century tertiare or flamboyant ,
from the flame-like or free flowing
tracery windows at S. Ouens, albi ,
Rouen, Dieppe.
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NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL,PARIS
1163-1250 AD
One of the oldest Gothic
cathedrals in France done by
Bishop Maurice de Sully
The plan is on bent axial plan with
typical wide nave, double
aisles, transepts of small
projection in line with the aisle
and a notable chevet with
double aisle and surrounding
chapels between the
buttresses

East side present a fairy like

appearance with its slender
flying buttresses and chevet
chapels, gabled transepts, and
delicate fleche soaring 300 ft
high flank by western towers

FRENCH GOTHIC 7
• NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
• West façade serve as model for
other churches
• Has deep recessed portals with
encircling tiers of statued niches
• Central doorway is divided by
pillars with statue of Christ while
above stretches a band of statues
of kings
• Central wheel 42 ft in diameter
Flanked by high coupled windows
Above is arcaded screen stretches
across the façade in front of the
nave roof connecting two
western towers

FRENCH GOTHIC 8
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
1194-1260 AD
The plan has short nave, strong marked
aisled transept, each provided with
towers
With two western towers and two
eastern towers and a central tower
Chevet is built above the crypt of the
older Romanesque church
The spire of the north tower is one of
the most beautiful in Europe
The interior has a fine nave arcade of
circular piers with four shafts with
low arcaded triforium surmounted
with clearstory of two pointed
windows
Crowned by quadripartite vault
Known for its 160 windows of stained
glass

FRENCH GOTHIC 9
RAYONNANT ,GOTHIC 1230
Structural changes a little
Tracery windows were the striking
features

The new style was seen in S Denis in

1231
Three level section with triforium was
derived from High Gothic
Clearstory was filled with interlocking bar
tracery and the back wall of the
triforium was light to create the
effect of a great sheet of glass in the
upper level.
Clearstory and triforium were closely
linked by shared mullions and the
whole internal elevation was tied
together with composite piers and
uninterrupted vaults.

FRENCH GOTHIC 10
FLAMBOYANT 14TH CENTURY
The end of the Hundred Years War
marked the rapid rebuilding of
structures and architectural
developments in France.
The net tracery patterns now stretches
across all available surfaces, including
the vault, which is covered with
complex star designs by the addition
of lierne and tierceron .
Tracery patterns influenced by English
decorated patterns of flame-like
forms and the opposite pattern of
perpendicular design toward severity.
Exterior design became richer than ever
as seen in the façade of Notre Dame,
Louvres in 15th century

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SECULAR BUILDINGS
COUNTRY HOUSES

CHATEAU DE JOSSELIN-
circular towers, ogee door-
heads, mullioned windows
Traceried parapets, steep
roofs with dormer
windows structure typical
in France

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Castle at Carcassone- built to house
garrison where rectangular enclosures
with corner towers. Built as a defence
during the Hundred Years War
FRENCH GOTHIC
Hotel de Ville at Compiegne 15th
century AD feudal lords leave
their castles and lived in houses
known as hotel-planned, as in
the country, round a court, with
elaborate façade facing the
street.
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 BRITISH ISLES GOTHIC
English attitudes toward French models
were ambivalent, casual, even
critical.
Gothic reach England in the 1160s
The early Gothic of west and north were
cosmetic rather than structural.
Gothic veneer was applied to the
walls
Instead of soaring spaces, and tall
stained windows, the English prefer
rich mouldings and plentiful
encrustations of polished shafts of
marble. They have no particular
fetish of vaults. Instead they used
timber roofs
Division of British Gothic
Early English-
Decorated-
Perpendicular-

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Canterbury Cathedral Ely Cathedral

BRITISH ISLES-GOTHIC
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