When the Church controlled European cultural life during the Middle Ages, Gothic architecture

flourished in Northern Europe between the mid-12th and 16th centuries. It's lavish and complicated
architecture, with large structures, intricate designs, broad areas, and massive barriers. It has French
origins but may be spotted around Europe and different continents. The term "Gothic" Architecture was
derived from Giorgio Vasari's critical critique of the style written in 1550 when the form deteriorated. He
referred to the architectural elements that characterized Gothic Architecture as "barbarous German-
style" and condemned "the Goths" for demolishing historic structures to replace them with ones in this
style.

The Gothic architectural style developed from the Romanesque style to incorporate more
sophisticated architectural constructions with detailed decoration, exterior flying buttresses,
pinnacles, large interiors, soaring roofs, and tall towers. By the size of windows raising and the scale of
arches, the Gothic style emphasized these qualities. On the other hand, building walls became thinner
and strengthened by flying buttresses, allowing architects to create structures closer to the sky. The
Basilica Church of Saint-Denis is often regarded as the earliest downright Gothic construction, bridging
Romanesque and Gothic architecture.