HISTORY OF WESTERN

ARCHITECTURE
Mesopotamian Architecture
Egyptian Architecture
Greek Architecture
Roman Architecture
Romanesque Architecture
Early Gothic Architecture
Renaissance Architecture
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Rococo Architecture

Lecture - 6
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History of western architecture 2

 HISTORY OF WESTERN ARCHITECTURE

GOTHIC
ARCHITECTURE
Content
• History
• Characteristic of gothic style
• Types of gothic architecture
• comparing between the types
 History
(12 – 15th century)
• Gothic architecture began mainly in France, where architects were
inspired by Romanesque architecture and the pointed arches of
Spanish Moorish architecture.
• It's easy to recognize Gothic buildings because of their arches, ribbed
vaulting, flying buttresses, elaborate sculptures (like gargoyles) and
stained glass windows.
• Abbot Suger (about 1081–1151), who is often credited with inventing
Gothic architecture, felt art was central to religious experience. In
1140–44 he renovated the eastern end of his church, the abbey of
Saint-Denis
 Characteristics
• – Structural
Skeletal stone structure
• Visual
Visual arts were important including the role of light in structures
• Symbolic
Scholasticism “ Translations of real events into stone and glass “.
• Cathedrals served as an image of heaven
Characteristics of
Gothic
Architecture
 Pointed Arch
• The Gothic style brought innovative new construction
techniques that allowed churches and other buildings to
reach great heights.
• One important innovation was the use of pointed arches
• 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
 Advantages of pointed arch
• Looked lighter and pointed upward
• Exert less thrust than semicircular arch of the same span
• Solves geometric difficulty inherent in ribbed vaults
• With a pointed arch, ribs could easily be made level
Rib Vaults
• Organic metaphor alluding to the role of ribs in
anatomy as the body’s skeletal structure supporting
tissues
• Arches, usually three pairs per rectangular bay,
running diagonally
• Cross ribs act together with outer frame to create a
complete armature of arches along the edges and
main folds of the vault
• 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.
 flying
buttress
• 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.
• Advantages of flying buttress:
-Absorb and channel disruptive forces, such
as wind and weight, safely to the ground
- Towering piers could be erected without
much affecting the nave or choir interior
 Stained Glass
Window

• 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.
 Gargoyles
• In addition to religious figures, many
Gothic cathedrals are heavily
ornamented with strange, leering
creatures.
• These gargoyles are not merely
decorative.
• Originally, the sculptures were
waterspouts to protect the foundation
from rain.
• Since most people in Medieval days
could not read, the carvings took on
the important role of illustrating
lessons from the from the scriptures.
 Gothic Floor Plan
• Gothic buildings were based on the
traditional plan used by basilicas.
• However, single units were integrated into a
unified spatial scheme.
• The nave is generally lined on either side by
aisles, usually singly, but sometimes double.
• The nave is generally considerably taller than
the aisles, having clerestory windows which
light the central space.
Gothic Architecture In France
 Notre Dame Cathedral

• The Notre Dame de Paris stands

on the site of Paris' first
Christian church, Saint Etienne
basilica, which was itself built on
the site of a Roman temple to
Jupiter.
• Construction on the current
cathedral began in 1163, Over
the construction period,
numerous architects worked on
the site, as is evidenced by the
differing styles at different
heights of the west front and
towers.
The West Rose Window

• The west rose window at Notre Dame is 10

meters in diameter and exceptionally
beautiful. Dating from about 1220, it retains
most of its original glass and tracery. The
main theme of the west rose is human life,
featuring symbolic scenes such as the Zodiacs
and Labors of the Months. On the exterior, it
is fronted by a statue of the Virgin and Child
accompanied by angels.
The south rose window
• The south rose window installed
around 1260.
• its general themes are the New
Testament, the Triumph of Christ
• The south rose is 12.9 meters in
diameter and contains 84 panes of
glass.
Gothic Architecture in Britain
• Historians sometimes refer to the
styles as "periods"
I. Early English
II. Decorated
III. Perpendicular
 Early English Gothic
• the pointed arch known as the lancet.
• Through the employment of the pointed arch, walls could become
less massive and window openings could be larger and grouped more
closely together, so architects could achieve a more open, airy and
graceful building.
• The arched windows are usually narrow by comparison to their height
and are without tracery.
• For this reason Early English Gothic is sometimes known as the
"Lancet" style.
Decorated
style
• • This period saw detailed carving
reach its peak, with elaborately
carved windows and capitals,
often with floral patterns.
• The Decorated Period in
architecture is also known as the
Decorated Gothic, or simply
"Decorated“
• Traditionally, this period is broken
into two periods: the "Geometric"
style (1250–90) and the
"Curvilinear" style (1290–1350)
 Elements of the Decorated style

• Interiors of this period often

feature tall columns of more
slender and elegant form than in
previous periods.
• Vaulting became more elaborate,
with the use of increasing number
of ribs, initially for structural and
then aesthetic reasons.
• Arches are generally equilateral,
and the moldings bolder than in
the Early English Period
 Perpendicular
Gothic
• The interior of Gloucester Cathedral
conveys an impression of a "cage" of
stone and glass, typical of
Perpendicular architecture.
• Elaborate Decorated style tracery is
no longer in evidence, and the lines
on both walls and windows have
become sharper and less
flamboyant.
• is so-called because it is
characterized by an emphasis on
vertical lines; it is also known as
International Gothic, the Rectilinear
style, or Late Gothic
Italian Gothic Architecture
• Milan Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di
Milano) is the cathedral church of
Milan in Lombardy, northern Italy
• The Gothic cathedral took five
centuries to complete.
• It is the largest Gothic cathedral and
the second largest Catholic
cathedral in the world.
• The huge building is of brick construction, faced
with marble
• The height of the nave is about 45 meters, the
highest Gothic vaults of a complete church.
• The roof carries spectacular sculpture that can
be enjoyed only from top. The roof of the
cathedral is renowned for the forest of
openwork pinnacles and spires, set upon
delicate flying buttresses.
• The famous "Madonnina" atop the
main spire of the cathedral, a
baroque gilded bronze artwork.
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