GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

CHARACTERIZED BY:

BUILDING OF GREAT CATHEDRALS

PROGRESSIVE LIGHTENING AND HEIGHTENING OF STRUCTURE

USE OF THE POINTED ARCH

USED OF RIBBED VAULTS

SYSTEM OF RICHLY DECORATION

VERTICALITY OF DESIGN

STYLES IN FRENCH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

1.EARLY FRENCH STYLE – FIRST OF THE THREE PHASES OF FRENCH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. POINTED
ARCH AND GEOMETRIC TRACERY

EXAMPLE: TOUL CATHEDRAL, FRANCE

SENS CATHEDRAL, FRANCE (1140)

LAON CATHEDRAL, FRANCE (12C-13C)

2.RAYONNANT STYLE – MIDDLE PHASE OF FRENCH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE FROM THE END OF THE
13TH THROUGH THE 14TH CENTURIES. CIRCULAR WINDOWS WITH RADIATING LINES OF TRACERY.

EXAMPLE: COLOGNE CATHEDRAL, GERMANY (1248-1322)

ROSE WINDOW, NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, FRANCE

3.FLAMBOYANT STYLE – FINAL PHASE OF FRENCH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE FROM THE LATE 14TH
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE 16TH CENTURIES. FLAME-LIKE TRACERY, INTRICACY OF DETAILING,
FREQUENT COMPLICATION OF INTERIOR SPACE

SENLIS CATHEDRAL, FRANCE

MOULINS CATHEDRAL, FRANCE

STYLES IN ENGLISH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

1.EARLY ENGLISH STYLE – FIRST OF THE THREE PHASES OF ENGLISH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE FROM
THE 12TH – 13TH CENTURIES. LANCET WINDOW AND PLATE TRACERY.

EXAMPLE: PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL, ENGLAND (1118-1237)

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL

2.DECORATED STYLE – SECOND PHASE OF THE ENGLISH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE FROM THE 13TH –
14TH CENTURIES. RICH TRACERY, ELABORATE ORNAMENTAL VAULTING & REFINEMENT OF
STONECUTTING TECHNIQUES.

EXAMPLE: YORK MINSTER, ENGLAND

EXETER CATHEDRAL

CARLISLE CATHEDRAL, ENGLAND (1133)

A. GEOMETRIC STYLE – EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE DECORATED STYLE IN THE 13TH AND
EARLY 14TH CENTURY. USED OF GEOMETRIC TRACERY
B. CURVILINEAR STYLE – THE LATER DEVELOPMENT OF THE DECORATED STYLE IN THE 2ND HALF
OF THE 14TH CENTURY. USED OF CURVILINEAR TRACERY

3.PERPENDICULAR(RECTILINEAR) STYLE – FINAL PHASE OF ENGLISH GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

PREVAILING FROM THE LATE 14TH THROUGH THE EARLY 16TH CENTURIES. USE OF PERPENDICULAR
TRACERY, FINE INTRICATE STONEWORK & ELABORATE FINE WORKS.

EXAMPLE: GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL, ENGLAND (1089-1499)

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, ENGLAND (1421)

ELEMENTS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

PLANS:

CHURCHES – PLANNED IN OBLONG BAY COVERED WITH THE RIB AND PANEL VAULTING OR WITH
OPEN TIMBER ROOFS

NAVES – DIVIDED INTO NUMEROUS BAYS, GRANDEUR WAS PRODUCED BY THE LARGER NUMBER OF
PARTS

ARRANGED FOR CONVENIENCE RATHER THAN SYMMETRY.

TOWERS: OFTEN CROWNED WITH SPIRES

PREDOMINANT FEATURE, TWO WESTERN TOWERS ARE ITS CHARACTERISTICS

SPIRE – TALL ACCUTELY TAPERING PYRAMIDAL STRUCTURE SURMOUNTING A STEEPLE OR

TOWER
 STEEPLE – TALL ORNAMENTAL STRUCTURE, USUALLY ENDING IN A SPIRE AND
SURMOUNTING THE TOWER OF A CHURCH OR OTHER PUBLIC BUILDING

GREAT HEIGHT OF FLECHE OFTEN SUBSTITUTED FOR CENTRAL TOWER ARE USUAL IN
ENGLAND.

FLECHE – A SLENDER SPIRE RISING FROM THE RIDGE OF A ROOD, ESPECIALLY ONE ABOVE
THE CROSSING OF A GOTHIC CHURCH.

WALLS:

WALL MATERIALS WERE IN SMALL PIECES. WALL ANGLES, OFTEN OF SQUARED OR ASHLAR
MASONRY. REST OF THE WALLS IS OF RUBBLE, FLINT OR BRICK.

FLYING BUTTRESS – CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF THE GOTHIC CONSTRUCTION IN WHICH

THE LATERAL THRUSTS OF A ROOF OR VAULT ARE TAKEN UP BY A STRAIGHT BAR OF
MASONRY, USUALLY SLOPING, CARRIED ON AN ARCH, AND A SOLID PIER OR BUTTRESS PIER
OR BUTTRESS SUFFICIENT TO RECEIVE THE THRUST.

AMORTIZEMENT – THE SLOPING TOP OF A BUTTRESS OR PROJECTING PIER.

GABLES – STEEP. PIERCED WITH WINDOWS OR STONE PARAPETS. SOMETIMES OF

ORNAMENTED TIMBER BARGEBOARDS.

SKYLINE ARE CHARACTERIZED BY RISING TOWERS & INTRICACY RESULTING FROM

NUMEROUS PINNACLES.

OPENINGS:

WINDOW – FILLED WITH TRACERY, DIVIDED BY VERTICAL MULLIONS AND HORIZONTAL

TRANSOMS. A TRANSLUSCENT FORM OF DECORATION W/C INFLUENCED THE NUMBER AND
SIZE OF THE WINDOW.

ARCADES OF POINTED ARCHES FILLED WITH TRACERY.

TRACERY – CURVILINEAR ORNAMENTAL BRANCHLIKE SHAPES OF STONE OR WOOD CREATING AN

OPENWORK PATTERN OF MULLIONS SO TREATED AS TO BE ORNAMENTAL WITHIN THE UPPER PART
OF A GOTHIC WINDOW OR OPENING OF SIMILAR CHARACTER.

PLATE(PERFORATED) TRACERY – EARLY GOTHIC TRACERY FORMED OF PIERCED SLABS OF STONE SET
ON EDGE, DESIGN BEING IN THE SHAPE AND DISPOSITION OF THE OPENINGS.

GEOMETRICAL TRACERY – CHARACTERIZED BY A PATTERN OF GEOMETRIC SHAPES, AS CIRCLES AND

FOILS.

RETICULATED (NET) TRACERY – CONSISTS MAINLY OF A NETLIKE ARRANGEMENT OF REPEATED

GEOMETRICAL FIGURES.
BAR TRACERY – GOTHIC TRACERY THAT SUCCEEDED THE PLATE TRACERY, CONSISTING OF MOLDED
STONE MULLIONS THAT DIVIDE INTO VARIOUS BRANCHING ELEMENTS WHICH FILL THE WINDOW
HEAD.

CURVILINEAR (FLOWING) TRACERY – CHARACTERIZED BY A PATTERN IRREGULAR, BOLDLY CURVED

FORMS.

PERPENDICULAR (RECTILINEAR) TRACERY – PREDOMNANTLY VERTICAL GOTHIC TRACERY

HAVINGMULLIONS TO THE CURVE OF THE ARCH, CROSSED AT INTERVALS BY HORIZONTAL
TRANSOMS

DOORS – SIDES AND JAMBS IN RECESSED PLANES. RICHLY MOLDED PROVIDED WITH SMALL NOOKS &
SHAFTS. PLACED WITH REGARD TO CONVENIENCE RATHER THAN SYMMETRY.

VAULTS – DEVELOPED BY MEANS OF THE POINTED ARCH. DEPENDS FOR EFFECT ON BEAU OF CURVE
OF RIBS W/C SUPPORTS THE PANELS. FREQUENTLY ENRICHED AT THEIR JUNCTION BY THE CARVED
BOSSES.

RIB VAULT – VAULT SUPPORTED BY OR DECORATED WITH ARCHED DIAGONAL RIBS

STELLAR (LIERNE) VAULT – VAULT HAVING RIBS. LIERNES, OR TIERCERONS ARRANGE IN A STAR
SHAPED PATTERN

FAN VAULT – VAULT COMPOSED OF A NUMBER OF CONCAVE CONOIDAL SECTIONS, USUALLY 4,

SPRINGING FROM THE CORNERS OF THE VAULTING COMPARTMENT, OFTEN DECORATED W/ RIBS
THAT RADIATE FROM THE SPRINGING LIKE THE FRAMEWORK OF A FAN.

ROOFS:

OPEN TIMBER ROOFS – BEAUTIFUL FEATURES OF THE GOTHIC STYLE ESPECIALLY IN ENGLAND. ROYAL
PLACES, PARISH CHURCHES & MANOR HOUSES.

TRUSSED RAFTER ROOFS – NEARLY ALWAYS STEEPLY PITCHED, AVERAGING 55 DEG, RARE IN
CHURCHES AFTER 1400

TIE BEAM ROOF – FOUND IN CONNECTION BOTH WITH STEEPLY PITCHED AND LOW PITCHED ROOFS

COLLAR BRACED ROOF – ORIGINATED IN THE 1300. NATURAL DESCENT OF THE CRUCK TRUSS ROOF.
ARCH BRACES SUPPORT THE PRINCIPAL RAFTERS

HAMMER BEAM ROOF – FOUND IN THE SOUTH EASTER HALF OF THE CENTURY, EVOLVED DURING
THE 14TH CENTURY. CONSISTS OF SERIES OF TRUSSES, REPEATED AT INTERVALS. SUPPORTS THE
INTERMEDIATE PURLINS AND RAFTERS.
AISLE ROOF – USUALLY REFLECTED THE DESIGN OF THE MAIN ROOFS. ROOF PITCHES CHANGED IN
CONCEPT WITH ROOFS, EXCEPT THEY QUITE FREQUENTLY WERE AT A LESS ANGLE IN ORDER TO
FACILITATE CLEAR STOREY LIGHTING OF NAVES.

MOLDINGS:

CONTOURS – CONSIST OF CURVES FORMING PARTS OF CIRCLE. COMBINATION OF THESE

CURVES JOINED BY FILLETS. ENRICHED THE SIDED OF OPENINGS.CONTAINED WITHIN
RECTANGULAR RECESSES OR ON A CHAMBER PLANE (45 DEG WITH THE WALL FACE)

PARAPETS – TAKE THE PLACE OF BOLDLY PROJECTING CORNICES. ORNAMENTAL PARAPETS,

LOFTY PINNACLES AND SLENDER FLECHES. JAGGED AND SPIKY SKYLINE.

COLUMNS – USED STRUCTURALLY. CLASSICAL PROPORTIONS BETWEEN THE HEIGHT AND DIAMETER
WERE NOT OBSERVED

CAPITAL AND BASES – MOLDED AND CARVED ACCDG TO THE FANCY CRAFTSMAN.

PIERS – COMBINED WITH SHAFTS, FREQUENTLY USED INSTEAD OF CYLINDRICAL PIERS. PLAN
WAS DETERMINED BY THE MOLDED ARCHES AND VAULTING RIBS THEY HAD TO SUPPORT

ORNAMENTS – ORIGINALLY FOUNDED ON MEDIEVAL MYSTICISM AND CHRISTIAN SUBJECT.

CARVINGS: BOLDLY EXECUTED.

GROTESQUE – A DECORATIVE STYLE CHARACTERIZED BY THE FANTASTIC SHAPING AND

COMBINING OF INCONGRUOUS HUMAN AND ANIMAL FORMS WITH FOLIAGE OR SIMILAR
FIGURES, OFTEN DISTORTING THE NATURAL INTRO CARICATURE OR ABSUDITY.

POSSESS A DECORATIVE CHARACTER IN HARMONY WITH THE ARCHITECTURE. ENRICHES

DOORWAYS, WINDOWS, BUTTRESSES, PINNACLES, GARGOYLE.

HUMAN FIGURE – DETERMINED THE SCALE FOR STATUES AND FOR DOORWAYS.

ARCHITECTONIC IN CHARACTER – STATUES SPRING FROM PART OF THE

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE BUILDINGS.

STAINED GLASS – COLORED GLORY OF THE GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. USED IN IMMENSE

TRACERIED WINDOWS WHICH FRAMED THE GLOWING PICTURES OF BIBLE INCIDENT AND
CHURCH HISTORY.

CATHEDRALS IN ENGLAND

1. WESTMINSTER ABBEY – ONE OF THE LARGEST BENEDICTINE MONASTERIES. COMPRISES

AN ABBEY CHURCH & SQUARE CLOISTER COURT. BUILT BY SEVERAL MASTER MASONS &
 MASTER CARPENTERS. MASTER HENRY YEVELVE, HUGH HERLAND & JOHN JAMES. IT IS
GEOMETRIC IN STYLE W/ PINNACLES & TRACERY WINDOWS.
2. WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL – HAS GREATEST TOTAL LENGTH (560FT) THAN ANY MEDIEVAL
CATHEDRAL.
3. YORK CATHEDRAL – LARGEST IN AREA & WIDTH IN ANY ENGLISH MEDIEVAL CATHEDRAL
4. SALISBURY CATHEDRAL – IT BOAST OFF CENTRAL TOWER W/ THE LOFTIEST SPIRE.
5. CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL
6. LAON CATHEDRAL
7. THE TOWER OF LONDON – BUILT BY BISHOP GUNDUFF FOR WILLIAM 1, CONCENTRIC
CASTLE
8. HAMPTON COURT PALACE – ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE DOMESTIC BUILDING IN
ENGLAND
9. GUILD HALL, LONDON – MOST IMPORTANT HALL ERECTED BY THE GUILDS IN THE
MIDDLE AGES
10. DURNHAM CATHEDRAL – EARLIEST GREAT CATHEDRAL DESIGNED INITIALLY & ENTIRELY
W/ A RIB-VAULTING SYSTEM

CATHEDRAL BUILDINGS IN FRANCE

1. NOTRE DAME, PARIS – ONE OF THE OLDEST FRENCH GOTHIC CHURCH. BEGUN BY BISHOP
MAURICE DE SULLY.
2. CHARTRES CATHEDRAL – FAMOUS FOR ITS 160 STAINED GLASS WINDOWS
3. RHEIMS CATHEDRAL – CORONATION CHURCH OF FRANCE, THE WEST FAÇADE IS FAMOUS
FOR ITS 500 STATUES
4. AMIENS CATHEDRAL – COUNTEPART OF SALISBURY ENGLAND, FAMOUS FOR ITS CARVED
WOODWORK IN THE CHOIR STALLS. DESIGNED BY ROBER DE LUZARCHES.
5. BEAUVAIS CATHEDRAL – CONSIDERED WITH THE LOFTIEST VAULT IN EUROPE AT 157 FT &
6 INCHES.
6. GLOUCHESTER CATHEDRAL
7. MILAN CATHEDRAL
8. BOURGES CATHEDRAL
9. ST. ETTIENNE CATHEDRAL

FORTIFIED TOWNS:

1. CARACASSONE – SURROUNDED BY MOAT WATER

2. AVIGNON – HAS A PALACE W/C WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE POPES.

CASTLES:

1. CHATEU GAILLARD, LES ANDELS

2. CHATEU DE PIERREFONDS
3. CHATEU DE AMBROISE
HOTELS DE VILLE – TOWN HALLS OR MUNICIPAL HALLS

1. ARRAS
2. BOURGES
3. DREUX

PALAIS DE JUSTICE – FUNCTION SAME AS THE ROMAN BASILICA

1. PALAIS DE JUSTICE, ROVEN

HOSPITAL – ALSO KNOWN AS “MAISONS – DIEU” USUALLY TO MONASTERIES

1. HOTEL DIEU, BEAUNE

HOUSES – FIRST KNOWN AS CASTLE, EARLIER CALLED IT “CHATEUX”, LATTER CALLED IT

“PRIVATE HOUSE, TOWNHOUSE AND NOW CALLED “HOTELS”

CATHEDRALS OF GERMAN

1. COLOGNE CATHEDRAL – LARGEST GOTHIC CHUCH OF THE NORTHERN EUROPE

COVERING APPROX AREA OF 91,000 SQ. M.
2. S. ELIZABETH MARBURGE – CHARACTERISTIC EXAMPLE OF A “HALL CHURCH”
3. LIMBURG CATHEDRAL

CATHEDRAL IN ITALY

1. ANTWERP CATHEDRAL
2. ELY CATHEDRAL
3. CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
4. NOTRE DAME LOUVERS
5. AMIENS CATHEDRAL
6. FLECHE MANS CATHEDRAL

CATHEDRALS OM SPAIN

1. SEVILLE CATHEDRAL, SPAIN – LARGEST MEDIEVAL CATHEDRAL IN EUROPE, 2ND LARGEST

CATHEDRAL IN THE WORLD.
2. SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA CATHEDRAL SPAIN – ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE
MEDIEVAL BLDG IN SPAIN, GREAT PILGRIMAGE CENTER.
3. BARCELONA CATHEDRAL