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 AR 211-ARCH21S5 - History of Architecture 2 Pages 1.2.4 Architectural Elements Immersive Reader

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1.2.4 Architectural Elements

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OVERVIEW
Gothic architecture is the result of architects' endeavors and aspira ons to see their buildings in the sky. Stone barrel vaults and groin vaults are the founda on of Romanesque buildings. Their walls are necessarily
thick to counter the outward thrust of the vault, and they allow only small windows (view of Durham Cathedral). Once the architects adopted the pointed arch, they also developed a system of stone ribs to distribute
the weight of the vault onto columns and piers all the way to the ground; the vault could now be made of lighter, thinner stone and the walls opened to accommodate ever-larger windows. Equally important, flying
bu resses began to appear in the 1170s, whose ver cal members (uprights) are connected to the exterior wall of the building with bridge-like arches (flyers). These external structures absorb the outward thrust of
the vault at set intervals just under the roof, making it possible to reduce the building’s exterior masonry shell to a mere skeletal framework.
In the Gothic cathedral, the interior has been elevated in such a way, that the viewer's eyes will first glance upon the top of the cathedral. In fact, it is almost in an irresis ble upward pull symbolic of the Chris an
hope of leaving the material world for a heavenly realm. Such a transcendent experience of architecture is reinforced by the rich stained-glass windows, some mes spanning the en re height of the edifice. Stained-
glass windows were central to the percep on of the cathedral as a symbol of the Chris an faith. In fact, they are illuminated in such a way that it is almost like a window to heaven, and the shimmering light is the path
of the soul. Throughout the thirteenth century, an obligatory feature in most cathedrals was the monumental rose-window with God, Christ, or the Virgin at its center surrounded by the cosmos.

Source: New World Encyclopaedia

Defining Elements:
Stained Glass Windows and Traceries
Pointed Arch
Ribbed and Fan Vault
Spires & Pinnacles
Gargoyles
Flying Bu resses

Stained Glass Windows and Traceries

Stained Glass Windows

While stained glass windows are found in many places of worship, they are par cularly prevalent in Gothic cathedrals. Featuring me culously cut colored glass, these kaleidoscopic windows—which are typically
either tall and arched ‘lancet’ windows or round ‘rose’ windows—are larger than those found in other types of churches. This allowed them to let in more dazzling light.

Stained-glass windows of the Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France (Photo from Wikipedia

Traceries
Tracery refers to a series of thin stone frames, inlaid in window openings to support the glass. Bar tracery found expression in the Gothic period, with its lancet-and-oculus pa ern that aimed at conveying
slenderness of design and increasing the amount of glass paneling. Unlike in plate tracery, thin stone mullions were used to divide the window opening into two or more lancets. Y tracery was a specific variety
of bar tracery that separated the window head using thin bars of stone, spli ng in the shape of a "Y". These delicate web-like tracings helped increase the glass-to-stone ra o and grew into florid detail as Gothic
architecture developed further.

Lancet Tracery - are narrow, high window capped by a lancet, or acute, arch. The lancet arch is a variety
of pointed arch in which each of the arcs, or curves, of the arch have a radius longer than the width of
the arch. It takes its name from being shaped like the p of a lance. The lancet window is one of the
typical features of the Early English (13th century) period in Gothic architecture. (Encyclopaedia
Britannica )

Example of Lancet Tracery (Britannica )

Flamboyant Tracery - The word "flamboyant" designates a peculiar class of Chris an architecture
common in France a er the year 1400, and chiefly marked by the peculiar tracery of the windows. This
diverges from the perpendicular mullions, in flowing, or waving lines, said to resemble the flames of
fire; but the term is neither descrip ve nor very apposite. Flamboyant style is readily dis nguished by
the wavy, flame-like forms of the tracery in the windows, from which it takes its name, and the absence
of perpendicular lines. (Built-in Art )

Example of Flamboyant Tracery (Pinterest )

Rayonnant Tracery - French building style (13th century) that represents the height of Gothic
architecture. The style’s name reflects the radia ng character of the rose window . Other features
include the thinning of ver cal suppor ng members, the enlargement of windows, and the combina on
of the triforium gallery and clerestory into one large glazed area un l walls became largely
undifferen ated screens of tracery, mullions, and glass. Amiens Cathedral (1220–70) is cited as its
earliest manifesta on. (Encyclopaedia Britannica )

A rose window from Amiens cathedral (study.com )

Pointed Arch

Recorded for the first me in Chris an architecture during the Gothic era, the pointed arch was used to direct the weight of the vaulted roof downward along its ribs. Unlike the earlier Romanesque churches
which depended solely on the walls to carry the immense weight of the roof, the pointed arches helped restrict and selec vely transfer the load onto columns and other load-bearing supports, thereby freeing up
the walls. It no longer ma ered what the walls were made of, since (between the flying bu ress and the pointed arch) they were no longer carrying any loads - thus the walls of Gothic cathedrals began to be
replaced by large stained-glass windows and tracery.

Pointed arches at York Minster (Photo from docbrown.info )

Ribbed and Fan Vault

Ribbed Vault
Gothic architecture replaced Romanesque groin vaults with ribbed vaults to counteract complexi es of construc on and limita ons that allowed it to only span square rooms. Also known as ogival vaul ng, ribbed
vaul ng developed with the need to transfer roof-loads be er, while freeing up inner walls for tracery and glass. More ribs were added to the basic Romanesque barrel vault to increase the transfer of loads to the
ground. As the Gothic era achieved its zenith, complex vaul ng systems such as the quadripar te and sexpar te vaul ng techniques were developed. The development of ribbed vaul ng reduced the need for
inner load-bearing walls, thereby opening up the inner space and providing visual and aesthe c unity.

Ribbed Vault at Reims Cathedral (Photo from historylist.org )

Fan Vault
One of the most obvious dis nc ons between the English and French Gothic styles, fan vaul ng was used exclusively in English cathedrals. The ribs of the fan vault are curved equally and equidistantly spaced,
giving it the appearance of an open fan. The fan vault was also applied during the reconstruc on of Norman churches in England, doing away with the need for flying bu resses. Fan vaul ng was used profusely in
ecclesias cal buildings and chantry chapels.

Fan Vault at Peterborough Cathedral ((Photo from historylist.org )

Spires & Pinnacles

Spires
These are tapering architectural elements that o en replaced the steeple to lend an impression of lo iness. Gothic cathedrals o en feature profuse spiring, giving the impression of ba lements - symbolic of a
religious fortress protec ng the faith. Openwork spires are perhaps the most common; this elaborate spire consisted of stone tracery held together by metal clamps. It had the ability to achieve radical heights
while lending a feeling of lightness through its skeletal structure.

The two bell towers of Chartres Cathedral with different Spires - on the north is a Flamboyant Gothic style while on the south is a Romanesque style. (Photo from whc.unesco.org )

Pinnacles
Unlike the flying bu ress, the pinnacle started out as a structural element meant to deflect the pressures of the vaulted roof downward. They were imbued with lead, literally ‘pinning down’ the sideways
pressures of the vault, served as counterweights to extended gargoyles and overhanging corbels and stabilized flying bu resses. As their aesthe c possibili es began to be known, pinnacles were lightened and
the flying bu ress was structurally developed to handle the vaulted roof. Pinnacles are profusely used to break the abrupt change in slenderness, as the church building gives way to the mounted spire, lending the
building a dis nc vely Gothic, tapering appearance.

Pinnacles on King's College Chapel , Cambridge . (Photo from Wikipedia )

Gargoyles

The gargoyle (derived from the French word gargouille, meaning gargle) is a sculptural waterspout, placed to prevent rainwater from running down masonry walls. These numerous grimacing sculptures divided the
flow among them, minimizing poten al water damage. Gargoyles were sculpted on the ground and placed as the building neared comple on. St. Romanus is o en associated with the gargoyle; legend speaks of
him saving Rouen from a snarling dragon that struck terror even in the heart of spirits. Known as La Gargouille, the beast was vanquished and its head mounted on a newly built church, as an example and warning.
While the gargoyle has been around since Egyp an mes, prolific use of the element in Europe is a ributed to the Gothic era. Profusely grouped upon several cathedrals, it heightens a sense of allegory and the
fantas c.

Gargoyle of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. (Photo from wsls.com )

Flying Bu resses

Spider-leg like in appearance, a flying bu ress was originally instated as an aesthe c device. Later, they were converted into ingenious structural devices that transferred the dead-load of the vaulted roof to the
ground. To add a degree of s ffness to the structure, they were stepped back from the main wall and connected to the roof via arching supports. The bu ress now ‘carried’ the vault, freeing the walls of their load-
bearing func on. This allowed the walls to become thinner or almost completely replaced by glass windows, unlike in the Romanesque where walls were massive affairs with very less glazing. The bu resses
enabled Gothic architecture to become lighter, taller and afford a greater aesthe c experience than before.

Flying Bu resses of York Minster (Photo from mymodernmet.com )

Web References:

historylists.org. (2012-2019). History List. Retrieved from 10 Defining Characteris cs of Gothic Architecture: h ps://historylists.org/architecture/10-defining-characteris cs-of-gothic-architecture.html

Richman-Abdou, K. (2017, November 14). My Modern Met. Retrieved from What We Can Learn From the Exquisite History and Ornate Aesthe c of Gothic Architecture: h ps://mymodernmet.com/gothic-architecture-
characteris cs/2/#:~:text=While%20the%20Gothic%20style%20can,flying%20bu resses%2C%20and%20ornate%20decora on.

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