GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE 

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS 

 INTRO
• The Christian perspective to the word is the total
opposite to gloomy or ghostly definition we know
now.
• Gothic style was actually developed to bring sunshine
into people's lives, especially into their churches. To help
them get past all the struggles they have crossed since
the roman empire.
 ORIGIN
" The insipid taste of gothic ornamentation, these odious monstruosities
of an ignorant age, produced by the torments of barbarism"
La Gloire du Val Grace

• Gothic architecture is a style that was most popular across Europe.

It was the expected evolution from Romanesque. 

• Originated back to the 12th century in France. The style was

widely used and devolped in churches and cathedrals. 
 Characteristics 
• Gothic architecture is
generally characterized
by the use of a pointed
arch. The other common
features of this type of
construction are
buttresses, rib vaults,
and large windows. 
Pointed arch:
The pointed arch was used to
distribute the force of massive
ceilings and walls that were bulky.
By so doing this enabled the
architects to build taller buildings
because of the stability.
Flying buttresses:
The function of these buttresses
is to spread the weight of the
tall walls so that the structure
becomes stable by transferring
force to the ground. Apart from
its purpose of moving the force
to the ground.
VAULTED
CEILINGS:
THIS DESIGN
UTILIZED THE
POINTED ARCH
FEATURE TO
SPREAD THE
FORCE FROM THE
UPPER FLOORS.
 Exampl
es
Amiens Cathedral  

Located in Amiens,
France. 
Designed by Regnault de
Cormont under the gothic
influence back in the
13th century. 
 Milan Cathedral 
•the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. 

•The lower level, constructed in the early 1600s, is

Renaissance 
•in design, while the higher portions of the facade, built 
•between 1645 and 1812, follow a Gothic design. 
•The Gothic roofline is famous for its dense grid of
pinnacles and 
•spires supported by flying buttresses. The cathedral
contains 
•over 90 gargoyles and about 3,400 statues
Notre
dame de
Paris
•  Notre dame de Paris. Also known as cathedral of
our lady of Paris. Located in Paris, France. Caught
on fire recently. 

It stands on the site of Paris first Christian church (

Saint Etienne ) Basilica which was itself built on
the site of the roman temple of Jupiter 
Notre dame is one of the finest examples of French
gothic architecture , its pioneering use of rib vault
and flying buttress and its 
enormous and colourful rose window , naturalism
and its sculptural decoration set in from earlier
Romanesque style.
 Notre dame de Paris Structure
its pointed arches and rib
vaulting were strictly
Gothic. Indeed, it was one
of the first Gothic
cathedrals to 
walls as they cracked under
the weight of the vault. In
addition to the flying
buttresses, over a dozen 
supporting piers were
constructed to support the
exterior walls and
counteract the lateral
thrust of the nave
 Notre Dame De Paris Plan and Elevation.
The style was almost generalized on every church after it