Gothic Architecture By Anant Nautiyal
Gothic Architecture
By Anant Nautiyal
Gothic Architecture
Gothic architecture, architectural style in Europe that lasted from the mid 12th century to the 16th century, particularly a style of masonry building characterized by cavernous spaces with the expanse of walls broken up by overlaid tracery. In the 12th–13th centuries, feats of engineering permitted increasingly gigantic buildings
The rib vault, flying buttress, and pointed (Gothic) arch were used as solutions to the problem of building a very tall structure while preserving as much natural light as possible. Stained-glass window panels rendered startling sun-dappled interior effects.
Gothic architecture is common to most surviving cathedrals, churches and abbeys of Europe.
Elements of the Gothic Architecture
Pointed Pinnacle
sGargoyl
es
Stained Glass
Windows
Gothic Arch
Ribbed Vault
Flying Buttress
es
Add strength and stability
to the structure
Enables buildings to reach new
heights
To make it look light
Pointed Pinnacles
Pointed Pinnacles
Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges
Pointed Pinnacles
Cathedral, Chartres; France, Chartres
Pointed Pinnacles Duomo, Milano; Italy, Milano
The origins of the word 'gargoyle' are derived
from the old French word 'gargouille' meaning
throat.
Gargoyles came into gothic architecture in the
early 13th century and are defined as "a waterspout, projecting from an upper part of a building to throw
water clear of walls or foundations."
Gargoyles are frightening and intimidating
sculptures - perfect for the likes of great Lords and
Kings who built elaborate fortresses and castles in
order to crush and intimidate the indigenous
population.
Gargoyles
Gargoyles
An illustrated example of a gargoyles….
Gargoyles
Notre Dame cathedral in Paris
Gargoyles
Notre Dame cathedral in Paris
Stained glass windows could now take up much
of the wall space,
letting in light and color for a beautiful and
moving effect.
Stained Glass Windows
Stained Glass Window
Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges
Stained Glass Window
Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges
Stained Glass Windows
Basilique Saint-Denis; France
Rose Stained Glass Window
Basilique Saint-Denis; France
The Medieval Gothic Arch was a major
feature of the architecture of the
Middle Ages.
The Gothic architects and builders
discovered the amazing strength and
stability of using pointed arches.
The walls of Gothic buildings could be
thinner because the weight of the roof was
supported by the arches rather than the
walls.
The use of the Gothic arch gave the builders tremendous flexibility.
The arch could not only support greater
weights but could also span greater distances,
allowing vaults to be taller and wider.
Thinner walls had wider window openings which encouraged the use of stained glass
and the magnificent Gothic
Rose Windows.
Gothic Arch
Gothic Arch
Santa Maria del Pi Barcelona
Gothic Arch
Cathedral, Chartres; France, Chartres
Gothic Arch
Grace Cathedral , France
The reasons that the cathedrals had so
many of these vaulted roofs is
because the medieval builders thought that they helped reduce the
risk of fire.
That was really good because fires
often spread and there were no fire
fighters to help extinguish the fire.
Also, it made the inside of the
cathedral have a finished look.
Ribbed Vault
Gothic Vault
VAULTS
Gothic (Ribbed) Vault
Guildford Cathedral: Britain
Romanesque (Barrel) Vault
Barrel Vault
Gothic (Ribbed) Vault
Gothic (Ribbed) Vault
Exeter Cathedral, England
Gothic (Ribbed) Vault
Basilique Saint-Denis; France
It serves to transmit the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards (which may arise from stone vaulted ceilings or from wind-
loading on roofs) across an intervening space and ultimately
down to the ground.
Another application of the flying buttress is to prop up a wall which may be leaning with a danger of
collapse.
Flying Buttresses
Flying ButtressesCathedral at Chartres. France
Flying Buttresses
Flying Buttresses
Cathedrale Saint-Etienne de Bourges; France, Bourges
SOME FAMOUS GOTHIC BUILDINGSA few cathedrals are listed below:
Durham Cathedral ( 1128-1134)EnglandA rib vaulted and a pointed arch roof
Cathedral of Cefalù(1131-1471)SicilyIn 1420, Portico was added between the two towers of the façade.
St. Denis’ Basilica( 1135- 1140)FranceThe flying buttresses, pointed arches and ribbed vault were used as one unit for the first time in this cathedral.
Noyon Cathedral ( 1150-1231)FranceIt is the first true Gothic Cathedral because of the heavy use of all features that came to be known as Gothic including pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting.
Wells Cathedral ( 1174-1239)EnglandThe first building of its kind to entirely dispense with the round arches in favor of the pointed arch and is thus the very truly Gothic cathedral.
The Notre Dame de ParisThe Notre Dame de Paris is one of the finest monumental buildings of French Gothic style of Architecture.It was started by Bishop Maurice De Sully in 1163 and the west towers were the last to be completed in 1250.Its length is 420 ft. X 226 ft. and has height of 226 ft.The Cathedral was to be built in the new gothic style and had to reflect Paris’s status as the capital of the kingdom France.It was the first cathedral built on a monumental scale and became the prototype for future cathedrals in France.
The Notre Dame de Paris
The original plan contained double ambulatories and was on a bent axial line. The interior elevation was of four levels with an area of pillars.It has a wide nave, double aisles, transepts surrounded with chapels and western towers.The central nave is divided into number of bays with cylindrical columns of Corinthian capitals carrying pointed arches.The main doorway has a central pillar with
a statue of Christ.The cathedral is crowned with a beautiful
central wheel window of 10m in diameter.
The frontal west façade features 3 wide portals. Above the portals is the Gallery of Kings with 28 statues of Judean Kings and higher up are the famous gargoyles and grotesques.
The Notre Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave but after the construction began, the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher and stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern.
THANK YOU
Prepared by: Anant Nautiyal Dhir Dhwaj Rishabh Dev Sharma