Gothic Architecture - Lecture Notes
Gothic Architecture - Lecture Notes
Gothic Architecture - Lecture Notes
Email : ogunsanya@ukzn.ac.za
Introduction & background
• Gothic architecture began mainly in France in the 12th century,
where architects were inspired by Romanesque architecture
and the pointed arches of Spanish Moorish architecture.
• It's easy to recognise Gothic buildings because of their arches,
ribbed vaulting, flying buttresses, elaborate sculptures (like
gargoyles) and stained glass windows.
• Gothic architecture was originally known as “French Style”.
• Is most familiar as the architecture of many of the great
cathedrals of Europe. It is also the architecture of many castles,
palaces, town and guild halls.
• Its characteristics lending themselves to appeals to the
emotions, whether springing from faith or from civic pride
• During the period of Renaissance it fell out of fashion and it
was not respected by many artists. They marked it as “Gothic”
to suggest it was the crude work of German barbarians (Goths).
Architectural Characters
Pointed Arch (High pinnacle)
• One of the defining characteristics of Gothic architecture is the
pointed (or ogival) arch, and it is used in nearly all place.
• A vaulted shape might be called for structural or decorative
consideration, like doorways, windows, arcades, and galleries.
Gothic vaulting above spaces, regardless of size, is sometimes
supported by richly moulded ribs.
• Add strength and stability to the structure
• The Gothic style brought innovative new construction
techniques that allowed churches and other buildings to reach
great heights.
Pointed Arch
Pointed Arch (High pinnacle)
• 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
Stained window glass
• 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.
• These windows are high enough, almost to be used as the
walls.
• The stained glass, covered with religious stories which help to
illustrate the doctrines to inform people is of high artistic
achievement.
• There are two main colours, blue and red. Blue symbolizes the
heaven and red symbolizes the blood of Christ.
• The stained glass creates a mysterious but brilliant scene, which
express people’s longing for the kingdom of heaven.
Stained window glass
Stained window glass
Gothic Arch
• The Medieval Gothic Arch was a major feature of the architecture of the
Middle Ages.
• 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 builder tremendous flexibility.
• Lancet arch
• The simplest shape is the long opening with a pointed arch known in
England as the lancet. Lancet openings are often grouped, usually as a
cluster of three or five. Lancet openings may be very narrow and steeply
pointed. Lancet arches are typically defined as two-centered arches
whose radii are larger than the arch's span
• Equilateral arch
• The Equilateral Arch gives a wide opening of satisfying proportion useful
for doorways, decorative arcades and large windows.
• The Equilateral Arch lends itself to filling with tracery of simple
equilateral, circular and semi-circular forms.
Gothic Arch: Lancet arch
• Flamboyant arch
• The Flamboyant Arch is one that is drafted from four points, the upper
part of each main arc turning upwards into a smaller arc and meeting at
a sharp, flame-like point. These arches create a rich and lively effect
when used for window tracery and surface decoration. The form is
structurally weak and has very rarely been used for large openings
except when contained within a larger and more stable arch.
• Depressed arch
• The depressed or four-centred arch is much wider than its height and
gives the visual effect of having been flattened under pressure.
• This type of arch, when employed as a window opening, lends itself to
very wide spaces, provided it is adequately supported by many narrow
vertical shafts. These are often further braced by horizontal transoms.
The overall effect produces a grid-like appearance of regular, delicate,
rectangular forms with an emphasis on the perpendicular.
Gothic Arch: Flamboyant arch
• 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.
• Also, it made the inside of the cathedral have a finished look.
• Gothic builders introduced the dramatic technique of ribbed vaulting.
• Ribbed vaulting used columns to support the weight. The columns were
taller and thinner than roman traditional columns.
• The ribs also delineated the vaults and gave a sense of unity to the
structure.
Gothic vault
York, England