SURVEY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

❖ Gothic architecture in Europe began as early as the 12th

century.
❖ Until the 16th century it was known as “the French
style.”
❖ But during the Renaissance, it was known among
builders and craftsman as an insult to style. That attitude
changed as more and more buildings of this nature
were being built.
❖ The original Gothic style was actually developed to
bring sunshine into people's lives, and especially into
their churches.
❖ The style represented giant steps away from the
previous, relatively basic building systems that had
prevailed.
GOTHIC STYLE
❖ Gothic architecture is the architecture of the late medieval period,
characterized by use of the pointed arch, rib vault, buttresses,
including flying buttresses; large windows which are often grouped, or
have tracery (ornamental stone openwork, typically in the upper part
of a Gothic window.); rose windows, towers, spires and pinnacles; and
ornate façades.
• The most fundamental element
of the Gothic style of
architecture is the pointed arch,
which was likely borrowed from
Islamic architecture that would
have been seen in Spain at this
time.
• It then became possible to
reduce the size of the columns
or piers that supported the
arch.
• The new columns could be
more slender.
• In fact, the column basically
continued all the way to the
roof, and became part of the
vault.
Different building materials were found in
different parts of Europe.
FRANCE, limestone was readily available in
several grades, the very fine white
limestone being favored for sculptural
decoration.
ENGLAND had coarse limestone, Interior of Amiens Cathedral,
red sandstone and dark France.
green marble which was often used for
architectural decorations like thin
columns.
ITALY stone was used for fortifications, but
brick was preferred for other buildings.

Florence Cathedral , ITALY are defined by dark

stone against the colour-washed plastered brick.
• Most Gothic cathedrals, are of the Latin cross plan, with a long nave and
the shorter transept. There are several regional variations to this plan.
• On the other side of the transept is the chancel which is often called
the choir because that is where the priest and the choir sing the
services.
• The nave usually has a passageway or aisle on either side. Sometimes
there are two aisles on each side.
• The nave is usually a lot taller than
the aisles, and has high windows
which light up the central space.
The upper part of the building,
where these windows are, is
called the clerestory (or clear
storey).
The Notre dame is widely considered as one of the finest examples of
French gothic architecture. It stands on the site of Paris’ first Christian
church, saint Etienne basilica.
• Bishop Maurice de Sully started the construction in 1163 AD & went on till
1250 AD.
• A very tall church, reaching some 108 feet from the floor to the crown of the
vaults. Its length is 420 ft. X 226 ft. and has height of 226 ft.
• It was one of the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress.
• The distinctive twin towers in the western façade, the central wheel window
& the recessed pointed arch entrances are characteristic of this style.
• The frieze band of the statues of kings of France above the entrance portals
is also typical of this style.
 APSE

CHEVET

❖ The plan of the Notre dame shows the

central wide nave with double aisles on
either side with a bent axial line.
❖ The length is about 4 times the width &
transepts are just slight projections.
❖ 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.
• 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.
Interior has four levels
1. Arcade of columnar piers 4
2. Tribune (originally covered by transverse
barrel vault, lit by the round windows)
3. Decorative oculi
3
4. Small clerestory

1
• The Westminster Abbey is a typical
example of the Early English Gothic
style.
• It is one of the most important
buildings in England & has hosted
many coronation and funeral
ceremonies.
• The eastern arm of the church that
terminates in a polygonal apse
with ambulatory cluster of
surrounding chapels forming the
only chevet in England. This
picture shows the chapel of Henry
VII, which was built as an
attachment to the east end.
Externally the treatment of
pinnacles, flying buttresses etc are
typically English.
This northern entrance of the
Westminster abbey displays the
characteristic features of the Early
English period with a rose window
having traceries of geometrical
patterns, the typically French type
entrance & the spires.
This view from the north transept showing
the flying buttresses with their pinnacles,
the tri-lobed windows on the 1st floor& the
detail of the clearstory windows and GF
windows. It is built using the Caen stone
imported from France. The high molded
plinth & the steep pitched roof are British.
This view of the crossing of the north
transept & nave clearly shows the lighting
effect of the rose window & other
clearstory windows.