Gothic (Part Four).

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

English: Nave of Salisbury Cathedral, England.

Français: Nef de la Cathédrale de Salisbury, Angleterre.

Photo: 1 September 2007.

Source: Own work.

Author: Bernard Gagnon.

(Wikimedia Commons)

One of the defining characteristics of Gothic architecture is the Pointed, or ogival, Arch. Arches of a similar type were used in the Near East, in pre-Islamic as well as Islamic architecture, before they were structurally employed in mediaeval architecture. It is thought by some architectural historians that this was the inspiration for the use of the Pointed Arch in France, in otherwise Romanesque buildings, as at Autun Cathedral.

Contrary to the diffusionist theory, it appears that there was simultaneously a structural evolution towards the Pointed Arch, for the purpose of Vaulting spaces of irregular plan, or to bring Transverse Vaults to the same height as Diagonal Vaults. This latter occurs at Durham Cathedral in the Nave Aisles in 1093. Pointed Arches also occur extensively in Romanesque decorative Blind Arcading, where Semi-Circular Arches overlap each other in a simple decorative pattern, and the points are accidental to the design.

The Gothic Vault, unlike the Semi-Circular Vault of Roman and Romanesque buildings, can be used to roof rectangular and irregularly-shaped plans, such as trapezoids. The other structural advantage is that the Pointed Arch channels the weight onto the bearing Piers or Columns at a steep angle. This enabled architects to raise Vaults much higher than was possible in Romanesque architecture. While, structurally, use of the Pointed Arch gave a greater flexibility to architectural form, it also gave Gothic architecture a very different and more vertical visual character than Romanesque.

Norman Blind Arcading

at Canterbury Cathedral, England.

Note how the Semi-Circular Arches, 

when interlinking, form a Pointed Arch.

Photo: August 2006.

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Author: Immanuel Giel.

(Wikimedia Commons)

In Gothic architecture the Pointed Arch is used in every location where a vaulted shape is called for, both structural and decorative. Gothic openings, such as doorways, windows, Arcades and Galleries, have Pointed Arches. Gothic Vaulting above spaces, both large and small, is usually supported by richly-moulded Ribs.

Rows of Pointed Arches, upon delicate Shafts, form a typical wall decoration known as Blind Arcading. Niches with Pointed Arches, and containing statuary, are a major external feature. The Pointed Arch lent itself to elaborate intersecting shapes which developed, within window spaces, into complex Gothic Tracery, forming the structural support of the large windows that are characteristic of the style.

A characteristic of Gothic Church architecture is its height, both absolute and in proportion to its width, the verticality suggesting an aspiration to Heaven. A section of the main body of a Gothic Church usually shows the Nave as considerably taller than it is wide. In England, the proportion is sometimes greater than 2:1, while the greatest proportional difference achieved is at Cologne Cathedral with a ratio of 3.6:1. The highest Internal Vault is at Beauvais Cathedral, at 48 metres (157 ft).

York Minster, England.

The Rose Window,

South Front.

Photo: October 2000.

Source: Own work.

Author: Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Externally, Towers and Spires are characteristic of Gothic Churches, both great and small, the number and positioning being one of the greatest variables in Gothic architecture. In Italy, the Tower, if present, is almost always detached from the building, as at Florence Cathedral, and is often from an earlier structure. In France and Spain, two Towers on the front is the norm. In England, Germany and Scandinavia, this is often the arrangement, but an English Cathedral may also be surmounted by an enormous Tower at The Crossing. Smaller Churches usually have just one Tower, but this may also be the case at larger buildings, such as Salisbury Cathedral or Ulm Minster, which has the tallest spire in the world, slightly exceeding that of Lincoln Cathedral, the tallest which was actually completed during the Mediaeval period, at 160 metres (520 ft).

The Pointed Arch lends itself to a suggestion of height. This appearance is characteristically further enhanced by both the architectural features and the decoration of the building.

On the exterior, the verticality is emphasised in a major way by the Towers and Spires, and, in a lesser way, by strongly projecting vertical Buttresses, by narrow Half-Columns, called Attached Shafts, which often pass through several storeys of the building, by long narrow windows, vertical Mouldings around doors, and figurative sculpture, which emphasises the vertical and is often attenuated. The roofline, gable ends, Buttresses, and other parts of the building, are often terminated by small Pinnacles, Milan Cathedral being an extreme example in the use of this form of decoration.

On the interior of the building, Attached Shafts often sweep unbroken from floor to ceiling and meet the Ribs of the Vault, like a tall tree spreading into branches. The verticals are generally repeated in the treatment of the windows and wall surfaces. In many Gothic Churches, particularly in France, and in the Perpendicular period of English Gothic architecture, the treatment of vertical elements in Gallery and Window Tracery creates a strongly unifying feature that counteracts the horizontal divisions of the interior structure.

Salisbury Cathedral,

has the tallest Spire in England

(123 metres (404 feet)).

Photo: 11 February 2010.

Source: Own work.

Author: Ashley Pomeroy.

(Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia)

One of the most distinctive characteristics of Gothic architecture is the expansive area of the windows, as at Sainte Chapelle, France, and the very large size of many individual windows, as at York Minster, Gloucester Cathedral, and Milan Cathedral. The increase in size, between windows of the Romanesque and Gothic periods, is related to the use of the Ribbed Vault, and, in particular, the Pointed Ribbed Vault, which channelled the weight to a supporting Shaft, with less outward thrust than a Semi-Circular Vault. Walls did not need to be so weighty.

A further development was the Flying Buttress, which arched externally, from the springing of the Vault, across the roof of the Aisle to a large Buttress Pier projecting well beyond the line of the external wall. These Piers were often surmounted by a Pinnacle or Statue, further adding to the downward weight, and counteracting the outward thrust of the Vault and Buttress Arch, as well as stress from wind loading.

York Minster, England.

Photo: 28 September 2006.

Source: Flickr.

Author: rowanofravara.

(Wikimedia Commons)

York Minster, England.

Photo: 30 September 2009.

Source: From geograph.org.uk.

Author: Peter McDermott.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The internal Columns of the Arcade, with their attached Shafts, the Ribs of the Vault, and the Flying Buttresses, with their associated vertical Buttresses jutting at right-angles to the building, created a stone skeleton. Between these parts, the walls and the infill of the Vaults could be of lighter construction. Between the narrow Buttresses, the walls could be opened up into large windows.

Through the Gothic period, thanks to the versatility of the Pointed Arch, the structure of Gothic windows developed from simple openings to immensely rich and decorative sculptural designs. The windows were very often filled with Stained Glass, which added a dimension of colour to the light within the building, as well as providing a medium for figurative and narrative art.

York Minster, England.

Photo: 2007.

Source: Own work.

Author: Smu03mw.

(Wikimedia Commons)

PART FIVE FOLLOWS.