Gothic Architecture: what it is, how to identify it, where it comes from

 

As you tour Europe you will find yourself repeadedly and pleasantly experiencing different types of architecture.  Some churches will be referred to as Gothic some will have the appellation Renaisance and of course any number of other names that reference the style the structure is built in.  When I first started traveling I had no real idea of what each distinction meant and how to tell the difference between them.  So with that in mind let me start off a series of these short articles by breaking down the components of Gothic Architecture.
      Gothic architecture was the style of choice in the medieval period (12th-14th/15th Century) and at the time was referred to as “French style”.  The term Gothic was only applied to a building’s design well into the Renaissance period (14th-17th Century) and then as an insult to its over complex design.   Characterized by its pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses, Gothic architecture lacked the symmetry and well proportioned style that the “age of awakening” prided itself on.   The term Gothic stuck as a pejorative reference to the rude and barbaric style of the East Germanic tribes of Goths and we’ve used it ever since. 
      In reality architects of the day were just doing their best to tackle the problems associated with previous architecture known as Romanesque.  Building churches out of tons and tons of stone meant very heavy walls that would have to bear all the weight of the entire structure.  This meant very little space for windows which, as you can imagine, in the overall scheme of things were not very functional in holding up a building as well as limited height.  So, out of the dark and dreary Romanesque churches was born the l ight and airy Gothic style.   
The ribbed vaults or the “X” pattern on the ceilings you’ll see inside churches such as Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Westminister Abby in England and the Notre Dame in Paris distributed the weight to its four corners known as buttresses.  This allowed for several improvements over the older style.  First, all the weight of the ceiling now fell on only four points in the walls structure, not along the entire wall, making it now possible to open up more space for windows.  Secondly, with all the weight focused on several strong supports at a high angle, the ceilings were able to rise much higher creating a more airy atmosphere.  Combined with the pointed arch above doorways, inside and out, the visual created was one of reaching towards heaven.
    The simple design described above inevitably became more and  more complex and in many churches a greater number of “ribs” and weight bearing columns allowed new shapes to be created and irregular building plans to be dealt with.   The flying buttress, which you don’t really see on Santa Maria Novella but are prominent on, say Notre Dame in Paris, distributed weight even more away from the walls allowing for even larger windows. These would be the rows of columns bridged by arched supports you might see lining a large Cathedral.  Keep your eyes open when touring the rest of Europe.  If you see a pointed arch above the doorway you are most certainly staring at a Gothic Church.

Comments

[Sesan]

Very helpful summary!

[Chris]

Thanks Sesan. Most of this comes directly from our Audio Tour of Florence:Beyond the Guidebook.
I always find it makes a trip more enjoyable to have some insight into what I'm looking at, but not to over do it to a point that I feel like I'm studying.