1. Gothic
Architecture C
Height and Light

2. Architecture Terms Nave-the central Aisle
Transept-the cross arm of the church
Clerestory-row of windows on the upper part of the Nave wall
Arcade-series of arches supported by piers and columns, called a blind arcade when attached to a wall
Choir-square area between the apse and the transept
Apse-a semicircular niche at the end of one or both ends of the nave, usually at the east end
Ambulatory-Walkway around the apse
Flying buttresses-a projecting support built against an external wall to counteract the lateral thrust of a vault or arch
Pier-upright, rectangular support, sometimes with capitals and bases
Bay-a subdivision of the interior space of a church, usually in a series supported by architectural supports
Crypt-a vaulted space beneath the Choir which causes the Choir to have a raised floor
Transverse Section-an architectural drawing presenting a building as if cut across the vertical plane at a right angle to the vertical plane
Aisle-a passageway running parallel to the Nave separating it from the colonnades
Façade-The principal face or the front of a building
Elevation-an architectural drawing presenting a building as if projected on a vertical plane parallel to one of its sides

3. St. Denis- rebuilding commissioned by Abbot Suger, chief advisor to Louis IV
Championed “spiritual politics”-the relationship between church and state in order to rally the nation behind the king
Denis was the shrine of the apostle of France and the memorial of the Carolingian dynasty
Wanted to make it the spiritual center of France
Architectural forms seem weightless
Windows fill entire wall because of heavy buttresses that bear the weight
Interior, St. Denis,

4. Plan, St. Denis
Buttresses jut out between the chapels in the ambulatory
Similar to Romanesque- pilgrimage choir, but more integrated and ribbed vaulting is everywhere (in Romanesque, only ambulatory)
New kind of geometric order to the plan- continuous, open space

5. Suger brought in artisans from many different regions for his projects
Strove for strict geometry and harmony among all the parts
Harmony was spiritual, like the light that came in through the stained glass windows- symbolism of light and of proportion came from early Christian thought
Suger’s new style spread throughout Europe
What came first- Suger’s theological architecture or the innovations that made it possible? Some say Suger was an architect
New thrust to raise the roof to the heavens-maximum space with the minimum of material- possible because of the use of the pointed arch in groined vaults which could be raised to any desired height regardless of its width

6. Future of Gothic architecture lay in towns rather than monasteries.
Revival of urban life
Bishops and town clergy rose to power
Cathedral schools and universities took the place of monasteries as centers of learning
“Our Lady the Virgin Mary” in Paris
Plan focuses on longitudinal axis
Compact and unified
Transept is stubby, double ambulatory of choir continues into aisles
But still reminiscent of Romanesque-square bays under nave vaults and galleries above inner aisles
Plan, Notre Dame

7. Notre Dame,
Large clerestory windows, lightness and slenderness of form
Verticalism of the interior space- the effort isn’t seen like in Romanesque

8. Flying Buttresses, Notre Dame
Seen from the outside, the buttresses are arched bridges that reach to the critical spots between the clerestory windows where the outward thrust of the nave walls is concentrated

9. Façade is original except for damage to its sculpture during the Revolution
Derived from St. Denis and Romanesque Westwork
Same three-part façade, three-story arrangement, portals
More balances and coherent than Romanesque facades
Sculpture is given a very structured role
Very lace-like rather than cubic- more like a screen than a wall
West Façade, Notre Dame

10. 1145-Bishop of Chartres (friend of Suger) rebuilt his cathedral in the new style
50 years later, all but west façade was destroyed by fire and rebuilt- second rebuilding in 1194
The rest was finished in only 26 years
Because of this, the basic design is extremely unified- but was constructed in several stages by several builders so the design is evolutionary
North spire built in the early 16th c.
Built on the highest point of the town
1st Cathedral of the mature Gothic style
West Façade, Chartres,

11. West Portals, Chartres

12. Chartres, Transverse Section

13. Plan, Chartres
Very few walls- uninterrupted space
Pilgrimage Church- massive amounts of people came to see relic- remnants of the robe of the Virgin Mary (which survived the fire)
Wide aisle runs the length of the nave
Still has most of stained glass- changes the quality of everyday light

14. Shows Clerestory
And Gallery
Chartres

15. Amiens Cathedral- The Gothic style at its climax
-height is the aesthetic and technical aim
-entire area above the nave is a clerestory
Amiens Cathedral, Choir Vault, 1220

16. Amiens, Nave
Amiens, Transverse Section

17. Reims Cathedral,
Notre Dame,

18. Salisbury Cathedral,
Gothic style spread to England- although England had its own style-mainly used to add to Romanesque churches that hadn’t been finished- called Early English style
Instead of tall and compact, Salisbury is sprawling, flying buttresses only for show, west façade is wider than the church itself

19. Nave is different too-
Stresses horizontal bands rather than
Verticality
Very steep curve to the nave vaults-also seen at Durham but now its for style rather than necessity
More conservative style than French Gothic
Salisbury Nave and Choir

20. Built as a monumental landmark to civic pride-towering over entire city
Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio,
Most famous for octagonal dome (based on a Roman design) built by Brunelleschi done in the 15th C.
Nothing Gothic about the exterior
West façade was not as important in Italy-some not finished until the Renaissance
Florence Cathedral 1296