Understanding Gothic Architecture: Key Features and Historical Significance

welcome to easy architecture your guide to the built environment what is gothic architecture and what

makes it unique gothic architecture came out of the middle ages with the first truly gothic

building appearing around 1140 a.d and no it wasn't built by goths whatever it was built by the french

contrary to modern day goths who embraced the dark gothic architecture was considered uplifting for its time

gothic cathedrals are partly recognizable because of their large walls of stained glass windows which

allowed light to fill large open spaces and create a heavenly environment but to construct these open spaces and

walls of glass they had to be creative builders of the middle ages took traditional methods of construction from

around europe and the near east and modified them to reduce the need for load-bearing walls bulky columns and

build higher than ever before here's how they did it the most important element of gothic

architecture is the pointed arch arches provide a method for opening space while maintaining the strength of

the walls they allow for things such as doors and windows while these guys knew about the

rounded arch the pointed arch is something they imported from the near east and can be seen in early islamic

architecture such as the al-aqsa mosque architects of the middle ages borrowed the idea of the pointed arch knowing it

would let them build vertically higher than what was previously possible this is because the pointed arch was more

efficient at distributing the weight of the walls and roof remember these buildings were made primarily of brick

and stone and were very heavy managing and distributing the weight was really important and the pointed arch

was key in managing it all especially when these arches were crossed to create a ribbed vaulted

ceiling vaulted ceilings weren't a new idea either but because the pointed arch was

more effective so was the ribbed vault this resulted in a need for fewer columns and those that were used were

taller thinner and provided another distinguishing characteristic of gothic architecture

helping to disperse the weight carried by the pointed arches was the flying buttress

and something that gives gothic architecture its unique silhouette while a regular buttress butted up

against the wall and kind of blended in with the masonry a flying buttress was much more elegant and much more obvious

you see them mostly on the outside of the building as they move the lateral forces across one or more arches

despite supporting so much weight the flying buttress disguises the load with an almost magical design

when you combine the flying buttress pointed arch slender columns and ribbed vaulting you get buildings that looked

unlike anything seen before you have a building that's no longer supported by walls and has a more open

interior environment with the weight of the building taken off the walls you also have an

opportunity to fill them with something other than brick and mortar resulting in those large windows of

stained glass that help define gothic cathedrals another distinguishing trait of gothic

architecture is the ornamentation the rose window usually above the west door is one of the most obvious examples

it depicts the final judgment of man and is part of the gothic tradition in which biblical and historical stories were

portrayed in stained glass and sculpture throughout the cathedral this wasn't done just for decoration at

a time when most of the population was illiterate these embellishments made scripture and history available to

everyone and of course a gothic cathedral wouldn't be complete without gargoyles

on a practical level there were spouts that moved rainwater off the roof on a spiritual level they scared people into

going to church gothic architecture started in france but the style quickly caught on and

became the standard for cathedrals and churches throughout europe there are some local variations like in england

where the design is more horizontal and italy which embraced a more colorful ornamentation

but they all share the same basic design and engineering elements gothic architecture lasted until the

late 1500s around the beginning of the renaissance when it was gradually replaced

but the gothic style would reappear again at different times and places in history for its association with

religion and morality in the term gothic architecture wasn't used back in the middle ages when the

style first emerged it was during the renaissance using goth as a derogatory term what

no not that kind of god goth is in the eastern germanic people of medieval europe basically they were

calling it barbaric hey not fair sorry but it's okay because we love it now even if we sometimes forget where it

came from and remember next time you look at a church a gothic cathedral can be identified by the pointed arches

slender columns rib vaulted ceilings flying buttresses rose windows gargoyles and ornamentation

now you know something about architecture wasn't that easy if you enjoyed this video and would like

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