ARCHITECTURE AND SYMBOLISM:
GOTHIC
ARC2027 HISTORY AND THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE Presentation - 2
Assist. Prof. (PhD) Berna Yaylalı
Medieval Architecture and City (6th century – 15th century)
MEDIEVAL CITIES – urban plan evolution
A. Existing Cities
1. Circular
Towns that grew organically out of villages, abbeys, or forts.
(Carcassone, Mont Saint Michel, Venice)
2. Grid
Towns that grew out of a Roman precedent.
(Exeter, Lübeck, Lucca)
B. New Towns
Called “Bastides,” always based on a grid.
(Monpazier, Villenueve-sur-Lot, Auiges Mortes)
urban plan evolution
Medieval Architecture and City (6th century – 15th century)
A. Existing Cities
1. Circular
Towns that grew organically out of
villages, abbeys, or forts.
(Carcassone, Mont Saint Michel,
Venice)
2. Grid
Towns that grew out of a Roman
precedent.
(Exeter, Lübeck, Lucca)
Medieval Architecture and City (6th century – 15th century)
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDIEVAL CITIES
Street system intervened by squares.
Private and public parts are not strictly separated as in Antiquity.
Any city of importance had:
A religious center with a cathedral
A civic center with a town hall
A commercial center with arcades and guildhalls (belediye binası)
Medieval Architecture and City (6th century – 15th century)
Cortona, Spain, Medieval Street York, England, Medieval Street
Medieval Architecture and City
(6th century – 15th century)
“The Crusades” (11th -13th centuries): journeys by soldiers from Europe to the Middle East
to “liberate” the shrines of the Christian Holy Land from Muslim control
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
(12th century – 16th century)
12th -16th centuries, France
Originally known as
"the French Style"
or
"the Modern Style"
The term “Gothic” first
appeared in the late
Renaissance, meaning
“rude” and “barbaric”
(The Goths invaded and
destroyed the Roman Empire
in 4th & 5th centuries)
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• .
Salisbury Cathedral, England, begun 1220
)
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• The prevalent architectural style
in Europe of the Late Medieval
period was the Gothic style.
• It is recognized that the
construction technique of the
Gothic architecture was
developed by copying the
technique of ship building
coming by the Goths—as the
East Germanic people.
• The aim is to reach to higher
levels by lighter structural
elements.
- Rose windows,
- Pointed arches,
- Ribbed vaults,
- Flying buttresses,
Reims Cathedral, France, 1211-1345
are the main stylistic features.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, France, 1194-1220
Old St Paul Cathedral, opening with
triforium, New Zealand, 1866-1964
(Neo-Gothic)
WHAT CAN BE THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS
OF A GOTHIC SPACE?
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
DEFINING ELEMENTS OF
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
Rose Window
Pointed Arch
Ribbed Vault
Flying Buttress
St. Denis, Rose Window, France, 1135-1144
Symbol of the sun (Christ) and the rose (Virgin Mary as “rose without thorns”)
The quality of light made by stained glass windows
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Ritualistic censer in a church
Higher volumes prepared a proper room for the descent of the God in belief.
However, in order to convince people to this belief, and to trigger the divine feelings
and desire for worshipping, a divine atmosphere was to be designed in the interior
space of the churches.
To create a divine atmosphere in the church, one has to utilize the light representing
the divine splendor or the heavenly light of the God. The clerestory (upper windows)
provided such light to the interior—which was one of the reasons of getting higher
levels and vertical construction that is, for taking the light inside.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral (and its Botafumeiro),
Spain, 1060-1211 (Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque)
However, the light should be much more observable for a general churchgoer; they
can easily see the light of the God; spread in everywhere. So, there was a solution
for this problem: to use vapor inside the church, to spread it by swinging the censers
during the rituals, and make the vapor combined with the light and turned into a
kind of divine mass in the form of mist. This mystic atmosphere also provided the
observer with a kind of obscurity inside the space because of that the visibility
distance becomes shortened by the mist (for the sublime character).
Flying buttress and
ribbed vaulting
to raise higher levels by getting
lighter in load
(the sublime character)
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, 13th c.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Ribbed Vault
Pointed Arches
Ribbed Vault
The Ribbed Vault with Pointed and Round Arches
The rib is an independent cross element from the masonry of the vault.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
St. Denis Basilica, France (Gothic addition designed by Abbot Suger: 1081-1151)
St. Denis: Apostle of France and national saint. Charlemagne was consecrated king here.
St. Denis as the symbol of the partnership between the royal house and the national church.
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
St. Denis, 19th c. drawing – North tower is available
in a flamboyant style (before stroke by a tornado)
St. Denis, west front
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
St. Denis, apse plan
Note the radial alignment of
piers and columns to let light
in without obstruction.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
St. Denis, interior
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
St. Denis, nave St. Denis, ambulatory
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Birth of the Gothic: Abbot Suger
and the ambulatory at St. Denis
(video) | Khan Academy
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
13th century – Gothic 19th century – Gothic Revival/Neo-Gothic
Villard de Honnecourt, Flying Buttresses Viollet-le-Duc, Prototype of a Gothic Cathedral
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
St. Denis, ribbed vaults
[Link]
HOW COULD SUCH ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION
TECHNIQUE BE DEVELOPED?
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Photographs
demonstrating
Chartres Cathedral, vault over the nave,
France, 1194-1220 ship building
system with rib
structures…
Old St Paul Cathedral, New Zealand, 1866-
1964 (Neo-Gothic)
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
• In Gothic architecture the
main emphasis is vertical
(sublime). The aim was to
reach higher levels by
lighter construction
techniques.
• So, they copied the
techniques of the ship
building from the East
Germanic barbarian people
called Goths (who were
pirates and had advanced
techniques for ship
building).
Romanesque Architecture Gothic Architecture
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• THE SOCIAL ROLE OF GOTHIC CATHEDRALS
Gothic cathedrals as community centres as well as halls of faith:
Town meetings
Law courts
Theatrical and musical performances
The cathedral both as a national monument and focus of the city
announcing its pride and prosperity.
The cathedral as a centre of clarity in contrast to the messy nature of
worldliness.
Enemies cannot be pursued within church walls; the church feeds the
hungry and cares for the sick.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame,
Paris (before the fire) (video) |
Khan Academy
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• "It is the most famous of
the Gothic cathedrals of
the Middle Ages and is
distinguished for its size,
antiquity, and architectural
interest.
• The cathedral was initiated
by Maurice de Sully, bishop
(piskopos) of Paris, who about
1160 conceived the idea of
converting into a single building,
on a larger scale, the ruins of
the two earlier basilicas."
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris,
(Britannica)
France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Evolution
phases
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Evolution
phases
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Evolution
phases
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Evolution
phases
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
"Notre-Dame Cathedral consists of a
choir and apse, a short transept, and a
nave flanked by double aisles and
square chapels. Its central spire (kule)
was added during restoration in the
19th century, replacing the original,
which had been completely removed in
the 18th century because of
instability." (Britannica)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• "The interior of the
cathedral is 130 by 48
meters in plan, and the
roof is 35 meters high
(under the vault)."
Notre Dame Cathedral,
plan and section, Paris,
France, 1163-1250
(Britannica)
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• "Two massive early
Gothic towers (1210–50)
crown the western
facade, which is divided
into three stories and has
its doors adorned with
fine early Gothic carvings
and surmounted by a row
of figures of Old
Testament kings."
Notre Dame Cathedral, western facade, Paris, France, 1163-1250 (Britannica)
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Structural analyses
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
"Gargoyle (çörten), in architecture, waterspout (oluk)
designed to drain water from the parapet gutter (dere).
Originally the term referred only to the carved lions of
classical cornices or to terra-cotta spouts, such as those
found in the Roman structures at Pompeii. The word
later became restricted mainly to the grotesque, carved
spouts of the European Middle Ages."
Grotesque: "fanciful mural or
sculptural decoration
involving mixed animal,
Notre Dame Cathedral, gargoyles, Paris, France, 1163-1250 human, and plant forms."
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
• There are many
gargoyles
surrounding the
facade. Gargoyles
are not for scaring
people, but for
scaring the evil
creatures.
• They are the infernal
creatures, but not evil.
Their interpretation as
evil creatures is a
modern one, and so,
coincides the period
after the Neo-Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250
style and Romanticism
of the 18th century.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250: burned on April 15, 2019
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250: burned on April 15, 2019
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250: burned on April 15, 2019
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1250: burned on April 15, 2019
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, France,
1194-1260
Originally the site of a Roman basilica;
replaced by a Christian Church.
1130: extension began
(money came from trade and local silver mines)
1194: great fire
Rebuilding campaign:
the King, the Count of Chartres and local
merchants ALL participated in financing.
Rebuilding lasted 30 years.
16th century: collapse of the North tower after
the stroke of lightning.
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, France, 1194-1260
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, “flying” buttresses
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, verticality and ribs
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, interior: to experience God’s overwhelming presence
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, interior
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, labyrinth
The pilgrim would progress
shoeless up the nave (entrance)
to the labyrinth, a structure 13 m
across and set out in the
flagstones of the floor.
Dancing around and around until
reaching the centre, a ritual
commonly seen at each of the
four annual fairs, the pilgrim
became more and more sensitive
to the power accumulated in the
vast cathedral chamber (music,
stained glass, architectural
design).
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, labyrinth
The pilgrim would progress
shoeless up the nave (entrance)
to the labyrinth, a structure 13 m
across and set out in the
flagstones of the floor.
Dancing around and around until
reaching the centre, a ritual
commonly seen at each of the
four annual fairs, the pilgrim
became more and more sensitive
to the power accumulated in the
vast cathedral chamber (music,
stained glass, architectural
design).
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral, France, 1194-1260, the labyrinth
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Chartres Cathedral; west facade, Royal Portal, c.1145
Christ is the humane judge who grants mercy and compassion.
Note the absence of the themes of punishments and rewards. Awareness replaces fear.
Chartres Cathedral
“Last Judgement”
Ste. Foy, Conques
“Last Judgement”
Chartres Cathedral, column sculptures
Chartres Cathedral, column sculptures
Amiens Cathedral (1220-1235)
Amiens Cathedral (1220-1235)
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Wells Cathedral, England, 1175 - 1490
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany, 1248-1520
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany, 1248-1520
Gothic Architecture
(12th century – 16th century)
Salisbury Cathedral,
Salisbury, England, 1220-58
Salisbury Cathedral; west façade and interior
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Bath Abbey (left, 1572) and Gloucester Cathedral (right, 1089), England: the “fan” vault
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Cambridge University, King’s College
Chapel, Cambridge, England, 1446
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Cambridge University, King’s College
Chapel, Fan vault detail over the nave,
Cambridge, England, 1446
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Arnolfo di Cambio, Orvieto Cathedral, Orvieto, Italy, 1290-1500
Gothic Architecture (12th century – 16th century)
Arnolfo di Cambio,
Orvieto Cathedral, Orvieto, Italy, 1290-1500
Sources:
Britannica, Online edition, 2019.
Ching, Francis. A Global History of Architecture. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
Ching, Francis. Visual Dictionary of Architecture. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
Kostof, Spiro. A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1995.
