Characteristics of Gothic Architecture
Gothic architecture influenced many castles, churches, cathedrals all over Europe.
This style of architecture developed widely because there are none that actually divulged its artistry into this field before to solve a common problems during the Medieval times as in
1100s-1200s as building knowledge were extremely rare and the knowledge were unexplored .Castles were left in rudimentary state, dark, cold, and damp , where Gothics' architect are fully aware of such menace.They seize the opportunity to resolve by creating light to stream in into unpleasant corners, and creating a well ventilated and airy buildings thus transforming it into a new challenges for the new architect to build a better building .
Some gothic buildings - particularly churches and cathedrals, such as York Minster, in York, England (the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe) - were rendered with such majestic beauty then.
With its pure artistic originality almost all castles adopted some of their characteristics transforming living environments into a grand majestic and pleasant residences for novelties.
The term 'gothic architecture' is a retrospective term where during the Medieval period they wouldn't have used it. Back then this form of building was called 'the modern style'obviously because it is very new.
In the times before gothic architecture, Early Medieval architects struggled to spread the weight of heavy stone walls.This meant that most towers needed to be short, and buildings thin, otherwise the sheer weight of higher levels (or large rooms and halls) would collapse into themselves.
One of the fundamental characteristics of gothic architecture was its height. New building techniques (such as the flying buttress, detailed below) enabled architects to spread the weight of taller walls and loftier towers.
This all meant that gothic buildings could, quite literally, scale new heights. It allowed them to reach up very high - perfect for cathedrals and churches.
The flying buttress is the defining external characteristic of gothic architecture. These buttresses effectively spread the weight of the new designs, taking the weight off the walls and transferring force directly to the ground.
"The flying buttress was practical and decorative, too"
However, what's particularly notable about the flying buttress is that it's decorative.
Rather than just being a simple support, buttresses were often elaborately designed and extremely decorative. They appeared to dart and sweep around each building, giving a sense of movement and of grandeur missing from previous architectural designs.
The innovation of the pointed arch which was the defining internal characteristic of gothic architecture. Its significance was both practical and decorative.
The pointed arch effectively distributed the force of heavier ceilings and bulkier designs, and could support much more weight than previous, simple pillars.
The stronger arches allowed for much more vertical height, too - they literally reached up to the heavens.
The gothic arch wasn't just a workhorse. It had an aesthetic value and beauty which influenced many other features of gothic design - most notably the vaulted ceiling.
Malbork Castle, in Poland, has some excellent examples of pointed ceilings.
4. The Vaulted Ceiling
The vaulted ceiling was an innovation which lead on from the achievements of the pointed arch.
The delicate vaulted ceilings of Malbork Castle in Poland. These ceilings are another feature of gothic architecture. Credit: Alexander Baxevanis CC-BY-2.0
Irregular, vaulted ceilings utilised the technology of the pointed arch to spread force and weight from upper floors. The arch also provided the impression of height and magnificence, giving the vaulted ceiling a feeling of grandeur and elegance.
The distribution of force within the vaulted ceiling enabled vaults to be built in different shapes and sizes, too. Previously, vaults could only have been circular or rectangular.
Characteristic 5. The Light and Airy Interior
Before gothic architecture, castles and early Medieval buildings were pretty depressing places to live in or worship in.
Castles, in particular, were places of damp and mould, as most weren't built strong enough to support slate or stone roofing. Although these fortresses could more or less prop up wooden roofs, these let in the rain.
If that wasn't depressing enough, these old environments tended to be dark and dingy. The windows were generally tiny, as the force of the walls would collapse into themselves if they included any larger glassworks.
Gothic architecture strove to be the exact anthesis to this older Medieval style of building.
It emphasised light, bright windows and airy interiors, transforming castles and churches into more pleasant and majestic environments.
You can see the height, light and airy nature of the inside of Cologne Cathedral. This is a great example of gothic architecture.
6. The Gargoyles of Gothic Architecture.
One of the most notable characteristics of gothic architecture is the gargoyle. Gargoyles are decorative, monstrous little creatures, perched at along the roofs and battlements of gothic buildings and castles.
Gargoyles have a practical purpose: they're spouts, enabling rainwater to drain off the roof and gush through their mouths, before plummeting to the ground (guttering is a relatively recent innovation!).
However, gargoyles had another intended purpose: to strike fear into the hearts of ill-educated Medieval peasants, scaring them into the church or cathedral. Many gargoyles include elements of the grotesque: exaggerated, evil features or threatening poses, which would have leered down from on-high.
In a world marked with fear and superstition, these creepy creatures would undoubtedly have encouraged many to seek solace and safety inside of a church or cathedral- protected from the demons and ghouls which roamed outside. The gargoyle is one of the defining characteristics of gothic architecture, and sticks in the mind even to today.
Of course, you could always explore more about the spooky, creepy and downright haunted aspects of gothic architecture.
7. The Emphasis Upon the Decorative Style and the Ornate
Gothic architecture marked the first time that beauty and aesthetic values had been incorporated into building design. This revolutionised the way that Medieval architects began to think of buildings. Architecture was no longer just functional - it began to have merit and meaning in its own right.
This doorway of Cologne Dom exemplifies the ornate, gothic style.
Increasingly ambitious and ornate designs of church, cathedral and castle came to be built. Rivalry and competition drew different groups of builders to conceive and construct grander and more decorative designs, for the glory of the Christian region.
This tremendous spire of the Dom in Cologne, Germany, shows the reach, height, grandeur and intricate detail of the gothic style.
How "The Modern Style" Became to Be Associated With Barbarians: A Quick History of Gothic Architecture
Gothic architecture revolutionised the appearance of Mid-Medieval buildings. Do remember though, that 'gothic' is actually a retrospective term. It wouldn't have been used in Medieval times. This style of architecture was, back then, called the "Modern Style", and it was a revolutionary influence for all castles, churches and palaces in Europe.
The style originally became popular in France from the 1150s, and spread with surprising speed across the whole of Europe.
Some 300 years later, in the 1450s, this style began to go out of fashion. Renaissance architects, the new vogue, started to pour scorn upon this style of architecture.
They derided it as being old-fashioned and uncouth, because it was fantastical, exaggerated and daring. Their Renaissance style was classical, solid, pure, and symmetrical.
To express their scorn, the Renaissance architects actually coined the term 'gothic architecture'. 'Gothic' was a pejorative term, as the goths were barbarians who had wreaked havoc on Europe hundreds of years earlier. The choice of "gothic architecture" expressed their disgust for an architectural style that they felt had blighted the face of Europe.
However, the gothic style was - and is to today - absolutely unstoppable. In the mid 1600s, the style resurfaced, and was re-invented for more modern audiences. The 'gothic revival' period (or the "neo-gothic" period; also referred to in England as the "Victorian gothic") saw many of the characteristics of gothic architecture re-invented for more modern buildings.
Buildings built in the gothic revival style include the Houses of Parliament in London; Parliament Hill in Ontario, Washington Cathedral, and many campuses of 1800s Universities worldwide.
These adopted the common characteristics of gothic architecture in a more modern style.
The gothic style is still phenomenally popular today, and is the design-of-choice for new churches, cathedrals and similar buildings in Europe and the Americas.
Many of the key characteristics of gothic architecture have been adopted into more modern architectural designs, and our current aesthetic style owes a great deal to the roots of the gothic architecture movement in Medieval times.
