Heart
of the
Gothic
Bronwyn McNully
Heart of the
Gothic
Foreword
Gothic architecture is one of the most unique and easily identifiable architectural styles in history. The cathedrals stand to this day, almost one thousand years later, still as tall, elegant, and ornate as they ever were. They are testaments to the architects, designers, and Christians who made the cathedrals and made them a home of the Lord God. The Gothic style was so original that it is one of the most well-known styles to this day, but few people really know what specific elements make the Gothic what it is. There are many distinguishing features of Gothic architecture, but there are seven characteristics that truly define the style. This book has organized the chapters by prevalence - each architectural element contributes to the creation of another. The information in this book is an informal explanation of each feature, its purpose in the Gothic style, and the effect that it had upon the architecture and culture of the time.
1
Pointed Arches
The most fundamental architectural element that separates the Gothic style from its predecessors is the pointed arch. In the days of the Romanesque, buildings were dense, dimly lit, and low to the ground. This was because the stones used to build the church were too heavy to allow open spaces or large windows to let in natural light. Alsongside the practical reasons, people believed that churches were supposed to be stern and austere, to remind the congregation to repent and turn from sin. The invention of the pointed arch marked a shift in the architecture of the age. The structural difference between a rounded and pointed arch was in its weight distribution; a rounded arch forced the weight in an outward and downward direction, but a pointed arch pushed the weight almost directly down. When contemporary European architects realized that the use of
pointed arches in church architecture could solve their weight problem, this changed many things. Architects realized that buildings could be taller, walls could be thinner, and the nave of the church could have fewer and more slender columns to support the ceiling above. The pointed arch was not just an architectural element, but an aesthetic decision, as well. Rounded arches were solid, firm, and seemed fixed and low to the ground. In contrast, pointed arches had a vertical emphasis, and they drew the viewer’s eye upwards towards the heavens. This coincides with a cultural shift in the minds of the religious: that one should not hide in shame of their sins, but look up to Heaven and the eyes of God and marvel at His beauty and radiance. The pointed arch was the most important development in the change from Romanesque to Gothic architecture. All other elements of the Gothic stem from the pointed arch. By redistributing the weight, architects were able to redesign the ceilings, channel the weight where they wanted it to go, make buildings taller, let in more light, and create a more intricate and ornate style of architecture to accompany the architectural advancements of the time.
2
Vaulted Ceilings
The introduction of the pointed arch gave way to the second architectural feature: the vaulted ceiling. The vertical emphasis and distribution of weight that the pointed arch created inspired architects to climb higher, to make their cathedrals taller. They could not, however, do that with a flat ceiling. The ceiling needed to be redesigned to accomodate the extra height and fewer pillars. Thus, the vaulted ceiling was invented. Vaulted ceilings are an extension of the pointed arch. By creating arches that spanned upwards through the columns and interlaced across each other, the weight of the ceiling could be distributed evenly throughout the columns in the nave. This meant that ceilings had to be uneven, pointed, and segmented, but it also created visual interest and an impression of grandeur. The most common vaulting found in Gothic architecture is rib vaulting.
This is named so after the stone “ribbing� along the groins of the intersecting vaults.The ribs were added to support and strengthen the intersections, but also to provide an aesthetic element to the design of the ceiling itself. Early Gothic churches started with simple rib vaulting along their ceilings, which only grew more elaborate with the passage of time. Previously, vaults could only be small in size, and either circular or rectangular in shape. After the architectural elements of the pointed arch were applied to the ceilings, vaults could be any number of shapes, heights, and sizes. These designs changed depending on how many overlapping or intersecting vaults a ceiling had. As time progressed, vaulted ceilings became more elaborate and ornate. Architects began adding lierne ribs, or minor ribs in a more complex vault design. The details on the ribs became more ornate, and the ceiling ribbing became less of a structural element and more of a decorative one. The ceiling of Gloucester Cathedral in England are a beautiful and elegant example of how ornate and decorative the ribs on vaulted ceilings came to be.
3
Flying Buttresses
Vaulted ceilings and pointed arches did much to redistribute the weight in a Gothic church. By themselves, however, they could not account for all of the weight of the tall walls and stone ceiling. As a result, flying buttresses were created, the third architectural feature of the Gothic Style. A flying buttress is a freestanding support on the exterior of the cathedral. Its primary purpose is to redistribute the weight not held up by the columns directly into the ground outside. By forcing the remaining weight through the ground, the building is able to be even taller, with thinner columns, walls, and larger windows. Beyond helping the building stand higher, buttresses also allow more floor space in the nave of the cathedral, for an overall larger cathedral. Flying buttresses serve as a unique visual feature for Gothic architecture.
One of the only architectural elements on the exterior of the building, buttresses are designed to be intricate and elaborate. They sweep upward in a dramatic motion, creating a sense of elegance, verticality, and grandeur. Architects and designers added decorative elements and motifs to the structure, making a necessary architecural element appear almost frivolous and purely aesthetic. Flying buttresses in Gothic architecture help support the clerestory of the cathedral, which is the tall central aisle of the nave. The clerestory is significantly taller than the aisles on either side, with only columns to support the upper walls. The flying buttresses help redistribute the weight from the half-walls of the clerestory to the walls on the exterior of the building. Since the flying buttress supported so much of the walls’ weight, architects were able to dedicate less wall space to stonework and more wall space to glass windows. The addition of windows to the buildings created an interior that looked lighter and more unearthly.
4
Gargoyles
One of the most fundamental misunderstandings of Gothic architecture is the gargoyle. The average layperson hears the word gargoyle and envisions all the stone creatures that decorate the exterior of a Gothic cathedral. That is actually not the case. The ugly, scowling creatures on the cathedral walls are actually called grotesques. Gargoyles are actually a subspecies of grotesques - a grotesque is only a gargoyle if it double as a rain-spout. Before the creation of the modern rain-gutter, churches and cathedrals needed a way to pipe rainwater off of the cathedral roof. Gargoyles were created to solve that problem. The roof slants and slopes towards the stone creatures to direct the water. The interior of the gargoyle is hollowed like a pipe, so that rainwater travels through the body of the gargoyle and eventually spews from the creature’s mouth away from the walls of the building.
Grotesques were named as such because they were intentionally designed to be fearful and ugly. They were misshapen, disfigured beasts with hunched backs, wicked smiles, and leering eyes. Grotesques and gargoyles alike clung to the walls of the church, stone visages glaring down at the peasant folk on the ground. The rainwater spouting from the mouths of gargoyles only added a sense of life to the sculptures. Gargoyles did not only serve a practical purpose. Grotesques and gargoyles were also designed with the intention of striking fear into the hearts of peasant folk. Back when education was saved for the wealthy and superstition ran wild, the terrifying and ugly visages of grotesques were meant to remind citizens of the demons under the Devil’s command, waiting to prey on the sinful and Godless. With such a vivid reminder, gargoyles and grotesques served to send many into the church in hopes to dispel the demons from coming after them. The creatures roamed free on the outside of the cathedral, but inside the walls of God’s church one was safe.
5
Vertical Emphasis
The combination of the three architectural elements of Gothic architecture allowed for a new and important visual feature - tall, towering, vertical churches. Churches before the Gothic Age were shorter and squatter, with a more firm and intimidating visual presence. With the height of the Gothic cathedral, the churches towered over the city and its people, tall and beautiful. The Gothic cathedrals reminded society to always look up to the heavens and the eyes of God. The vertical emphasis of Gothic churches was not only a byproduct of architectural advancements, but also represented a cultural shift in their religious ideology. In the days of the Romanesque, the relationship between God and His people was much like the architecture of the churches in which they worshipped. Romanesque churches were dark, austere, and imposing.
They were strong, impressive and intimidating, such as the eyes of God himself. Humanity was full of sinners, and all they could do was repent and hope for God’s forgiveness. In contrast, as Gothic cathedrals reached up to the heavens, so did the congregation. The cultural ideology of Christian worship changed as time progressed. Church became less about repenting one’s sins and cowering before the eyes of a judging and jealous God. Instead, worshippers spent their services rejoicing in the wonder and majesty of the Lord. As the churches they worshipped in stood tall and magnificent, so the parishioners stood tall in praise. The remaining visual features of Gothic architecture were also ways for the people to reach out and embrace the beauty, intricacy, and grace of God’s creation. The visual breathing room, echoing acoustics, and open space of the nave itself were products of the vertical emphasis of Gothic cathedrals. Other characteristics that make Gothic cathedrals stand out were products of the contemporary focus on natural light and the ornate.
6
Light
When contemporary architects discovered that they could control weight distribution in the cathedral walls, this opened up many possibilities. Beyond the new opportunities for larger open spaces and taller buildings, it also meant that it was possible to create larger openings in the wall, and redirect the weight to not crush the stone and fall apart at the gap. As a result, Gothic cathedrals became obsessed with windows. Abbot Suger is credited with designing the first official Gothic Cathedral, Saint Denis Cathedral. One of the characteristics that made Saint Denis stand on its own was the incredible amount of light pouring in through the large and ornate windows. Abbot Suger, believing himself to be following the writings of the church’s patron saint, Saint Denis, intentionally designed the cathedral to have large windows that emphasized natural light. In reality,
he was reading the writings of a 6th century philosopher who believed that light and divinity were closely related. Despite this, Abbot Suger took the thought of the divinity of light and designed a church that utilized light to its fullest extent. After Saint Denis, large windows became a prominant feature in Gothic architecture. It was during this time that stained glass windows really got their start. The windows were elaborately decorated with colorful designs and motifs, and later on, with stories from the Bible as a visual representation for the illiterate populace. These windows were featured on all the walls of the church, to maximize the amount of natural light the cathedral could welcome in. Many windows were even placed far out of view in the clerestory above, inviting more light to filter into the center of the nave from a higher point. One of the most popular window designs was a rose window. Rose windows are circular stained glass windows, usually with rectangular windowed columns underneath. These windows were usually focal points in church architecture, and are usually found at the entrance to the church, at the back of the nave. Rose windows only grew more complex as time passed, becoming elaborate statement pieces for many cathedrals.
7
Ornate
The evolution of the ornate Gothic style was, at the time, somewhat controversial. The predecessor for the Gothic, the Romanesque, was very clean and simple, with no elaborate detail or superfluous design. When architects and artists started adding design motifs and decorative elements to the church, many claimed that doing so was an insult to God and a focus on secular life. They insisted that such elaborate decorations were distracting, and prevented a person from truly connecting with God in the church. Those in favor of the Gothic style argued that the reverse was true. By decorating the church to be as detailed, beautiful, and brilliant as they could, they were instead celebrating God’s majesty and reminding the world of the detailed and beautiful world that The Lord created. Such ornate detail was not a distraction from God, but rather a vehicle to help people find the necessary awe and reverence to speak to the Creator.
Regardless of truth, the Gothic and Romanesque styles vastly differ on that front. Gothic cathedrals were beginning to take on a life of their own. Architecture was no longer strictly functional. With the amount of control architects had over weight and design, churches could be designed by aesthetics and want, not functionality and necessity. Architecture began to mean something outside of its intended purpose. Buildings suddenly had their own merit, their own meaning, and their own life. Architects began to compete to see who could design a more grand, more elaborate church. Cathedrals started to become impossibly ornate, with sculptures and decorative features put wherever there was possibly space. These designers saw this opportunity to have the most grand, most elaborate church as a way of expressing their devotion. The more impressive and grand the cathedral, the more glory to the Lord on High. These competitions became a way to promote the majesty and grandeur of the Christian religion.
Index Chapter 1 Reims Cathedral Reims Cathedral Amiens Cathedral
Chapter 5 Saint Denis Saint Denis Saint Denis
Chapter 2 Sainte Chapelle Amiens Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral
Chapter 6 Chartres Cathedral Sainte Chapelle Canterbury Cathedral
Chapter 3 York Minster Cathedral York Minster Cathedral Milan Cathedral
Chapter 7 Amiens Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral Amiens Cathedral
Chapter 4 Milan Cathedral National Cathedral Notre Dame Cathedral
Colophon
This book was printed on McCoy Silk 80T. The book jacket was printed on McCoy Silk 100C. Bodoni 72 Book was used for the body text and chapter numbers; Proxima Nova Extrabold was used for section titles. The hard cover, book jacket, and physical binding were hand-made by Bronwyn McNully. The interior content was collected, organized, and written by Bronwyn McNully in April 2017.