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The New Design In The Gothic Era

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The opening gospel of St John stated “and the light in the darkness shines, and the darkness did not overcome it “(biblescripture.net 2017). This was interpreted in the Gothic Era to show how physical and metaphysical ideas could be fused to create sacred spaces. All light was considered divine, whether reflected from metallic substances or streamed in through windows. This discourse led to the investigation into the new design in cathedral construction. Great expanses of wall were replaced with large windows to let in the divine light. Abbot Suger (1081-1151) abbot of the French abbey of Saint-Denis championed this initiative.

The ambulatory of abbey at St Denis in 1144 was the first major redesign in the Gothic style. Honour and Fleming cite Suger as describing the essence of Gothic architecture as, “conjoining the material with the immaterial, the corporeal with the spiritual, the human with the divine” (2012, 291). Natural light became a metaphor for god’s light (Wilson …show more content…

The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris underwent modifications to the existing vaults to alter the curve to accommodate the new enlarged widows. The building was modified to include flying buttresses (1175-122, 1225), which in turn allowed the nave to be built to a staggering 108 feet high. The flying buttresses, a main feature of High Gothic design, dispersed the weight and supported the walls even under the pressures of wind (Wilson 2009, 73). Notre Dame in Paris was the first Gothic cathedral to use the flying buttress system (Wilson 2009, 75). The illumination of the space at Notre Dame underwent a transformation as well by removing the band of oculus windows placed under single lancet windows and replacing them with double lancet and rose windows, therefore increasing the proportions of glass in the clerestory (Tansev 1996, 491). This was made possible by the flying buttress support

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From 500 to 1500 AD Europe was not in a dark age, because of their advances with the Gothic Cathedrals, their conquests in the Crusades, and their organization within their Government. During 1163 through 1345 Europe had many architectural advancements, such as the Gothic Cathedral and the Notre Dame. According to the Gothic Cathedral document in Universities and Cathedrals it states,”Common features of gothic cathedrals included architectural innovations, including: large columns, high ceilings with ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and large stained glass windows.” This quote supports that Europe was not in a dark age because it shows how many architectural innovations were made during this time period.

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One of the defining characteristic that can be seen in the Trinity Church is that it has ogival arches. The church has a flying buttress to resist the lateral forces that may push the wall outwards. The ceiling of the church are stone vaulted. It therefore, means that the roof of the church is heavily loaded and hence the walls may be affected by the force that is created by the heavy weight at the roof. To prevent the walls from been pushed outward by the force that is created by the weighty roof, the Gothic architecture requires that the structure be built with a flying buttress.

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395). The text exemplifies that cathedrals have amazing entrances to appeal

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Gothic churches are having thin walls and large stain-glass windows that allow light to penetrate. While Romanesque churches have relatively thinker wall and smaller windows as Romanesque churches are built corresponding to St. Augustine’s theology of distancing from the material world. Gothic churches have more sharp and edgy characteristics usually pointing high towards the sky. When Romanesque churches usually have more blunt.

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The churches were made with gothic arches and stained glass. The stained glass illustrated stories from the

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As the Virgin Mary grew in popularity, so did cathedrals – and in order to understand the figures, it is important to understand their environment and context. These cathedrals were built to promote pilgrimage, a place of worship, serve as education. At the School of Chartres, where students shown the importance of learning because studying about the world was a way to understand the divine, which was very significant in the Gothic period. This cathedral harks back Romanesque and Early Gothic themes, from the rounded windows to the jamb figures (figures attached to the door jambs). At Reims, the cathedral reaches upwards and to the heavens.

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closely placed set-offs about two thirds above . Slender detached shafts are made of polished dark grey shiny Purbeck marble . Eminently elongated, narrow windows are neatly lanceted in pairs or triplets . There are a few notable differences between Gothic cathedrals in France to those in England. Radiating chapels of England cathedrals oddly had somewhat of an obligation to align with the east .

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As stated in Gothic Cathedrals, “Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most famous gothic cathedrals in Europe.” The Dark Age/Growth Age document states that when extravagant,

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The Notre Dame Cathedral, also known as “Our Lady”, is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the middle

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The stained-glass windows images depicted biblical stories. Another way the Chartres Cathedral employs Gothic architectural was implement of pointed arch. The pointed arches shape disseminates the force of the heftier ceilings as well as massive walls. “The pointed arches thrust is

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Every color had an emotional connection, as did the size and design of architecture. Buildings were reaching out of Romanesque and into Gothic style, going from compartmentalized and dark, to letting in light and being open. The first example of this is the Rayonnet style, which emphasized the letting of light, and means, “to shine.” The open corridor was a sense of harmony, and the invention of the flying buttress allowed the Chartres Cathedral to have the open flowing and harmonious design it has today. The flying buttress was a support piece that kept the architecture from falling inward due to lateral thrust from the wall.

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6 The Gothic interior is vast and gives an empty impression. The relative bareness of the church corresponds with the austerity of religious life, as preached by Girolamo Savonarola. 7 Most of the splendid stained glass windows were made between 1434 and 1455 to the designs of famous artists like Donatello, Andrea del Castagno and Paolo Uccello. The wooden inlays on the Sacristy 's cupboards were designed by Brunelleschi and by other artists, including Antonio del Pollaiolo. 8

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As stated in the text, there are several key ingredients that make up the architectural and decorative elements of the Gothic cathedrals. Earlier structural buildings tended to be quite a bit shorter due to the incapability of spreading the weight evenly. Gothic architecture used “flying” buttresses. These “flying” buttresses effectively spread the weight by taking it off the walls themselves and transferring it directly to the ground. This allowed architects to build much taller walls and loftier towers.

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The designs & structure of this style was inspired by the medieval architecture (Figure.02). Though both styles begin with the term ‘Gothic’, each styles has its own significance. [Fig.01 – Saint Gatien’s Cathedral, Tours, France] [Fig.02 – St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, Australia] There is a common public notion that both, gothic and gothic revival styles of architecture carry similar intentions behind their designs. But, in my point of view gothic revival style has been misinterpreted to be the same as the gothic style of architecture. While in reality, the intention behind the gothic revival style is to bring out more aesthetic values to buildings such as romanticism and

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