Gothic Architecture PDF

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 CITIE...

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) Medieval Architecture and City (6th century – 15th century) Mont Saint Michel, France (a circular city that grew organically) 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) Town Hall, Como, Italy (Palazzo del Broletto), 1215 New town halls were manifestations of the new urban order. Functions: Meeting space for the council; residences for outside arbiters (hakem); market and guild halls. Usually near the cathedral. No weapons allowed in the vicinity. Market spread in front. “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) 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 http://paris.arounder.com/en/abbey/st-denis-abbey/abbey-of-saint-denis-altar.html 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 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.