The Gothic style originated in France in the 12th century and spread across Europe. Key characteristics include tall vertical structures like pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying buttresses that allowed buildings like cathedrals to be much taller. Gothic cathedrals used extensive stonework, large windows, and ornate portals to emphasize light and verticality, reflecting new theological ideas about God and humanity. Technical innovations like rib vaulting and flying buttresses enabled taller buildings without thick supporting walls.

1. GOTHIC

2. The name ‘Gothic’
• From the Renaissance
• Begins in France in XIIth Century
• Almost all Europe

3. XII Century
AGRICULTURAL
MORE
Technical CITIES
POPULATION
improvements
MORE POWER
TO KINGS
FEUDALISM
DECADENCE

4. The CITY is the center of CULTURE
BETTER NEW NEW CLIENTS
ECONOMICAL SOCIAL CLASS FOR
CONDITIONS BOURGEOISIE ART
MORE
TIME FOR
CULTURE

5. NATURALISM
(Aristotle)
FIRST
UNIVERSITIES
HUMANISM
(S. Francesco of Asisi)
CULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT
CATHEDRALS INFLUENCE

6. NEW IDEAS
• God is LIGHT.
• Human body is not a miserable recipient for
the soul.
• From the Apocalypse to the Gospel and Virgin
Mary.

7. New cathedrals
• LIGHT
• VERTICAL

8. New techinical solutions
POINTED ARCH ARCH

9. EN EL INTERIOR
RIB VAULT

10. RIB VAULT
TRANSVERSE RIBS

11. RIB VAULT
DIAGONAL RIBS

12. RIB VAULT
DIAGONAL RIBS
BOSS

14. BOVEDA DE TERCELETES
SIXPARTITE VAULT

16. FAN VAULT

17. EACH RIB ENDS IN A PIER OR PILLASTER

18. THE MORE RIBS THE MORE PIERS
NO CAPITALS IN THE COLUMNS

19. YOU DON’T NEED THICK WALLS ANYMORE

20. WALLS DON’T SUPPORT

21. THEY COULD BUILD
TALLER AND TALLER
BUILDINGS

22. INSTEAD OF WALLS THERE’S LIGHT

23. WINDOWS ARE BIGGER

24. GOD IS LIGHT

26. FLOOR PLAN
AMBULATORY
TRANSEPT

27. FLOOR PLAN
AMBULATORY

28. OUTSIDE
FLYING BUTTRESS
TALLER NAVES
NEED
NEW TECHNICAL
SOLUTIONS

29. BUTTRESSES
MAIN NAVE
BUTTRESS
ARE NOT FIXED TO THE WALLS

30. FLYING BUTTRESSES

31. PINACLES
HELPS SUPPORTING THE BUTTRESSES WITH THEIR
WEIGHT
AND GIVES A FEELING OF VERTICALITY

32. SPIRE
VERTICALITY AGAIN

33. GARGOYLES

34. GARGOYLES

36. THE GOTHIC PORTAL

37. THE GOTHIC PORTAL

38. ROSE WINDOW
GABLE