One of the most famous Gothic buildings is Notre Dame de Paris. 1163 - 1285

Gothic buildings, with all their diversity and a huge number of decorative elements, are nevertheless created on the same structural basis. Victor Hugo, the famous author of “Notre Dame Cathedral,” wrote that art changed only the shell of the Gothic cathedral, while its core remained unchanged. Depending on the culture, traditions, and historical period, the number of spiers of towers, chapels, bell towers, and entrance portals changed, but the basis of Gothic buildings remained unchanged.

Notre Dame Cathedral. Paris. France

The most famous building of early French Gothic was the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris - Notre Dame de Paris. The cathedral sung by Hugo was not erected from scratch - here before it stood the Basilica of St. Stephen, and before it, in more ancient times, the Temple of Jupiter. Notre-Dame de Paris was created during the early Gothic period, so its architecture retains the features of the Romanesque style. The construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII of France. The central building was erected in 1196, the western façade of the cathedral was ready in 1208. Completion of construction dates back to 1345. The creators of Notre-Dame de Paris include the architect Jean de Chelles (worked from the 1250s to 1265), Pierre de Montreuil (worked from 1265 to 1267) * In addition to them, other architects and craftsmen took part in the construction of the structure: about this Some stylistic differences between different parts of the structure are evidenced.

Pierre de Montreuil (c. 1200 - 1267) hereditary French architect. Jean de Chelles (? - 1265) - French architect

The restoration of Notre Dame began in 1814 under the leadership of the architect Violet de Duc. The building, sculptures, and spire were repaired over the course of 23 years. Viollet-le-Duc built a gallery of chimeras, which he placed at the foot of the towers. The architect also added a new spire to replace the one that was dismantled at the end of the 18th century. The spire is made of wood and covered with lead. At the base of the spire were bronze statues by the sculptor Geoffroy Deshaume.

Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) - French architect. One of the first restorers in the field of architecture. Architectural historian, specialist in the field of art criticism. He was a fan of the neo-Gothic style.

The central facade of this grandiose Gothic building is architecturally divided into three parts. Above each of the three entrance portals there are sculptural panels depicting scenes from the Bible. The roof of the cathedral is lined with lead tiles (the thickness of the tiles is 5 mm), which makes the roof heavier, and its weight is 210 tons. The magnificent stained glass windows of Notre Dame were reconstructed in the mid-19th century. The stained glass rose above the entrance has been partially preserved from the Middle Ages. This Gothic building was built in the early period of development of the style; the horizontal in it still competes with the vertical. The wall still looks quite massive, but the central façade nevertheless appears light thanks to the towers pointing upward and the spire. The second tier of the facade is decorated with a huge “rose” window.

St. Stephen's Cathedral. Vienna, Austria

The majestic building - St. Stephen's Cathedral - is located in the very center of Vienna on the square of the same name (Stephensplatz). The towers of the cathedral have different heights: the southern tower of the structure is 136.44 m, and the northern tower is only 68.3 m, the width of the structure is 62 m, the length of the cathedral is 198.2 m. The cathedral was supposed to be the tallest building in the city, and at the time The Habsburgs issued a decree according to which it was forbidden to erect buildings taller than the cathedral. The roof slope reaches 80 degrees.

St Stephen's Cathedral. Vein. (13th-15th centuries)

On April 11, 1945, the roof burned down in a fire. The supporting frame of the roof was originally made of wood; when restored after the fire of 1945, it was made of steel (total weight - about 600 tons). After the fire, the cathedral was restored until 1952 (the 689th anniversary of this Gothic building). The current roof covering consists of colored tiles, from which ornaments are laid, as well as the coat of arms of the city of Vienna. Since the 1980s, restoration of the cathedral has been ongoing.

The cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries, and has remained virtually unchanged since 1511 (except for the roof and interiors*). The first church on the site of the cathedral was founded in 1137 under Margrave Leopold IV together with Bishop Reginmar of Passau. The building, completed by 1147, was still in the Romanesque style. Later, in 1230-1245. The western part of the church was completed. However, in 1258 the building burned down, and five years later a new church was built, also in the Romanesque style. From the east side in 1304-1340. under Kings Albert I and Albert II, the church was again added to. And in 1359, King Rudolf IV participated in the foundation stone of a new Gothic building. A new building was erected around the ancient structure, only in 1430 the old church was dismantled. The south tower was completed in 1433, but the north tower remained unfinished and still retains its appearance from 1511.

Roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.

Reims Cathedral. Reims, France

Reims Cathedral (Reims Cathedral - Notre-Dame de Reims) was built on the site of two ancient basilicas (one was built in 401, the other in the 9th century). The construction of the new Gothic cathedral building was completed towards the end of the 13th century.

Reims Cathedral - Notre-Dame de Reims.

The towers of the western facade are 80 m high and are the tallest in France (initially it was planned to erect tall tents with spiers, as well as five more towers, but this project was not carried out). Reims Cathedral was glorified by sculptures: in the “Gallery of Kings” there are five hundred statues created in the 13th century. The most famous figure is the smiling angel above the north portal.

Smiling angel above the north portal of Reims Cathedral.

After the revolution and wars, the cathedral was partially destroyed and finally restored by 1996.

Burgos Cathedral. Burgos, Spain

Burgos Cathedral is a medieval cathedral in the city of Burgos, the ancient capital of Castile, which is located on the Arlanzón River. This building was the first Gothic building of this scale in Spain. King Philip II called this Gothic building the “Creation of the Angels.” The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Burgos Cathedral. Spain (1221-1567)

The design of a house in the Gothic style - the Burgos Cathedral - belongs to the architect Enrique. The prototype was the Gothic cathedrals in Reims and Bourges. The construction was founded by Bishop Mauricio in 1221 under King Fernando III of Castile (1217-1252). Construction was completed in 1567. Since the cathedral was built over many centuries, a large number of architects worked on its creation. The construction of the two towers of the cathedral, 84 m high, was completed by a builder from Cologne, Johann (Juan de Colonia). The western façade (Puerta Real (13th century)) of this majestic Gothic building has the main entrance. The southern facade is called Puerta del Sarmental (built by 1230). The northern facade is called Puerta de la Coroneria (completed in 1259). The eastern part of the Burgos Cathedral was built in the 15-16th century in the Renaissance style. In the center of the arcade, between the towers, there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, below it are statues of the Castilian kings, below them is a rose window, in its center are the outlines of the Star of David. In plan, the structure has the shape of a cross. The length of the cathedral is 106 m, the width is 59 m. The stained glass windows are considered the best in Spain. There are fifteen chapels around the cathedral. The oldest is the Chapel of San Nicolas (13th century), the latest is the Chapel del Condestable, built in 1482-1489. architect Simon de Colonia - the son of the German master Johann, who erected the towers of the cathedral. Already in the 16th century, architects Felipe de Borgoña and Juan de Vallejo built a light tower above the central cross of the cathedral. The height of the lantern tower is 54 m; in plan it is an octagon with turrets. This Gothic building became a model for the creation of Gothic-style buildings in Spain, as well as in the Spanish colonies.

Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano)

Milan Cathedral Duomo di Milano (1386 - early 19th century). Italy. Created from white marble. Length - 158 meters, width - 92 m. Number of sculptures - 3400. Capacity of the cathedral - 40,000 people.

Milan Cathedral is a majestic building in the Flamboyant Gothic style. Dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Mary. This is the only Gothic building in Europe made of white marble. The length of the temple is 158 meters, width - 92 m, spire height - 106.5 m. Number of sculptures - 3400. Capacity of the cathedral - 40,000 people. The cathedral was built on the site of ancient sanctuaries. It was the first building in the Gothic style in Italy. The initial design of the house in the Gothic style - Duomo di Milano - was developed by the Italian Simone de Orsenigo, but French and German craftsmen were invited for construction. Construction took place from 1386 until the beginning of the 19th century. Some elements were modified until 1965. The foundation was laid under Gian Galeazzo Visconti* under the patronage of Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo

Gian Galeazzo Visconti; 1351 -1402 Duke of Milan, who contributed to the prosperity of Milan.

Since 1470, construction has been under the direction of the architect Guniforte Solari (several architects have changed before this point). Solari's consultants were Bramante (Donato (Donnino) Bramante, 1444-1514) and Leonardo (Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci; 1452-1519) - they added Renaissance elements to the Gothic, thanks to their participation in the project, the cathedral received a dome with an octagon at the base. In 1769, a spire (104 m) with a statue of the Madonna (height 4 m) made of gilded bronze was built (a decree was even issued that no building in the city should cover the statue of the Madonna). Currently, a copy of the statue is installed on the Pirelli skyscraper.

Pirelli Tower (Grattacielo Pirelli) is a high-rise building in Milan.

The design of the facade of this majestic was approved by Napoleon in 1805 and completed by the architect Carlo Amati in 1813 (Carlo Amati 1776 - 1852) and Zanoia (Giuseppe Zanoia) Commissioned by Napoleon, Amati developed a design for the facade on the side of the square and built marble spiers (135 PC.).

Seville Cathedral. Seville, Spain

The Cathedral in Seville - Catedral de Santa María de la Sede - a temple building in Andalusia, in the city of Seville. This is the tallest cathedral in Spain. The length of this Gothic building was 126 meters, width - 82 meters.

Seville Cathedral. (1402-1506) Erected on the site of a destroyed mosque during the Reconquista.

On the site of the cathedral during the occupation of Spain by the Moors, there stood the Muslim Almohad Mosque, which was destroyed during a strong earthquake in 1356. After the expulsion of the Moors, on its foundation and using the materials remaining from the destroyed buildings, the construction of a Christian temple began, which was supposed to become a symbol of wealth and forces of Seville. Construction began in 1402 and was completed in a relatively short time - by 1506. However, even despite the short period of construction of the Gothic building, elements of the Renaissance are already noticeable in its architecture. Next to the cathedral is the Giralda bell tower (from the Spanish “girar”, which means “to spin”), richly decorated with ornaments and patterns. This building was rebuilt from a former minaret in 1560-1568. architect Hernan Ruiz, who built the minaret with additional tiers, tapering upward. On the lower tier there are 25 bells, on the last tier there is a bronze figure-weathervane with a banner (1568 sculptor Bartolome Morel).

Gothic mansions

Marais is the name of the Parisian quarter. It is located on the right bank of the Seine. King Charles V liked this place, where already in the 14th century they began to build houses for representatives of the royal court (most of them have not survived) Cluny - the building is a Gothic mansion, commissioned by Abbot Jacques of Amboise (1485-1510) in the 13th century on this site stood the monastery of the Order of Cluny, and before it there were Roman baths here. Since 1843 it has been owned by the state. Now this building houses the National Museum of the Middle Ages.

When people talk about Gothic buildings, they usually mean cathedrals and temples. Indeed, there are very few Gothic mansions in secular architecture that have survived to this day. This is due to the fact that the owners of these buildings, each successive generation of heirs, sought to live in more fashionable homes, so they usually created new projects, rebuilding their houses in the Gothic style. The attitude towards buildings as historical monuments began only a few decades ago, when people began to appreciate and try to preserve the cultural heritage of the past. An example of a surviving Gothic mansion is the House of Sans in the Marais quarter of Paris. On the left bank of the Seine in Paris, the Gothic mansion of Cluny is famous.

Gothic mansion of Cluny (1485-1510)

Mansion of the Archbishops of Sens (Hôtel de Sens) (1475 -1507)

The Gothic mansion of Sens (Hôtel de Sens) is located at 1 rue Figuier, in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, in the Marais quarter. The land for the construction of the residence of the archbishops of Sanskaya was allocated by decree of Charles V, the construction of the building began at the end of the 15th century, construction took 30 years. The mansion was built in a mixed style: Renaissance adjoins elements of late Gothic. The first owner of the Gothic mansion was Archbishop Tristan de Salazar (served as Archbishop of Sens from 1474 to 1518). In 1911, the building became the property of the city of Paris. From some of the Gothic mansions in France, only individual parts of the buildings or their fragments remain.

Tower of John the Fearless (Tour Jean sans Рeur) -1411 - the surviving part of the Gothic mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy.

Cologne Cathedral. Germany.

The Gothic style, sometimes called the artistic style, is the final stage in the development of medieval art in the countries of Central, Western and partly Eastern Europe. The term "Gothic" was introduced during the Renaissance as a derogatory designation for all architectural art of the Middle Ages, which was considered truly "barbaric".

Cathedral of Las Lajas. Colombia.

The Gothic style is characterized by the features of a symbolic-allegorical type of thinking and conventions of artistic language. The dominance of architecture and traditional types of buildings was inherited by Gothic from the Romanesque style. The cathedral occupied a special place in Gothic art, being the highest example of architectural synthesis with painting and sculptural trends. The space of such a cathedral was incommensurate with man - the verticals of its vaults and towers, the subordination of sculptures to the dynamism of architectural rhythms and the multi-colored radiance of stained glass windows had a captivating effect on believers.

The development of Gothic art also reflected key changes in the construction of medieval society - the beginning of the formation of centralized powers, the growth and strengthening of megacities, the advancement of the forces of the nobility, as well as court and knightly circles. Civil architecture and urban planning receive intensive development here. The architectural ensembles of cities included secular and religious buildings, bridges, fortifications and wells. Often the main square of the city was built with houses with arcades, where the lower floors were occupied by retail and warehouse premises. And it was from the square that all the main streets with narrow facades of two or three-story houses, decorated with high pediments, diverged. The cities were surrounded by powerful walls with travel towers. Feudal and royal castles gradually transformed into complex complexes of palaces, fortresses and places of worship. In the center of the city, as a rule, there was a cathedral or castle, which became the heart of city life.

Milan Cathedral.

The complex but bold frame structure of the Gothic cathedral, which embodied the triumph of the daring thought of the architect, made it possible to surpass the massiveness of Romanesque structures, lightening the vaults and walls and creating a dynamic integrity of the internal space. By using a frame, the walls ceased to be load-bearing elements of buildings. It seemed as if there were no walls at all. Lancet vaults were superior to semicircular vaults due to their variability, being structurally superior in many respects.

It is in Gothic that the complication and enrichment of the consonance of the arts comes, the expansion of the plot system, which reflected the medieval worldview. Interest arises in the real forms of nature, in the feelings and physical beauty of man, and the theme of motherhood, martyrdom, moral suffering and sacrificial resilience of man receives a new interpretation. The Gothic style of architecture organically intertwines tragic emotions with lyricism, social satire with spiritual sublimity, folklore with fantastic grotesquery and acute life observations.

The Gothic style originated in Northern France in the middle of the 12th century and reached its peak by the first half of the 19th century. Gothic stone cathedrals in France received their own classical form. Such a structure usually consisted of three to five nave basilicas with transverse naves - transepts and an ambulatory, to which radial chapels were adjacent. The impression of indomitable movement towards the altar and upward is created by the slender pillars, the great rise of pointed arches and the rapid pulse of the triforium. Due to the contrast of the main high nave, as well as the side semi-dark naves, a rich painting of aspects and a boundless sense of space appear.

Types of arches.

Gothic ornament.

Gothic capitals.

The Gothic frame system originated in the abbey church of Saint-Denis (1137-1144). The cathedrals in Paris, Laon and Chartres can also be classified as Young Gothic. The richness of rhythm, the perfection of compositional architecture and the impeccability of decorative sculptology - this is what distinguishes the stunning cathedrals and temples of mature Gothic in Amiens and Reims. The Parisian chapel of Sainte-Chapelle (1243-1248) with many stained glass windows also belongs to the Gothic cathedrals of the mid-12th century. The Crusaders brought the principles of Gothic architecture to Rhodes, Syria and Cyprus.

Late Gothic in interiors already spreads sculptural altars that combine painted and gilded wooden sculptures with temperamental paintings on wooden boards. Here a new emphatic structure of images is already taking shape, distinguished by intense (often exalted) expression, which is especially evident in the scenes of the suffering of Christ and other saints, conveyed with unapologetic truthfulness.

As a result, we can conclude that by solving just one architectural problem, not even related to construction, a whole movement in art was born, and, one might say, by accident, a mysterious and amazing style was created - Gothic.

Notre Dame Cathedral. (Notre Dame de Paris)

Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris.)

Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral is the heart of Paris. The lower part of the facade has three portals: the portal of the Virgin Mary on the left, the portal of St. Anne on the right, and between them is the portal of the Last Judgment. Above them rises an arcade of twenty-eight statues of the kings of Judah. The center of the facade is decorated with a large rose-shaped window, decorated with stone patterns and stained glass. The bronze bell, donated to the Cathedral in 1400, weighing six tons, is located in the right tower of the Cathedral. Subsequently, the bell was melted down again, and the residents of Paris threw jewelry into the molten bronze, from which the ringing of the bell, according to stories, acquired a clear and sonorous timbre.

The cathedral, as a model of the divine universe, looks upward, towards the sky. There are no sharp spiers on top of the towers, contrary to the design. This decision was made so that the harmony of the entire structure would not be disturbed. And from the inside the temple amazes with the volume and breadth of space. Neither the massive pillars nor the bare walls remind of the massiveness of the Cathedral. There is a beautiful tradition associated with the Cathedral. Every year, on the first of May of each year, artists donate paintings, sculptures and other creations. They decorate the chapels on the right side of Notre Dame Cathedral. It also contains two statues: the Virgin Mary, in whose honor the Cathedral is named, and a statue of Saint Dionysia. In memory of the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, their sculptural images are located in the central part of Notre Dame Cathedral. Bas-reliefs on the theme of the New Testament decorate the outside of the choir. In 1886, the rite of acceptance of the Catholic faith of the writer Paul Claudel took place in the Cathedral, as evidenced by a bronze plate with an inscription mounted in the floor of the transept. Notre Dame Cathedral itself is immortalized in the work of the same name by Victor Hugo.

I have a cool attitude towards Gothic as a modern form of kitsch and clothing style, but I adore architectural Gothic, perhaps due to the fact that it is not represented at all in the vastness of our country. There is the so-called “Russian Gothic” or pseudo-Gothic - a style in which they tried to build in Russia after the death of Empress Catherine II, but all this is so inauthentic and clumsy that it cannot be compared with genuine medieval Gothic architecture.

Chartres Cathedral is considered a real masterpiece of Gothic art. It is located, as the name suggests, in the city of Chartres, 90 kilometers south of Paris and is a world cultural heritage site protected by UNESCO.

On the site of the current cathedral, there used to be another temple, which burned down in 1194 during a severe fire that destroyed almost the entire city. However, miraculously, the shroud of the Virgin Mary, the main shrine of the cathedral, remained intact. This was regarded as a sign from above, and on the site of the burnt cathedral, a majestic and grandiose new cathedral was built with donations pouring in from all over France. So, since the end of the 13th century, when Chartres Cathedral was opened and consecrated in the presence of the king, the cathedral has remained virtually unchanged.

Chartres Cathedral is both a classic and a masterpiece of Gothic architecture with all its integral attributes - high pointed frame vaults, numerous arches, high pillars supporting frames, arches and vaults, turrets, spiers and portals.

The cathedral is decorated in the style of the so-called “flaming Gothic”, characterized by openwork and abundance of decorations. Literally every portico, every column and every vault of the cathedral is a masterpiece of sculpture and architecture. Scenes from the Old and New Testaments are presented here in abundance, the largest of which is dedicated to the Last Judgment. According to researchers, the cathedral is decorated with about 10 thousand sculptures and stone images.

The famous stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral deserve a special mention. This collection of authentic medieval stained glass is unique and famous all over the world, it even has its own separate website. The collection consists of almost 150 windows, many of which have been preserved since the 12th century. Unfortunately, the secret of medieval stained glass art, thanks to which the stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral are distinguished by such pure, piercing and bright colors, has been lost.

A pointed vault consisting of two segmental arches intersecting each other.

General description of Gothic architecture

The internal space, the ethereal air environment into which a person enters, acquired in the Gothic cathedral the power of artistic influence that heavy stone masses had in the East, and architectural forms carved from stone in Greece.

In terms of capacity and height, Gothic cathedrals are significantly superior to the largest Romanesque cathedrals.

Construction diagram of a Gothic cathedral

The most striking technical means used by Gothic are pointed arches and a frame system with a ribbed vault. They give the cathedral a special appearance and stability. Buttresses and flying buttresses are included in the outer frame structure of the cathedral, being not only decoration, but also a load-bearing element, taking a serious load from the outer walls.

The history of Gothic architecture

Gothic style originated in the 12th century in northern France. In subsequent centuries it spread to many European countries.

In the 11th and 12th centuries, the formation of the urban bourgeoisie became the impetus for the development of culture and economy. On this wave, in cities, widespread construction of buildings of a new archetype began, which, after a couple of centuries, began to be called Gothic. The name of this style belongs to the Italian architect, painter and writer Giorgio Vasari. Thus, he expressed his attitude towards the architectural style, which seemed to him rude and barbaric.

Gothic cathedrals were built not without taxes from the townspeople. Often, construction was interrupted for decades during wars and natural disasters. Many cathedrals remained unfinished. Some cathedrals began to be built in one style and ended in another. For example, Chartres Cathedral (1145-1260), decorated with two stylistically different towers.

The main preference was given to the construction of large cathedrals, churches and castles.

In the architecture of Western Europe, Gothic can be divided into 3 types, corresponding to different time periods:

1. Early Gothic or pointed (1140-1250). The transition from Romanesque to Gothic style. This has been happening since the middle of the 12th century in France, England and Germany. It is characterized by powerful building walls and high arches.
   

   

2. High (mature) Gothic. XIII-XIV centuries (1194-1400) Improvement of early Gothic and its recognition as the urban architectural style of Europe. Mature (high) Gothic is characterized by frame construction, rich architectural compositions, and a large amount of sculpture and stained glass.
   
   

   

3. Late Gothic (flaming). XIV century 1350-1550. The name comes from the flame-like patterns used in the design of buildings. This is the highest form of Gothic architecture, where the main focus is on decorative elements. Ornaments in the shape of a “fish bladder”. This period is characterized by the development of sculptural art. Sculptural compositions not only instilled religious feelings in people by depicting scenes from the Bible, but also reflected the life of ordinary people.
   

   

Unlike Germany and England, late Gothic in France, devastated by the Hundred Years' War, did not receive widespread development and did not create a large number of significant works. The most significant late Gothic buildings include: the Church of Saint-Maclou (Saint-Malo), Rouen, Moulins Cathedral, Milan Cathedral, Seville Cathedral, Nantes Cathedral.

In the homeland of Gothic, in France, the following stages of this style are distinguished:

— Lancet Gothic (early) (1140-1240)

- Radiant Gothic or Rayonnant - “shining style” (1240-1350)

The style of Gothic architecture that developed in France after the 20s of the 13th century is called “radiant” - in honor of the ornament in the form of sun rays typical of that period that adorned the graceful rose windows. Thanks to technical innovations, the forms of openwork stone window decoration have become richer and more refined; complex patterns were now made according to preliminary drawings made on parchment. But despite the increased complexity of the ornaments, the decorative structure still remained two-dimensional, devoid of volume.

— Flaming Gothic (late) (1350-1500)

In England and Germany, slightly different stages of the Gothic style in architecture are distinguished:

— Lanceolate Gothic. 13th century A characteristic element is the diverging bundles of ribs of the vaults, reminiscent of a lancet.

Cathedral in Durham. Lanceolate Gothic
Interior of the Cathedral in Durham. "Blooming bunches" of ribs. Lanceolate Gothic

— Decorated Gothic. 14th century Decorativeness replaces the severity of early English Gothic. The vaults of Exeter Cathedral have additional ribs, and it seems as if a huge flower is growing above the capitals.

Exeter Cathedral. Decorated Gothic
Interior of Exeter Cathedral. Decorated Gothic

— Perpendicular Gothic. XV century. The predominance of vertical lines in the design of decorative elements. In Gloucester Cathedral, the ribs spread out from the capitals, creating the semblance of an open fan - this is called a fan vault. Perpendicular Gothic existed until the beginning of the 16th century.

— Tudor Gothic. First third of the 16th century. During this period, buildings were built that were completely Gothic in shape, but almost all, without exception, were secular. The most important distinguishing feature of Tudor buildings can be considered the use of brick, which rather suddenly spread throughout England. A typical Tudor manor (eg Knole or St James's Palace in London) is made of brick or stone, with a gate tower. The entrance to the courtyard is through a wide, low arch (Tudor arch), with octagonal towers often built on the sides. Often above the entrance there is a large family coat of arms, because many families had only recently acquired aristocratic status and wanted to emphasize it. The roof is often almost entirely covered with decorative turrets and chimneys. By that time, castles were no longer needed, so fortifications - towers, high walls, etc. - they were built purely for beauty.

Sondergothic (from German Sonder - “special”) is a late Gothic style of architecture that was in fashion in Austria, Bavaria and Bohemia in the 14th-16th centuries. The style is characterized by massive, majestic buildings and carefully carved wood details for interior and exterior decor.

Features of early Gothic. Main distinguishing features.

• • Tall lancet windows without masking (France), with masking and without crypt (Germany)

• • Facades of 2 towers with round windows (rosas). Rosas and the facade of Notre Dame in Paris become models for numerous cathedrals

• • Masverk, round Gothic window and wimpers of the highest sophistication

• • Important glass paintings

• • Wall division 4-zone

• • Round columns with 4 thin service columns

• • Rich ornamentation of capitals

• Exceptionally pointed arches

Features of mature Gothic. Main distinguishing features.

• • Instead of walls, stained glass windows with paintings are installed. After replacing the shed roofs of the side naves with hipped and hip roofs, it is possible to provide rear windows and triforia (Cologne). round upper windows

• • Wall division 3-zone

• • Thin dividing walls

• • A striving upward that requires double (Chartres 36 m, Beauvais 48 m) and triple flying buttresses

• • Composite columns (beam-shaped)

• • Semicircular arches

• • 4-part vault

• The roofs of the towers are openwork

Features of late Gothic. Main distinguishing features.

• • Low upper window openings or reducing the size of windows, as well as round windows along with lancet windows with rich openwork ornaments

• • Higher arcades

• • More decoratively rich (Isabella style from 1475, Plateresque style - a combination of Eastern and Moorish influences)

• • Openwork ornament in the form of a fish bladder (Cathedral of Amiens 1366-1373)

• • The middle nave is higher than the side ones and there are fewer dividing elements between the naves. In Germany there is no transverse nave at all

• • The columns acquire a more simplified profile. round posts are installed far from one another

• • There is no capital on the service columns or there are on separate columns

• • Large arches - keeled (already Renaissance)

• • Star or reticulate vault and vault with interlocking ribs with pear-shaped profile

• • Triforium missing

• Roofs with domes

Windows in Gothic architecture

The partition walls of the grass and choirs are filled with windows with colored glass, and the pediment walls of the main and side naves are filled with rosettes. The openwork Gothic ornament (masswerk) plays a particularly important role in architecture.

Masswerk

The rose of a Gothic cathedral is understood as a pattern filling a round window and as a semblance of a heavenly body. In the decoration of the rose, the speculative mindset of medieval thinking was clearly reflected: all lines are brought to a clear order (unlike the Muslim ornament), ornamental motifs are born one from the other, small circles along the edges are subordinated to the movement of the main rods.

Walls in Gothic architecture

The poetic fiction that is so striking inside the cathedral finds explanation outside. The openwork walls are held back from the outside by a complex engineering structure - buttresses. The contrast of strong bones with light infill became the cornerstone of Gothic architecture. It was reflected in the disappearance of the stone planes of the walls, replaced by openwork windows between the pillars, and in the rib vault, and in the triforium, and finally, in the supporting arches thrown from the bases of the vaults to the buttresses, the so-called flying buttresses, with their mass reduced to a minimum.

Doors (portals) in Gothic architecture

The lower tier of the façade is occupied by perspective portals. The doors are framed at the bottom with statues slightly larger than the height of a man. They greet him at the entrance with a friendly look, sometimes with a smile. The portals are framed by high pointed arches with a round rose in the middle. The proportions are brought to the extreme degree of harmony and delicacy. Sculptural decoration of portals, wimpers, consoles.

Conclusion

The development of Gothic art was brought to life by the rise of urban culture, the desire for free social life and mental activity. But many of these ideals, given the preservation of an unshakable feudal order throughout Europe, could not be realized. In the 13th century, a struggle between the petty and large bourgeoisie began in the communes, and royal power began to interfere more in the life of cities. Naturally, in the fragile organism of the new society, a desire to canonize what had been achieved could easily awaken. It replaced living creativity with theological accounting.

Gotica- a period in the development of medieval art in Western, Central and partly Eastern Europe.

The word comes from Italian. gotico - unusual, barbaric - (Goten - barbarians; this style has nothing to do with the historical Goths), and was first used as an expletive. For the first time, the concept in the modern sense was used by Giorgio Vasari in order to separate the Renaissance from the Middle Ages.

Origin of the term

However, there was nothing barbaric in this style: on the contrary, it is distinguished by great grace, harmony and observance of logical laws. A more correct name would be “lancet”, because. The pointed form of the arc is an essential feature of Gothic art. And, indeed, in France, the birthplace of this style, the French gave it a completely appropriate name - “ogive style” (from ogive - arrow).

Three main periods:
— Early Gothic XII-XIII centuries.
— High Gothic — 1300-1420. (conditional)
- Late Gothic - XV century (1420-1500) is often called “Flaming”

Architecture

The Gothic style mainly manifested itself in the architecture of temples, cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. It developed on the basis of Romanesque, or more precisely, Burgundian architecture. In contrast to the Romanesque style, with its round arches, massive walls and small windows, the Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, narrow and tall towers and columns, a richly decorated facade with carved details (vimpergi, tympanums, archivolts) and multi-colored stained glass lancet windows . All style elements emphasize verticality.

art

Sculpture played a huge role in creating the image of the Gothic cathedral. In France, she designed mainly its external walls. Tens of thousands of sculptures, from plinth to pinnacles, populate the mature Gothic cathedral.

Round monumental sculpture is actively developing in Gothic. But at the same time, Gothic sculpture is an integral part of the cathedral ensemble; it is part of the architectural form, since, together with architectural elements, it expresses the upward movement of the building, its tectonic meaning. And, creating an impulsive play of light and shadow, it, in turn, enlivens, spiritualizes the architectural masses and promotes their interaction with the air environment.

Painting. One of the main directions of Gothic painting was stained glass, which gradually replaced fresco painting. The technique of stained glass remained the same as in the previous era, but the color palette became much richer and more colorful, and the subjects were more complex - along with images of religious subjects, stained glass windows on everyday themes appeared. In addition, not only colored glass, but also colorless glass began to be used in stained glass.

The Gothic period saw the heyday of book miniatures. With the advent of secular literature (chivalrous novels, etc.), the range of illustrated manuscripts expanded, and richly illustrated books of hours and psalms were also created for home use. Artists began to strive for a more authentic and detailed reproduction of nature. Prominent representatives of Gothic book miniatures are the Limburg brothers, court miniaturists of the Duke of Berry, who created the famous “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry” (circa 1411-1416).

Ornament

Fashion

Interior

Dressoir is a china cabinet, a piece of late Gothic furniture. Often covered with painting.

The furniture of the Gothic era is simple and heavy in the truest sense of the word. For example, for the first time, clothes and household items are beginning to be stored in closets (in antiquity, only chests were used for these purposes). Thus, by the end of the Middle Ages, prototypes of basic modern pieces of furniture appeared: a wardrobe, a bed, an armchair. One of the most common methods of making furniture was frame-panel knitting. The materials used in the north and west of Europe were mainly local wood species - oak, walnut, and in the south (Tyrol) and east - spruce and pine, as well as larch, European cedar, juniper.