Gothic Style in Architecture

Gothic style in architecture began to form in the northern part of modern France and in the territory of modern Switzerland and Belgium around the beginning of the XII century. Then, a little later - in Germany.

The first Gothic structure in architecture is the church at the monastery of Saint-Denis, located near Paris. Built according to the design of the abbot of Sugeria, it is a typically Gothic structure with pointed arches. From the Roman fortresses it was distinguished by a great grace.

In general, the Gothic style in architecture inherited from the Romanesque superiority of architecture in the general art system and the main types of religious buildings. In the art of Gothic, cathedrals took a special place.

The cathedrals, erected in this style, represented the highest synthesis of architecture with sculpture and painting. Massive round arches of the Romanesque style replaced the Gothic arches with pointed tops, tall and narrow columns and towers, pointed multicolored stained glass windows, a generously decorated façade with an abundance of carved details (wimpers, timpani, archivolts). All elements were designed to emphasize the vertical.

Gothic style in architecture was called from Greek "ready". In antiquity the Goths were called the tribes of the barbarians who invaded the territory of the Roman Empire from the north. According to legend, this term was first used by Raphael.

The symbols of Gothic architecture were the cathedral and the cross, replacing the castle and the sword of the Romanesque style. For the XII century. Characterized by a huge impact on the life of religion.

Gothic churches were built by generations. Notre Dame Cathedral was built more than two centuries, the Roman Cathedral from 1211 to the beginning of the XV century, and Milan - until the XIX.

Gothic architecture was supposed to symbolize in heavenly heavenly harmony. Therefore, designs were invented that allowed to overcome roughness of the stone. It was transformed with the help of professional carving into "lace".

The artistic secret was that the visual design of the Gothic structures did not coincide with reality. Huge heavy arches seem cloudy-airy, masterfully changed traditional proportions prevent to be guided, understand design logic and to realize real scales. In the Gothic cathedral it seems that from under the feet goes the soil, and the man himself ascends to the bottomless infinity of the sky.

Gothic style in architecture loves the game with light. The key point of this style is to create the effect of the ever-flowing Divine Light, which symbolizes spiritual wisdom and enlightenment. This is the purpose of stained glass.

Gothic style developed mainly in cities. The predominant colors of the architecture are yellow, blue and red. The lines of buildings and structures become lancet in character, the vaults are formed by crossing arcs. Buildings are erected in a basically rectangular shape with numerous pointed arches that pass into pillars.

Obligatory details of the interior are the faithful vaults with supports, complex foliage ornaments. The structures of the buildings are characterized by the openwork of the frame stone supports, the windows stretched upwards, the skeleton of the structure underlined. An integral part of the design is the stained glass windows of multicolored glass, sometimes there are round decorative windows. Doors are decorated with arched, ribbed arches.

The view of buildings in the Gothic style acquires a kind of fantasy, appearing at the sight of stone walls that seem light and airy. This lightness, airiness, irrationality and mystical vision are mandatory properties of any structure in the Gothic style.

Gothic style went through three historical stages of development - Early Gothic, Blossoming (High Gothic) and Late Gothic.

At the beginning of the XVI century, the Gothic style in architecture began to lose its position in connection with the advent of Renaissance traditions in the culture.