Feudal system was practiced.

Kings’ rule over the NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL,PARIS

GEOGRAPHICAL- common people was tyrannical. Wars within the same 1163-1250 AD
-Romanesque influenced Provence lords against kingly power. One of the oldest Gothic cathedrals in France done by
-Byzantine for Garonne since it was the trade route of When the king is strong, the nobles were kept in check Bishop Maurice de Sully
the merchants from Marseilles to Bordeaux to the East and people prospered, thus people and the king fostered The plan is on bent axial plan with typical wide nave,
Moorish Spain has also shared its style the communes against the nobles. double aisles, transepts of small projection in line with
North of France was influenced by the Northmen who 12 century marked the continuous struggle of the the aisle and a notable chevet with double aisle and
started the Gothic style communes to assert their freedom. surrounding chapels between the buttresses
“Ile de France”- or Royal Domain- an old district where 1285-1314 Parlement de Paris became the principal law East side present a fairy like appearance with its slender
Paris was the capital became the headquarters of the court which covered the ecclesiastical and feudal flying buttresses and chevet chapels, gabled transepts,
Kings of France, powers. and delicate fleche soaring 300 ft high flank by western
the place where the pointed arch was introduced from During that time, agriculture prospered towers
the Muslims was brought by the early Crusades. 1347-49- Black Death -death of large number of
CLIMATIC population which slowed the construction of buildings. •West façade
The north of France resembles' the cold climate of south serve as model
of England ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER for other
West- Warmer along the Atlantic coast The style started half century earlier in France than in churches
South -Sub-tropical along Mediterranean England •Has deep
The climatic variations regulated the fenestrations of the It is characterized by: recessed
structures. •Lofty vaults portals with
Window and door openings decrease in size toward the •High pitched roof encircling tiers
south. •Western towers of statued
cold dull weather of the North permitted large tracery •Tapering spires, pinnacles niches
windows •Flying buttresses •Central
GEOLOGICAL •Tracery windows doorway is
Volcanic stones found in mountainous regions gave rich Gothic style or Style Ogivale in French term, lasted from divided by
chromatic appearance 1150 to 1500 AD. pillars with
RELIGIOUS 3 STAGES statue of Christ
Christians united against the Muslims and send Crusades 12th century Primaire or Gothique a lancettes, period of while above
1189 century, France joined the third Crusades pointed arches and geometric tracery windows and stretches a
-The clergy as an organization gained the highest power. transition from Romanesque began in Ile de France, band of
-The papacy was powerful stayed in France Sens, and Senlis statues of
Inauguration of cults for saints in different locations led 13th century Secondaire or Rayonnant, characterized by kings
to the construction of beautiful shrines which acquired circular windows with wheel tracery, •Central wheel 42 ft in diameter
wealth and importance as pilgrimage centers as in Amiens, Rheims and Bourges Flanked by high coupled windows
SOCIAL 14th century tertiare or flamboyant , from the flame-like Above is arcaded screen stretches across the façade in
The country occupied by different races who were at war or free flowing tracery windows front of the nave roof connecting two western tower
with each other at S. Ouens, albi , Rouen, Dieppe.
King Hugh Caper in 987 ruled the country
The Gothic period was marked by restlessness of the
people intellectually and spiritually as seen in the
character of Gothic cathedrals
 CHARTRES CATHEDRAL FLAMBOYANT 14TH CENTURY -Gothic reach England in the 1160s
1194-1260 AD The end of the Hundred Years War marked the -The early Gothic of west and north were cosmetic
-The plan has short rapid rebuilding of structures and architectural rather than structural. Gothic veneer was applied to the
nave, strong marked walls
developments in France.
aisled transept, each -Instead of soaring spaces, and tall stained windows, the
provided with towers The net tracery patterns now stretches across all English prefer rich mouldings and plentiful encrustations
-With two western available surfaces, including the vault, which is of polished shafts of marble. They have no particular
towers and two eastern covered with complex star designs by the fetish of vaults. Instead they used timber roofs
towers and a central addition of lierne and tierceron . Division of British Gothic
tower Tracery patterns influenced by English Early English-
Chevet is built above decorated patterns of flame-like forms and the Decorated-
the crypt of the older Perpendicular-
opposite pattern of perpendicular design toward
Romanesque church
-The spire of the north
severity. Gothic architecture was originally known as “French
tower is one of the Exterior design became richer than ever as seen Style”.During the period of Renaissance it fell out of
most beautiful in in the façade of Notre Dame, Louvres in 15th fashion and it was notrespected by many artists. They
Europe century marked it as “Gothic” to suggest itwas the crude work
-The interior has a fine of German barbarians (Goths).
nave arcade of circular SECULAR BUILDINGS
piers with four shafts with low arcaded triforium COUNTRY HOUSES
surmounted with clearstory of two pointed windows
CHATEAU DE JOSSELIN- circular towers,
Crowned by quadripartite vault
Known for its 160 windows of stained glass
ogee door-heads, mullioned windows
Traceried parapets, steep roofs with dormer
windows structure typical in France
RAYONNANT ,GOTHIC 1230
Structural changes a little Castle at Carcassone- built to house garrison
Tracery windows were the striking features where rectangular enclosures with corner
The new style was seen in S Denis in 1231 towers. Built as a defence during the Hundred
Three level section with triforium was derived Years War
from High Gothic
Clearstory was filled with interlocking bar Hotel de Ville at Compiegne 15th century AD
tracery and the back wall of the triforium was feudal lords leave their castles and lived in
light to create the effect of a great sheet of glass houses known as hotel-planned, as in the
in the upper level. country, round a court, with elaborate façade
Clearstory and triforium were closely linked by facing the street.
shared mullions and the whole internal
elevation was tied together with composite piers BRITISH ISLES GOTHIC
and uninterrupted vaults. English attitudes toward French models were
ambivalent, casual, even critical.