Gothic Architecture

What was a major innovation of the Gothic cathedral? How did the architecture of the cathedral reflect the prevailing idea of God?

The Gothic cathedrals differed from the Romanesque style of church-building in the methods they used to support the massive, heavy stone ceilings. Traditionally, churches would have to be small and sturdy, in order to hold up the heavy weight of thousands of pounds of stone. But an innovation called the “flying buttress”, an arch which distributed the weight of the roof to an exterior support, opened up a new world of architecture, the Gothic style, examples of which include soaring spires and elaborate engraving.

The architecture of Gothic cathedrals made it easier for larger windows to be put into churches, thereby letting in more light. With the imagery of Jesus as “the light of the world”, the increased lighting in cathedrals presented a spiritual dynamic for churchgoers. Additionally, since God was considered to be a God of order, and the “ultimate” mathematician, architects sought to show God’s character in the geometrically coherent structures that they designed to house the Church.

Thanks for reading!

PS – what do you think of the signout? I’ll be playing around with them a bit ’til I find one I like!

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