What is a gothic cathedral? | Cultural Travel Guide (2024)

I used to be embarrassed every time I heard the term “gothic cathedral” because I really didn’t know what it meant. Gargoyles? Darkness? Arches? Medieval?

And it would happen that I really couldn’t tell whether a church was gothic or not. Some look kind of like… the same, don’t they?

Well, no more. I went and did the research and now I’m going to teach you how to recognize a gothic cathedral.

But first…

What is a cathedral?

Ok, so a church is a building used for Christian public worship. A cathedral is a church that contains the seat of a bishop, which means, it is the central church in a district (or diocese) that is supervised by a Bishop.

What is “gothic”?

The term “gothic” refers to a style of art and architecture that developed during medieval times, in the second half of the 12^th century in France (later expanding internationally).

In actuality the term was coined in the 15^th and 16^th centuries during the Renaissance, by Italian historians, to name a style that they were rejecting, so at the time, it was a derogatory term.

The style was named after the Goths, a group of Germanic tribes that sacked Rome and destroyed the Roman Empire.

In its day, the style was called “the modern style” or the “French style”.

As intellectual life was begun to concentrate in the cities, patrons started to fund the construction of churches and monasteries, as well as other buildings like castles and private homes.

What is a gothic cathedral?

Romanesque architecture was introduced during the first part of the Middle Ages, between the 6^th and 10^th centuries.

It featured massive structures, slit windows, semicircular arches and very thick walls. Gothic evolved from this style, becoming much more decorative and refined.

Gothic cathedral design aimed at having more light in the interior space of the church, a nave that would rise up to the heavens and beautiful and decorative vaulting that would support the structure.

In other words, light, height and vaulting. But combining the three of them in one single building was a very difficult feat.

Most of the very characteristic features of gothic cathedrals stem from these three objectives.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, gothic didn’t mean dark and grim. Gothic architecture actually strived for more light, more color from stained glass windows, more space, lifting the human spirit.

The dead giveaway of a gothic cathedral is the pointed arch, but there are other architectural elements.

Gothic architectural elements

There are key elements present in most gothic cathedrals, though some may depart from the basic design in one way or another.

Floorplan

Narthex
Entrance area, parallel to the transept, but generally smaller.

Nave
The big central aisle in the middle of the building.

Aisle
Spaces on each side of the nave, separated from it by a colonnade.

Tower
Gothic cathedrals generally have two towers flanking the entrance.

Apse
The apse is the rounded end of the nave. It may happen that the choir sits there as the diagram above suggests or it may happen that the choir sits at the crossing.

Ambulatory
The circular passageway behind the apse, that gives access to the radiating chapels behind.

Chevettes
The radiating chapels behind the apse, many times used for worship of saints.

Interior space

Ribbed vault
There is a rib on top of each vault, which gives the design a lighter feel compared to the regular groin vault of the Romanesque, achieving the objective of lighter vaulting in gothic architecture.

Clerestory
A line of windows on top of the aisles, which allowed for more light pouring in from the outside through the stained glass, achieving the objective of light in gothic architecture.

Triforium
It is a small walkway on top of the aisles, originally reserved for nuns or women. Sometimes it had stained glass windows as well.

Pointed arch
The very signature of gothic design.

Piers
Which act as the main support of the nave.

Exterior elements

Buttresses
These are external structures that give support to the walls of the cathedral. By placing these structural elements outside, the interior space is freed for contemplation.

Often buttresses are very decorative, they are always hugging the exterior wall, directly attached to it.

Flying buttresses
On the other hand, flying buttresses are detached from the exterior walls and are connected to the buttress and the wall by an arch.

Flying buttresses are one of the most characteristic features of gothic cathedrals, giving them a sort of skeletal appearance and a weightlessness that contrasts with the heaviness of Romanesque churches.

Pinnacle
Pinnacles decorate the tips of buttresses with a spire.

Rosetta window
The round window that is located in the middle of the façade and is decorated with stained glass.

Pointed tympanum
The tympanum is the large symmetrical sculpture above the entrance to the church. In the case of the gothic cathedral, it’s encased inside a pointed arch recess.

Jamb figures
A series of high relief sculptures that adorn the sides of the doors.

A note about sculpture

Let’s remember that most people couldn’t read and write in the Middle Ages, so art —in the form of painting and sculptures— was the way in which the church would “educate” people.

So if you see closely, you will find sculptures of Eve giving the apple to Adam, or the blessed marching to the right of Jesus, while the dammed march on his left.

Ok, so now you have enough information to determine if a church is of gothic design or not. I’ve been to a few gothic cathedrals and chapels and the quality of light truly inspires you.

The fantastic flying buttresses and the elaborate sculpture give gothic cathedrals a very unique aesthetic. I am glad many of them are still standing and working today, despite the challenges in light, height and vaulting.

I will soon be sharing some examples of amazing gothic cathedrals, to watch out for that.

Now it’s your turn: Can you recognize gothic elements in a church near you?
What was the last gothic cathedral you visited? What did you think of the design?

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Tags: architecture, art, France, Paris