Gothic times

        Gothic architecture flourished during the late medieval period, evolving fro Romanesque architecture. Originating in the 12th century, this style of architecture lasted until the 16th century. Many great examples are seen in cathedrals, abbeys, churches, castles, town halls, and universities throughout Europe. Being an ecclesiastical style of design, Gothic designs are most prominent in places of worship.

New designs features introduced...

• Pointed arches
• Buttresses and Flying Buttresses
• Ribbed Vaulting
• Large groups of windows and Tracery- Plenty of light to mimic a heavenly feel.
• Rose windows  - Beautiful stained glass to allow colorful light.
• Ornate facades - lots of ornamentation, stone carvings.

Great Architectural Examples

• Ely Cathedral - Cambridgeshire, England. The cathedral was originally built in the 10th century, and underwent many Gothic changes within the next few centuries. Built of stone, with carved decorative elements of purbeck marble and limestone. 

• Sainte Chapelle - Paris, France. Royal medieval gothic chapel. Began construction after 1239, commissioned by King Louis IX to hold precious relics, including Christ's Crown of Thorns. Sainte Chapelle displays forms of Rayonnant Gothic architecture, focusing on the utilization of scale and spatial rationalism dealing with two dimensional surfaces, such as using motifs in different scales. 

• Cologne Cathedral - Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. Construction began in 1248, wasn't finished until the 19th century. 

• Wroclaw Town Hall - Town hall located in the center of Wroclaw, Poland. Construction began at the end of the 13th century and was finished in the 16th century. This building is a perfect example of bourgeois architecture of the time. 

Gothic architectural influence today...