French Gothic architecture
Years active | 1140 to 16th century |
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Location | France |
French Gothic architecture is an
French scholars divide the Gothic of their country into four phases:[1]
- Gothique primitif (Primary Gothic) or Gothique premier (First Gothic), from short before 1140 until shortly after 1180, marked by tribunes above the aisles of basilicas.
- Gothique Classique or (Classic Gothic), from the 1180s to the first third of 13th century, marked by basilicas without lateral tribunes and with triforia without windows. Some buildings of this phase, like Chartres Cathedral, have to be subsumed to Early Gothic, others, like the Reims Cathedral and the western parts of Amiens Cathedral, have to be subsumed to High Gothic.
- Gothique rayonnant (Shining Gothic), from the second third of 13th century to the first half of 14th century, marked by triforia with windows and a general preference for stained glass instead of stone walls. It forms the greater portion of High Gothic.
- Gothique flamboyant (Flaming Gothic), since mid 14th century, marked by swinging and flaming (that makes the term) forms of tracery.
The French style was widely copied in other parts of northern Europe, particularly Germany and England. It was gradually supplanted as the dominant French style in the mid-16th century by French Renaissance architecture.[2]
Origins
French Gothic architecture was the result of the emergence in the 12th century of a powerful French state centered in the
Over the later course of the
Primary Gothic Style - Saint-Denis, Sens, Senlis, and Notre Dame
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Basilica of Saint Denis, west facade (1130–1140)
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Ambulatory of Basilica of Saint-Denis (c. 1140)
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Nave of Sens Cathedral (1140–1164)
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Nave of Senlis Cathedral (1153–1191)
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Choir and ambulatory ofNotre Dame Cathedral, begun in 1163, were much remodeled after a fire in 1220; the triforia were abolished and gave place to an enlargement of the clerestory, the flying buttresses were exchanged for new ones, and the file of chapels was added to the ambulatory.
The birthplace of the
The builders then constructed the nave of the church, also using rib vaults. It was constructed in four levels; the
The first cathedral constructed in the new style was
Classic Gothic Cathedrals – Chartres, Bourges, Reims, western parts of Amiens
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Rose window and facade of Chartres Cathedral (1194–1220)
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Choir of Chartres Cathedral
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Bourges Cathedral with flying buttresses (1195–1230)
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Reims Cathedral from the northwest (1211–1345)
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Facade of Amiens Cathedral (1220–1266)
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Amiens Cathedral choir and altar
The second phase of Gothic in France is called
Rayonnant Gothic – Sainte-Chapelle and the rose windows of Notre-Dame
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Windows of upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle (1238–1248)
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Columns of exterior framework supporting the windows of Sainte-Chapelle
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Rose window in north transept ofNotre Dame Cathedral
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Exterior of south rose window ofNotre Dame Cathedral
The third period of French Gothic architecture, from the second half of the 13th century until the 1370s, was termed Rayonnant ("Radiant"), describing the tendency toward the use of more and more stained glass and less masonry in the design of the structure, until the walls seemed entirely made of glass. The most celebrated example was the chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, attached to the royal residence on the Palais de la Cité. An elaborate system of exterior columns and arches reduced the walls of the upper chapel to a thin framework for the enormous windows. The weight of each of the masonry gables above the archivolt of the windows also helped the walls to resist the thrust and to distribute the weight.[10]
Another landmark of the Rayonnant Gothic are the two rose windows on the north and south of the transept of
Flamboyant Gothic - Rouen Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes
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West facade, Rouen Cathedral (1370s)
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The west front of Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes (1370s)
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The nave of Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes
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The rose window Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes. The sinuous lines of the window frame gave the style the name "Flamboyant".
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Choir ofMont Saint Michel Abbey(about 1448)
The
Religious architecture in the French regions
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Angevin Gothic vaults and columns in the Hopital-St-Jean in Angers
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Angevin Gothic vault of the Church of Puy-Notre Dame
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West facade of Dijon Cathedral in Burgundy (1280–1325)
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Nave of Chalon Cathedral in Burgundy (1220–1522)
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Facade of Poitiers Cathedral (1155–1379)
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Choir of Nevers Cathedral (1211–1331)
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Albi Cathedral in southwest France (1282–1480), built of brick
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Polychrome nave of Albi Cathedral (1282–1480)
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The Palm Tree of the Jacobins church (Toulouse, circa 1292)
The most famous examples of Gothic architecture are found in the Île-de-France and Champagne, but other French regions created their own original versions of the style.
Norman Gothic
Normandy at the end of the 12th century saw the construction of several notable Gothic cathedrals and churches. The characteristic features of Norman Gothic were sharply pointed arches, lavish use of decorative molding, and walls pierced with numerous passages. Norman architects and builders were active not only in Normandy, but also across the Channel in England. The high-quality Norman stone was cut and transported to England for use in English cathedrals.[13]
Notable examples of Norman Gothic include
Angevin Gothic
The Angevin Gothic style or Plantagenet style in the province of Anjou features vaults with elegant decorative ribs, as well as ornate columns. The style is found in the interior of Angers Cathedral (1032–1523), though many of the Gothic elements of the facade were replaced with Renaissance elements and towers. A fine example of Angevin Gothic is found in the medieval Saint Jean Hospital in Angers, which now contains the Musée Jean-Lurçat, a museum of contemporary tapestries.[14]
Maine Gothic
Poitiers Cathedral in the historic province of Maine also features a distinctive regional Gothic style. It was begun in 1162 under King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Its distinctive features, like those of Angevin Gothic, include convex vaults with ribs in decorative designs.[14]
Burgundian Gothic
Burgundy also had its own version of Gothic, found in Nevers Cathedral (1211–1331), Dijon Cathedral (1280–1325), Chalon Cathedral (1220–1522), and Auxerre Cathedral (13th-16th century). The Burgundian Gothic tended to be more sober and monumental than the more ornate northern style, and often included elements of earlier Romanesque churches on the same site, such as the Romanesque crypt beneath the Gothic choir at Auxerre Cathedral. Other Burgundian features included colourful tile roofs in geometric patterns (Langres Cathedral).[15]
Meridional Gothic
The south of France had its own distinct variation of the Gothic style: the Meriodonal or
Gothic civil architecture
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The façade of the Palais des Papes in Avignon (1252–1364)
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Gothic rib vaults of the hall of men at arms of the Conciergerie (1302)
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The Palais de la Cité in Paris, which included the royal residence and Sainte-Chapelle (illuminated manuscript from 1412 to 1416)
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Carillon of the Hôtel de Ville of Douai
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Palace of Jacques Cœur in Bourges (1440–1450)
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Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âgein Paris (1334–1510)
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Flamboyant Gothic ceiling above the staircase in the Tour Jean-sans-Peur in Paris (1409–1411)
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Hôtel de Ville of Compiègne (15th century)
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City Hall of Saint-Quentin, Aisne (1509)
The largest civic building built in the Gothic style in France was the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) in Avignon, constructed between 1252 and 1364, when the Popes fled the political chaos and wars enveloping Rome. Given the complicated political situation, it combined the functions of a church, a seat of government and a fortress.
In the 15th century, following the Late Gothic or Flamboyant period, some elements of Gothic decoration borrowed from cathedrals began to appear in civil architecture, particularly in the region of Flanders in northern France, and in Paris. The Hôtel de Ville of Compiègne has an imposing Gothic bell tower, featuring a spire surrounded by smaller towers, and its windows are decorated with ornate accolades or ornamental arches. Similarly, flamboyant town halls were found in Arras, Douai, and Saint-Quentin, Aisne, and across the border in Belgium in Brussels and Bruges. Unfortunately, many of the finest buildings were destroyed during World War I, due to their proximity to the front lines.[17]
Gothic features also appeared in the elaborate residences built by the nobility and wealthy bourgeoisie in Paris and other large cities. Examples include the Hôtel Cluny (now the
Transition between Gothic and Renaissance
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Unfinished Beauvais Cathedral lacking a nave and spire (1225–1272)
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The spire of Beauvais Cathedral before its fall in 1573
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Saint Eustache, a gothic plan with Renaissance decoration (1532–1632)
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Chapel of the Virgin Mary in Saint Eustache
During the Middle Ages Prosperous French cities competed to build the largest cathedral or the highest tower. One of the drawbacks of French Gothic architecture was its cost; it required many skilled craftsmen working for decades. Due to downturns in the economy, a number of French cathedrals were begun but never finished. They also sometimes suffered when the ambitions of the architects exceeded their technical skills. One example was Beauvais Cathedral. Its patrons and architects sought to build the tallest church in the world. with a vaulted choir 48 meters high, taller than its nearby competitor, Amiens Cathedral, at 42 meters. Work began in 1225 but the roof of the vault was too heavy for the walls, and partially collapsed in 1272. They thickened the walls and rebuilt the vault and in 1569 they completed a tower, 72 meters high, which from 1569 to 1573 made Beauvais Cathedral the tallest structure in the world. However, in 1573, the new tower collapsed, fortunately without any casualties. The church remains today as it was, with the choir, some of the ambulatory, apse, some chapels, but no nave or tower.[18]
Beginning in the 1530s, the
Religious buildings were slower to change. The Church of the Carmes-Deschaussé (1613–1620) on rue Vaugirard in Paris, and especially the church of
In the course of the 17th century, the French classical style of François Mansart began to dominate; then, under Louis XIV, the grand French classical style, practiced by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis Le Vau, and Claude Perrault, took center stage. Landmarks of the Gothic style, such as Notre-Dame, were modified with new interiors designed in the new style. Following the new fashion of his patron, Louis XIV, the poet Molière ridiculed the Gothic style in a 1669 poem: "...the insipid taste of Gothic ornamentation, these odious monstrosities of an ignorant age, produced by the torrents of barbarism...".
During the
Military architecture
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Donjon of the Château de Vincennes, begun 1337
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The Chateau de Dourdon as it appeared in 1400, illustrated in Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry
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The Château de Dourdan today
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Restored outer walls of the medieval Cité de Carcassonne (13th–14th century)
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Château de Pierrefonds, 19th-century completion of an unfinished medieval castle by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
In the 13th century, the design of the chateau fort, or castle, was modified, based on the Byzantine and Moslem castles the French knights had seen during the
In the Phillipienne castle, other towers, usually round, were placed at the corners and along the walls, close enough together to support each other. The walls had two levels of walkways on the inside, an upper parapet with openings (créneaux) from which soldiers could watch or fire arrows on besiegers below; narrow openings (
Castles were surrounded by deep moats, spanned by a single drawbridge. The entrance was also protected by a portcullis, which could be opened and closed. The walls at the bottom were often sloping, and protected with earthen barriers. A surviving example is the Château de Dourdan in the Seine-et-Marne department, near Nemours.[21]
After the end of the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453), with improvements in artillery, the castles lost most of their military importance. They remained as symbols of the rank of their noble occupants; the narrowing openings in the walls were often widened into the windows of bedchambers and ceremonial halls. The tower of the Chateau of Vincennes became a royal residence.[21]
In the 19th century, portions of the Gothic walls and towers of the Cité de Carcassonne were restored, with some modification, by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. He also rebuilt the Château de Pierrefonds (1393–1407), an unfinished medieval castle, making it into a neo-Gothic residence for Napoleon III. This project was incomplete when Napoleon III was overthrown in 1870, but can be visited today.
Restoration and Gothic Revival
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Sainte-Clotilde, Paris, by Théodore Ballu (1841–1857)
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Saint-Laurent, Paris by Simon-Claude-Constant Dufeux (1862–1865).
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Neo-Gothic fronton of Saint-Laurent, Paris
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Sanctuary of Basilica of Saint Clotilde, Paris (1862–1865)
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Saint-Eugene-Sainte-Cécile(1854–1855) featured a Gothic design with a modern iron framework
A large part of the Gothic architectural heritage of France, particularly the churches and monasteries, had been damaged or destroyed during the Revolution. Of the 300 churches in Paris in the 16th century, only 97 still were standing in 1800. The
Under Louis Philippe, French Gothic architecture was officially recognized as a treasure of French culture. Under Mérimée's direction, the first efforts to restore major Gothic monuments began. In 1835, the church of
French Gothic architecture also experienced a modest revival, largely confined to new churches. Neo-Gothic churches built in Paris included
Characteristics
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Six-part rib vaults of ceiling of Notre-Dame Cathedral
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Four-part rib vaults at Amiens Cathedral allowed greater height and larger windows
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Flying buttresses of Amiens Cathedral. Pinnacles atop the buttresses added decoration and additional weight to strengthen the building
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North portal ofBasilica of St Denis, with early tympanumand columns made of elongated figures
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Day of Judgement Tympanum at Amiens Cathedral
The rib vault
The Gothic style emerged from innovative use of existing technologies, particularly the
The flying buttress
The second major innovation of the Gothic style was the
The development of rib-vaults and buttresses brought gradual changes to the interior structure of cathedrals. Early Gothic cathedrals had the walls of the nave built in four levels: a gallery with columns on the ground level; then the tribune, a gallery with windows; then the triforium, a row of smaller windows; and finally the high windows, just below the vaults. During the High Gothic period, with the development of the four-part rib vault and the flying buttress, the tribune was eliminated at Chartres and other new cathedrals, allowing taller windows and arcades. By the 15th century, at Rouen Cathedral, the triforium also disappeared, and the walls between the traverses were filled with high windows.[25]
The portal and tympanum
Another innovative feature of the French Gothic cathedral was the design of the
Stained glass and the rose window
Large
The early windows were made of pieces of tinted glass, touched up with grisaille painting, and held in place by pieces of lead that outlined the figures. As the windows grew larger, more intense colors were used. After 1260, the colors became lighter, and the combination of grisaille and pale shades of yellow became more common. Chartres Cathedral and Le Mans Cathedral have some of the finest surviving original windows.[27]
Sculpture and symbolism - the "Book for the Poor"
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Notre Dame de Paris
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Notre Dame de Paris
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Allegory of alchemy, central portal,Notre Dame de Paris
The Gothic cathedral was a liber pauperum, literally a "book for the poor", covered with sculpture illustrating biblical stories, for the vast majority of parishioners who were illiterate. These largely illustrated stories from the Bible, but also included stories and figures from mythology and more complicated symbols taken from medieval philosophical and scientific teachings such as alchemy.
The exteriors of cathedrals and other Gothic churches were decorated with sculptures of a variety of fabulous and frightening grotesques or monsters. These included the gargoyle, the chimera, the dragon, the tarasque, and others, taken largely from legend and mythology. They were part of the visual message for the illiterate worshippers, symbols of the evil and danger that threatened those who did not follow the teachings of the church.[28]
The gargoyle also had a more practical purpose. They were the rain spouts of the Cathedral; rainwater ran from the roof into lead gutters, then down channels on the flying buttresses to the mouths of the gargoyles. The longer the gargoyle, the farther the water was projected from the walls, protecting the walls and windows from water damage. Multiple numbers were used to distribute the water as widely as possible.
Amid all the religious figures, some of the sculptural decoration was devoted to illustrating medieval science and philosophy. The porch of
Another common feature of Gothic cathedrals was a design of a labyrinth, usually found in stone on the floor in a central part of the cathedral. Inspired by the labyrinth in Greek legend constructed by King Minos as the home of the Minotaur, in cathedrals they were known as the "Path of Jerusalem" and symbolized the difficult and often roundabout path that a Christian sometimes had to follow in life to reach the gates of Paradise and salvation. Large labyrinths were originally found in Auxerre Cathedral, Sens Cathedral, Reims Cathedral, and Arras Cathedral, but these removed during various renovations in the 18th century. The best surviving examples are in Chartres Cathedral, in its original form, and in Amiens Cathedral, which was reconstructed in 1894.
The portal sculpture of Burgundy integrates classical literary elements with its 13th-century Gothic style. In Auxerre, two such examples of sculptures are upon the cathedral of Saint-Étienne depicting Hercules, a satyr, and a sleeping faun; the Chartres–Reims cathedral's north transept illustrates the biblical tale of David and Bathsheba. The Sens Cathedral's "Coronation of the Virgin" reflects a similar relief cathedral on the Notre Dame in Paris, and was created in a workshop that made minor contributions to Spanish Gothic architecture.[29]
Timeline of notable buildings
Because of the lengthy period of construction of Gothic cathedrals, few were built in a single style. Most, like Notre-Dame, have a combination of features constructed in several different periods, as well as features constructed after the Gothic age. Also, different sources give varying dates for time periods. This list primarily uses the time periods given in LaRousse encyclopedia on-line and the on-line Pedagogical Dossier of Gothic Architecture of the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris.[30]
Early Gothic, Transition, or Primitive Gothic (1130–1180)
- 1130: Sens Cathedral, the first French Gothic cathedral, begun. (consecrated 1171).[31][page needed]
- 1135: Basilica of Saint-Denis reconstruction in new style begun by Abbot Suger, The Gothic ambulatory was finished in 1144.
- 1145: Rouen Cathedral begun. (consecrated 1237)
- 1150: Noyon Cathedral begun. (completed 1231)
- 1153: Senlis Cathedral begun. (consecrated 1191)
- 1155: Laon Cathedral begun. Reconstructed with three traverses and completed in 1220
- 1150 c. Angevin Gothic beginning mid-12th century, completed 1250[31][page needed]
- 1162: Poitiers Cathedral begun. (consecrated 1379)[32]
- 1163: Notre Dame de Parisbegun. Choir completed in 1172, Cathedral consecrated in 1182.
- 1170: Lyon Cathedral begun. (completed 14th century)[31][page needed]
- 1170: Lisieux Cathedral in Normandy reconstruction begins from Romanesque to Gothic style. Work continued until 13th century.
High Gothic or Classic Gothic (1180–1230)
- 1183: Bourges Cathedral begun, nave was finished by 1255; consecrated in 1324.[31][page needed]
- 1194: Chartres Cathedral begun to replace earlier church destroyed by fire. Consecrated 1260. Flamboyant north spire added after earlier spire destroyed by lightning.[31][page needed]
- 1210: Coutances Cathedral, Normandy, begun. (completed 1274)
- 1210: Toul Cathedral reconstruction from Romanesque began. Flamboyant facade was added in the 15th century.
- 1211: Reims Cathedral begun. (completed 1345)
- 1217: Le Mans Cathedral begun. (consecrated 1254)
- 1220: Amiens Cathedral begun. (completed 1288). Rose window was added 1366–1341[33]
- 1220 to 1270: Notre-Dame de Paris; Addition of transepts and rose windows, modified buttresses
- 1225: Beauvais Cathedral begun, but after tower falls in 1272 it is left unfinished
Rayonnant (1230–1420)
- 1231: Basilica of Saint-Denis enlarged with new nave, transept, and rose windows (completed 1264)
- 1238: Ile de la Citéin Paris begun. (completed 1248).
- 1252: Palais des Papes in Avignon begun. (major enlargement and modification between 1334 and 1364)[34]
- 1284: Ile de la Cité in Paris[35]
- 1340–1410: Château de Vincennes keep and tower
Flamboyant Gothic (1400–1520)
- 1405–1527: Notre-Dame de l'Épine (begun 1405–1406, completed 1527)
- 1435–1521: Church of Saint-Maclou, Rouen.
- The west facade and towers of Rouen Cathedral rebuilt after a fire in the (16th century)
- 1493–1510: The north façade, south façade, and south porch of the Church of Notre-Dame de Louviers
- 1500–1508: Beauvais Cathedral south transept constructed
- 1507–13: Chartres Cathedral north tower is destroyed by lightning, and rebuilt in the Flamboyant style
See also
- Building a Gothic cathedral
- Early Gothic architecture
- Rayonnant
- Flamboyant
- French Gothic stained glass windows
- High Gothic
- Southern French Gothic
- Gothic cathedrals and churches
- Gothic architecture
- Romanesque architecture
- Architecture of cathedrals and great churches
References
- ^ "Beauvais, cathédrale Saint-Pierre – Eglises de l'Oise".
- ^ a b Ducher 1988, p. 46–54.
- ^ Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 33.
- ^ a b c Mignon 2015, p. 10–11.
- ^ a b Guide, p. 53.
- ^ Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 33–35.
- ^ Mignon 2015, p. 8–9.
- ^ a b Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 36.
- ^ a b Ducher 1988, p. 48.
- ^ a b Ducher 1988, p. 58.
- ^ Larousse Encyclopedia on-line, Gothic Architecture (in French)
- ^ Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 37.
- ^ a b Encylopédie Larousse on-line, Le Gothique en Normandie, (retrieved May 1, 2020)
- ^ a b Ducher 1988, p. 62.
- ^ Lours 2018, p. 183-185.
- ^ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Episcopal City of Albi". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
- ^ Ducher 1988, p. 64.
- ^ Philippe Bonnet-Laborderie, La Cathédrale de Beauvais: histoire et architecture, La Mie-au-Roy, G.E.M.O.B., 1978.
- ^ Texier 2012, p. 26–27.
- ^ Ducher 1988, p. 66–67.
- ^ a b Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 38.
- ^ a b Darcos 1998, pp. 156–159.
- ^ Texier 2012, p. 78–79.
- ^ a b Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 34.
- ^ Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 48–49.
- ^ Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 35.
- ^ Renault & Lazé 2006, p. 52.
- ^ a b Wenzler 2018, p. 97–99.
- ISBN 978-0300074529
- ^ Wenzler 2018, p. 31–37.
- ^ a b c d e Guide.
- ^ Guide, p. 664.
- ^ Guide, p. 618.
- ^ Guide, p. 17-19.
- ^ Guide, p. 296.
Bibliography
- Darcos, Xavier (1998). Prosper Mérimée (in French). Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-067276-2.
- Ducher, Robert (1988). Caractéristique des Styles (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-011539-1.
- Lours, Mathieu (2018). Dictionnaire des Cathédrales (in French). Éditions Jean-Paul Gisserot. ISBN 978-2755-807653.
- Martindale, Andrew, Gothic Art, (1967), Thames and Hudson (in English and French); ISBN 2-87811-058-7
- Mignon, Olivier (2015). Architecture des Cathédrales Gothiques (in French). Éditions Ouest-France. ISBN 978-2-7373-6535-5.
- Mignon, Olivier (2017). Architecture du Patrimoine Française - Abbayes, Églises, Cathédrales et Châteaux (in French). Éditions Ouest-France. ISBN 978-27373-7611-5.
- Renault, Christophe; Lazé, Christophe (2006). Les Styles de l'architecture et du mobilier (in French). Gisserot. ISBN 9-782877-474658.
- Rivière, Rémi; Lavoye, Agnès (2007). La Tour Jean sans Peur, Association des Amis de la tour Jean sans Peur. ISBN 978-2-95164-940-8
- Texier, Simon (2012). Paris Panorama de l'architecture de l'Antiquité à nos jours (in French). Parigramme. ISBN 978-2-84096-667-8.
- Wenzler, Claude (2018). Cathédales Cothiques - un Défi Médiéval (in French). Éditions Ouest-France. ISBN 978-2-7373-7712-9.
- Le Guide du Patrimoine en France (in French). Éditions du Patrimoine, Centre des Monuments Nationaux. 2002. ISBN 978-2-85822-760-0.
External links
- Mapping Gothic France, a project by Columbia University and Vassar College with a database of images, 360° panoramas, texts, charts and historical maps