340 THOMASAQUINAS
a. b.c. d.The Gothic Cathedral
a. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres,Chartres, France, begun in the 1140s. The word “Gothic” was
originally a perjorative term coined by Renaissance thinkers who considered this style to be a barbaric break
from classical tradition. The two towers shown here, for example, are not symmetrical. Even though the
overall design of the cathedral may not be symmetrical, each of its elements was designed to reflect the
harmony and beauty of God’s creation. (
b. Interior, Chartres Cathedral. By using pointed arches, it was possible to make soaring open spaces in the
nave (main sanctuary) of the Gothic cathedral. The weight was shifted downward instead of outward.
( PATRICK KOVARIC/Getty)
c. Flying Buttresses at Reims Cathedral,ca. 1230–1235, by Villard De Honnecourt. To leave the interior
unencumbered, the remaining outward stresses were often buttressed from outside the building. In some
cathedrals exterior buttresses could not be built directly along the outside walls because of side aisles.
Instead they were built outside the side aisles and connected to the pillars of the nave by stone ribs.
These supporting ribs appear to “fly” over the side aisles. (
d. The Rose Window, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, thirteenth century. By using pointed arches and flying
buttresses, the walls of a cathedral did not have to bear the weight of the roof. Instead they could be used as
screens for stained glass ornamentation such as this. (
Scala/Art Resource, NY)©(^) ©Bridgeman-Giraudon/Art Resource, NY)
©
LatitudeStock/© Alamy Stock Photo)