Focused on reaching extreme heights and maximizing window space. The "Rayonnant" (radiant) style is defined by the two-story walls of stained glass at Sainte-Chapelle and the massive scale of Chartres Cathedral . Late Gothic: Flamboyant & Perpendicular (c. 1350–1550):
Introduced the foundational trio of the pointed arch, rib vault, and flying buttress. Key examples include the Basilica of Saint-Denis and Sens Cathedral , the first true Gothic cathedral in France. Gothic cathedrals : a guide to the history, pla...
Gothic architecture revolutionized construction by moving structural weight from walls to a skeleton of stone: Focused on reaching extreme heights and maximizing window
These external stone arches braced the upper walls against the outward thrust of the heavy roof, allowing architects to replace solid stone walls with vast expanses of glass. Gothic cathedrals : a guide to the history, pla...