Gothic Architectural terms

Figure 18-12 Cutaway view of a typical French Gothic cathedral (John Burge). (1) pinnacle, (2) flying buttress, (3) vaulting web, (4) diagonal ribs, (5) transverse rib, (6) springing, (7) clerestory, (8) oculus, (9) lancet, (10) triforium, (11) nave arcade, (12) compound pier with responds.

Gothic recipe includes1. Rib vaults with

pointed arches.2. Flying buttresses.3. Huge stained glass

windows.

Figure 18-4 Diagram (a) and drawings of rib vaults with semicircular (b) and pointed (c) arches.

Advantages of pointed arch.1. Appears taller2. Channels weight more

directly downward and allows for large windows.

3. Permits vaulting of compartments of varying shapes.

Figure 18-10 Nave elevations of four French Gothic cathedrals at the same scale (after Louis Grodecki).

Left to right-Early Gothic to High Gothic

Pinnacle- pointed ornament capping flying buttresses, helps weight them down as well.

Flying buttress-transfers the thrusts of the nave vaults across the roofs of the side aisles to the exterior wall.

Vaulting web-the masonry blocks that fill the area between the ribs of a groin vault.

Diagonal rib -rib that forms an X of a groin vault.

Transverse arch-the rib that crosses the nave at a 90 degree angle.

Springing-lowest stone of an arch, or ribs

Clerestory-windows below the vaults that form the nave elevation’s uppermost level.

Oculus- small round window

Lancet-tall, narrow window with a pointed arch.

Triforium-consist of arcades, blind arcades or stained glass.

Nave arcade- series of arches separating nave from aisles.

Compound pier with responds- also called cluster piers, group of shafts attached springing from vault