In the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Amiens, the main nave, dramatically high at 42 meters, was built in just sixteen years.
“Material light, created both by nature in the sky and by human skill on earth, is only a reflection of clear light of knowledge, and above all of the true light.”
Abbot Suger
Gothic art appeared suddenly, like a flash of light after centuries of darkness in the Middle Ages, and within a few years reached its peak with numerous new elements without prior stages of development. It is intriguing how the builders, whose origins are still unknown, erected around a hundred perfectly conceived and astonishingly executed cathedrals in just one century.
Gothic cathedrals are a unique synthesis of mathematical and astronomical knowledge, architectural, artistic, and craft skills inspired by deep religious sentiments. From the very beginning, they defy attempts to fully interpret them. With their intricate design and exquisite details, they transcend the boundaries of human comprehension.
Underground crypts, mysterious labyrinths, magnificent portals, pillars and vaults illuminated by the magical light of stained glass, enable a person to encounter themselves, directing them towards eternity.
SIGNIFICANCE OF GOTHIC STYLE
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the majority of the cultural values of antiquity were destroyed in wars in an astonishingly short period of time, and scientific, artistic, and philosophical achievements were almost completely forgotten. Europe sank into the Middle Ages, from which it was very difficult to rise for several reasons. In small states constantly at war with each other, people lived in feudal isolation, in poverty and ignorance, decimated by wars and various epidemics. The few roads, built in the Roman period, were poorly maintained and very unsafe due to marauding groups. The only bearers of knowledge were closed monasteries, inaccessible to the public. The worldview was reduced to Old Testament dogmas, and the Earth became a flat plane around which the whole world revolves. As a result, In these circumstances, the emergence of Gothic cathedrals in France in the mid-12th century was extremely important, not only for the originality of the style but also for its impact on all social aspects.
The early Gothic cathedral Notre-Dame in Paris, standing at 34 meters tall, was the first monumental cathedral. With its compact cross ground plan, six-part ribbed vaults, external buttresses, and large windows, it became one of the prototypes for future Gothic cathedrals.
Gothic cathedrals began to rise towards the sky in St. Denis and Sens (1140s), followed by Laon and Paris (1160s). The peak of early Gothic was achieved in Chartres and Bourges (1190s), and the crowning cathedrals were those in Reims, Le Mans (1210s), Amiens, and Beauvais (1220s-1240s).
Although each one is unique, they are all connected by the same canon and idea that extends from the depths of the crypts through elegant columns and pointed arches to the towers, blossoming in stained glass windows and rosettes. The strength of this idea is evident in the fact that it This idea spread extensively throughout the entire Christian West and remained virtually unchanged for an entire century, influencing the next three as well.
Who were the initiators of this idea? Where did they find the audacity to embark on the construction of such complex buildings with dimensions previously unimaginable? How did they afford to build when cities at that time did not even have enough resources for ordinary defensive fortifications? Where did so many skilled craftsmen come from, and how was knowledge transmitted when we know that construction was happening simultaneously in around twenty places? What powerful vision motivated people to initiate and participate in something whose completion they wouldn’t live to see? And perhaps most importantly, why and for whom did all this fervent construction even begin?
Despite some unfavorable alterations, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Chartres is the most comprehensive synthesis of Gothic art and is regarded as one of the most beautiful works of mankind in the history of architecture. It was built on a hill above a cave with a spring that was transformed into a crypt. It dominates not only the city but also the entire surrounding area. From the inside, it is 37 meters high. The magnificent vault resisted the fire in the 19th century.
Answers to most questions are veiled in history and have become puzzles that periodically stir public opinion. Is it just a coincidence that the influence of the Templar Order spread just before the sudden rise of Gothic architecture? It is known that the Knights Templar returned inspired from the Holy Land, bringing back to Europe much of the lost knowledge of antiquity, Egypt, and the East, which the highly advanced Arabs at that time had preserved.
GOTHIC SACRED ARCHITECTURE
Gothic art did not originate from Romanesque art, as is often interpreted, but developed as a new and independent form at the same time. Thanks to the rediscovery of mathematics and sacred arithmetic, architecture has been enriched with knowledge that not only facilitated the construction but also enriched it with symbolic elements.
The fundamental mathematical key that makes Gothic cathedrals unique is the golden ratio, or the golden proportion, and the main stylistic element The essence of Gothic architecture is the form of the pointed arch. Each span in the cathedral is connected by this arch, from the smallest window to the largest vault. As a result, the tension of the stone blocks fused in the cathedral’s structure turns it into a perfectly refined musical instrument, resonating with inner harmony. The pointed vault also has a powerful psychological impact on humans, elevating their gaze from the horizontal world of everyday life towards the sublime, the celestial.
The cathedrals of Notre-Dame, built in honor of Our Lady, almost perfectly reflect the stars of the Virgo constellation on Earth. The star Spica (Alpha) corresponds to Reims, Gama to Chartres, Zeta to Amiens, and Epsilon to Bayeux. The smaller stars in this constellation can be recognized as churches in Evreux, Etampes, and Laon, also built in honor of Our Lady.
The heights of the columns, windows, and vaults are proportional to the width of the main nave.
Gothic cathedrals followed the traditional floor plan in the shape of a Latin cross. The longitudinal nave (cho The transept and apse are connected at the intersection, and chapels radiate from the apse.
In addition to pointed arches, the Gothic style became famous for another distinctive architectural solution, called buttresses, which transferred the forces of the massive vaults to the external support columns. This allowed for the construction of cathedral vaults to exceptional heights, without the need for massive interior pillars, and the creation of walls dominated by beautifully adorned windows.
Horizontally, the plan of Gothic cathedrals consists of three basic geometric shapes: a circle, a square, and a rectangle, which represent three important stages of the pilgrim’s journey towards the altar. The circle continues from the entrance of the cathedral and takes the form of a labyrinth; the square is marked by four central pillars at the intersection, and behind them is the rectangle, which was once the location of the altar. Vertically, there are also three levels – from the crypt representing the underworld, to the main nave corresponding to the earth, to the vault which symbolizes the heavens. According to the canons of sacred architecture. Architectural elements are what make a building a temple.
The main characteristic of Gothic cathedrals is the orientation of the main part of the temple towards the east, towards the point where the Sun rises at the time of consecration.
Equally important is the placement and arrangement of Gothic cathedrals. They were built on sacred sites – ancient pilgrimage sites from pre-Christian times. These are usually prominent natural locations such as hills, springs, rivers, or islands, which make them natural sanctuaries. One of the unresolved mysteries is the arrangement of the earliest Gothic cathedrals dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The cathedrals of Notre Dame together form a set of points on the map that reproduce the arrangement of stars in the constellation of Virgo on Earth.
A schematic representation of the labyrinths from Chartres, Amiens, and Reims. They are located in the central nave, near the western entrance. Pilgrims used to crawl through them on their knees.
The northern portal depicts characters from the Old Testament, such as… ut Abraham and the depiction of Christ on the western portal in Chartres.
PORTALS
The great uniqueness of Gothic cathedrals is also reflected in their portals. In a time when few people knew how to read and write, including rulers, the richly decorated portals revealed knowledge that had been hidden in monasteries until then. Sculptures grouped around the doors and reliefs on the door frames and tympanums not only represent the Bible transformed into stone, but also a surprisingly wide knowledge of ancient traditions and other forgotten ancient cultures.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims has served as the coronation cathedral for French kings since its construction. It is as long as 140 m and as high as 38 m. Unlike other cathedrals, it has an expanded main nave and side aisles that completely encompass the transepts. Its style of window construction with double pointed arches is unique. Instead of pinnacles, rosettes were installed on the portals. The towers, 82 meters tall, never received spires.
In addition to being masterpieces of sculpture art, they It is astonishing, their number as well. Each cathedral is surrounded by hundreds of statues and thousands of perfectly carved reliefs. It’s as if even the humblest apprentice, inspired by the powerful force of unity, sculpted like the famous Renaissance giants. Even after all this time, this can be an instructive example of the power of prayer made by noble intentions, because such miracles cannot be accomplished by gold or force. It is not a coincidence that the sculptures were originally placed solely on the exterior of the cathedrals, and their understanding depends on the knowledge of the observer.
Gothic cathedrals generally have three portals – west, north, and south, each with three doors.
Portals, stone books in which all the knowledge and inspiration of the builders is written, are extremely important in Gothic cathedrals. On the tympanum of the west portal of Chartres Cathedral, the Virgin with Child is depicted surrounded by angels. On the outer circle, there are nine muses of Greek art, and at the bottom, there are giants of antiquity like Pythagoras and Ari. depict the story of Jesus’ life and crucifixion are the main attraction of the cathedral. Each window represents a different scene, such as the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. The vibrant colors and intricate details of the stained glass create a breathtaking sight, illuminating the interior of the cathedral with a heavenly glow. These windows serve as a visual representation of the teachings and sacrifice of Jesus, inviting worshippers to reflect on their own faith and spirituality. Twelve zodiac signs are placed in the Chartres Cathedral.
The floor plan of the Chartres crypt is 13 meters deep.
The western portal of the Reims Cathedral has as many as 500 statues, masterpieces of sculpture art.
The vault and western rose window of the Reims Cathedral.
Gothic stained glass replaced painted walls of Romanesque churches with walls of light.
INTERIOR
Every Gothic cathedral hides a crypt in its depth, a world underground, but not in the sense of hell, but rather the seat of invisible forces connected to the mystery of resurrection. In crypts, the Virgin Mary, in the form of the Black Madonna made of dark wood, was mainly celebrated. Her miracles and healing powers were often the reason for pilgrimage. In ancient times, crypts were also used as baptisteries.
The interior of the cathedral represents a place of realization of “earthly life,” a place of residence for a short lifespan. Man moves through the horizontal plane above the crypt but below the vault, and first encounters la. birint – a symbol of all internal wanderings. Pilgrims used to pass it on their knees. By reaching the center, a person actually arrives at their own center.
Stained glass windows, another gem of Gothic art, replaced the painted walls of Romanesque churches with walls of light, creating an indescribable impression. Glass masters executed from the inside what stonecutters and sculptors had done on the outside. With glass of different colors and geometrical shapes, they created not only various biblical representations but also mandala-like rosettes, depictions of the zodiac, and important events from French history. Stained glass windows scatter the unique sunlight into countless colors, indicating that unity lies behind the visible multitude. The holy message was conveyed through the magic of light. Old stained glass windows possessed a quality and color scheme that cannot be replicated in the same way as the Gothic masters crafted them. The glass was processed to allow a precise amount of light to pass through. Thanks to this, a divine message was transmitted. The amount of light inside Gothic cathedrals is the same during the day and in the twilight of dusk.
The vault, the cathedral’s sky, resembles an inverted arch.
The intermediary role of the cathedral as a temple crystallizes at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse nave. This is the most important place in Gothic cathedrals because it combines the horizontal and vertical axes. It is a place of fixed time and space, a place of ascension. Coming to this place is the goal of every pilgrim.
Rarely in history has there been such optimism and collective participation in the construction of sacred buildings that prevailed in the then poor and backward France. Obviously, the conceptual initiators and builders achieved their intention to mobilize people, from the poorest to the richest, through their own participation, to discover or renew the fundamental meaning of religion. Because re-ligar means “to connect”, “to unite”, and it represents the eternal need of man to connect with himself, with others, and with God. And indeed, Is there a better way to do it than through collaborative efforts, resulting in a temple being built in honor of God?