Romanesque vs Gothic Cathedrals

Romanesque Radiating chapels and apse Vault Arch type Main vault support Clerestory Elevation Exterior Sculptural decoration Mood Example
Separate compartments

Gothic
Unified, unbroken space

Mostly barrel vaults, some groin vaults Rounded arches hin !alls, buttresses Small !indo!s &ori'ontal, normal height Plain, little decoration hin, elongated, abstract figures that served as columns *ark, gloomy St+ Sernin, oulouse, ,rance+

Groin vaults Pointed arches "#terior flying buttresses $arge stained%glass !indo!s (ertical, unbelievable heights and grandeur )rnate, lots of sculpture More realistic proportions and indivuali'ed features hin, light filled, made to feel like a psudo heaven Chartres Cathedral, ,rance

Romanesque and Gothic Cathedrals

Romanesque architecture is massive and heavily%built+ Round Roman arches, thick !alls, and small !indo!s are typical of the buildings+ Churches !ere built in the shape of a cross, using the basilica -a type of Roman building. as the basis for the design+ Gothic cathedrals are characteri'ed by slender vertical piers and flying buttresses and by rib vaulting and pointed arches+ hey had more of a light and airy feeling to them compared to Romanesque stuctures at the time+

The APSE is typically the rounded end of the nave !ut can also !e any rounded part of the cathedral springing off the sides of a floor plan" The NAVE is the long central aisle that goes do#n the middle of the structure" The AISLES !order each side of the nave and are usually separated from the nave !y a colonnade" The TRANSEPT cuts across !et#een the apse and the nave" $The transept gives the floor plan the shape of the cross"%

The CHOIR is the area #here the nave and the transept intersect" The NARTHEX $not la!eled% is the entrance area on the opposite side of the front apse" &t's sometimes shaped li(e the transept although not as large"

/nterior of a Cathedral

A" The nave" )" Ri! vaulting $Sort of li(e a groin vault only creased #ith ridges"% C" *ier $The main supports that hold up the nave vaulting"% +" The Aisle E" Clerestory #indo#s $Small upper story #indo# that flan( the aisles"%

," Triforium $A small #al(#ay usually reserved for nuns and #omen"%

Groin (aults vs Rib (aults

Groin Vault Ri! Vault

he rib vault0s only difference is that there is a rib going across the top of each vault+ his feature gives Gothic cathedrals a lighter feel over typical Romanesque structures+

,lying 1uttresses -2. vs Standard 1uttresses-1.

1uttresses are support columns that help carry the !eight of the structure0s vaulting+ here are t!o main types that !e commonly see in Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals, standard buttresses and flying buttresses+ he difference is that standard buttresses hug the structure by butting directly up the the e#terior !alls+ ,lying buttresses, on the other hand, stand detached from the e#terior !alls, and are connected only by an arch+ ,lying buttresses give cathedrals an airy and !eightless feeling, !hile standard buttresses look and feel more heavy and dense+

"#terior of a Cathedral

A" ARCHIVOLTS (concentric arches that expand out from the tympanum"% )" JAMB FIGURES (high relief sculpture that protrudes out from the doors"% C" TYMPANUM (symmetrical high relief sculpture a!ove the main entrance #ay"% +" PINNACLES (usually the spi(ed tips of !uttresses"% E" ROSETTA WINDOW (a large round #indo# located directly in the front-middle of the facade"% ," BUTTRESSES (structures that support and hold up the #alls of the !uilding often very decorative in Gothic structures"%