Gothic Architecture

By Jackie Craven, About.com Guide

If ever architecture expressed spiritual ideals, it would be in the lofty Gothic structures of medieval Europe and Great Britain. From the remarkable Saint-Denis in France to the Altneuschul (Old-New) Synagogue in Prague, Gothic was a style that humbled man and glorified God. Yet, with its innovative engineering, the style was a testament to human ingenuity.

Gothic Beginnings

The earliest complete Gothic structure is the ambulatory of the abbey of Saint-Denis in France. Built between 1140 and 1144, the church became a model for most of the late 12th-century French cathedrals, including those at Chartres and Senlis. However, features of the Gothic style are found in earlier buildings in Normandy and elsewhere.