By Jackie Craven, About.com
Reims Cathedral - Notre-Dame de Reims
Photo © Claudio Giovanni Colombo / iStockPhotoOne important innovation was the use of pointed arches. Earlier Romanesque churches had pointed arches, but builders didn't capitalize on the shape. During the Gothic era, builders discovered that pointed arches would give structures amazing strength and stability.
In Gothic buildings, the weight of the roof was supported by the arches rather than the walls. This meant that walls could be thinner.
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