Gothic

In 1250 European design began to change drastically.  It all began in France.  The Gothic period grew out of the Romanesque period.  Gothic architecture relies on pointed arches.  It came from two adjacent, but separate circles.  Flying buttresses were also invented at this time.  They helped support structure that needed a little more support.  Many Early Christian and Romanesque churches fell because they did not have buttresses to give their churches extra support.

The Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals.  It sits on an island in the middle of Paris.  It was one of the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress.  Originally the cathedral was not going to use flying buttresses, but the walls started to put outward so they needed more support.  There were many statues around the outside of the cathedral.  They were put there to serve as column supports and water spouts.  Many of the statues were colored, but the paint wore off.  It took almost two hundred years to complete the cathedral.  During the French Revolution the cathedral was damaged.  Tombs and stained glass windows were destroyed.  The north and south rose windows were not damaged.  Many of the treasures in the cathedral were destroyed.  The statues of the kings of Judah were beheaded.  Later the heads were found and the statues were restored.  Surprisingly none of the bells were melted down.

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Extra Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4jzDkRYVJY