The most famous Gothic cathedrals The most beautiful Gothic cathedrals: a selection for aesthete tourists

The Gothic style is amazing, timeless and striking in its forms. In architecture, it is considered one of the most expressive styles invented by mankind. These are not only classical medieval religious buildings and castles, but also modern residential buildings. We offer an overview of the striking examples of world architecture in the Gothic style.

Gothic style has several forms, but they are all beautiful. Gothic of France, England and Italy cannot be compared, as it is unique. France is the country where he was born and acquired his soul. Churches of the 12th century and modern religious buildings were built in it. In this style, everything is perfect - from the form to the details.

Mir Castle is an impressive example of Gothic architecture of the 16th century. It is located in the Grodno region and is one of the most interesting tourist sites in Belarus. three-storey gothic castle was built by Count Ilyinich in the 1500s, and Nikolai Radzivil, the second owner of the castle, completed its construction in the Renaissance style. In the courtyard of the castle, near the northern walls, there are Italian gardens.

Mir Castle survived the destruction during the war with Napoleon. Nikolai Svyatopolk-Mirsky purchased the castle and began its reconstruction, which was completed by his son, who hired the architect Theodor Bourget. The Mirsky family owned the castle until 1939. Today he is national monument culture and is revered by locals and tourists.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, owned by the Roman Catholic Church, is located in Antwerp, Belgium. Construction on the site of the former 9th-12th century chapel began in 1352 and continued until 1521. Today, the cathedral is considered the largest and most striking beautiful building in the Gothic style in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 1533, a fire broke out in it, and part of the cathedral was destroyed. Since 1559 it has been the residence of the archbishop. During the hostilities from the 1800s to the 1900s, the cathedral was damaged and restored several times, but neither fire nor war could destroy this majestic building, which became immortal. The last restoration of the monument of Gothic architecture began in 1965 and ended in 1993.

The construction of another masterpiece of Gothic architecture, Cologne Cathedral, began in 1248 and lasted until 1473, but was not completed, and continued into the 19th century. The cathedral, a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church and German Gothic architecture, is located in Cologne, Germany, is the seat of an archbishop and is among the world's listed monuments. cultural heritage.

It is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and the second tallest cathedral in the world. It has a lot of relics to look at. The cathedral was planned like the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens. It is based on a Latin cross and high Gothic vaults. You can admire stained glass windows, a high altar, original furniture - this cathedral is a real treasure.

Burgos Cathedral, a creation of the 13th century, is located in Spain, belongs to the Roman Catholic Church and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Construction and reconstruction lasted from the 13th to the 16th century, just then the elements in the Renaissance style appeared in the cathedral. In 1984 it was added to the World Cultural Heritage List. There are many historically and culturally valuable objects in the cathedral - from the statues of the 12 apostles to the Chapel of Relics and art objects, statues of angels, knights.

Located in Prague, St. Vitus Cathedral, a magnificent monument of Gothic architecture, in reality is much more beautiful than they talk about it. He is revered not only for his beauty, but also because he is considered the main religious building Czech Republic. It is also the largest in the country. The cathedral houses the tombs of Roman emperors and kings of Bohemia.

Light, as if soaring cathedrals, decorated with pointed turrets and lancet arches, - perhaps the most impressive legacy of the Middle Ages. We admire them with pleasure, but we don’t always think about whether the Gothic churches in different countries Western Europe, and did the appearance of these buildings change during the Gothic era?

The dawn of gothic architecture

In this article, we will not talk about the technical part. We will not delve into the layouts of Gothic churches and the structure of their interiors, we will not remember about the naves and transepts - longitudinal and transverse rooms - and only touch on the frame system. These topics require a separate discussion. But now we will talk about something no less, but for someone even more interesting: about how Gothic temple architecture appeared and flourished in Western Europe, as well as about how French cathedrals differ from English or, say, from German.

We can safely say that her customer, Abbot Suger, made a revolution in the construction of temples of that time. He decided to replace the usual heavy walls with lighter ones, which became possible due to the new load distribution system. So, the vault was built on a frame of protruding "ribs" - ribs, and on the sides they added spacers - semi-arches of flying buttresses and vertical supports - buttresses. The new system made it possible to make the building not only more airy, but also much lighter, thanks to the appearance of huge windows decorated with multi-colored ones.

French Gothic and its best examples

A new style Everyone loved it so much that the experience of Saint Denis was soon used in the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral - the very main temple of France. And then - during the construction of the Lansky Cathedral. By the way, it was built in a record short time by the standards of Gothic temples - in just 80 years.

This style is also recognizable when looking at Chartres Cathedral, which has the largest and most beautifully preserved ensemble of stained glass windows - more than 150 windows. with total area about 2000 m2.

It is impossible not to mention the magnificent, as if carved, Bourges Cathedral, in the crypt of which to this day there is the tombstone of Jean of Berry, one of the main patrons of the Gothic era.

A little later, majestic cathedrals were erected in Reims, which today has preserved its original stained-glass windows and sculptures better than others. As well as the cathedral in Amiens, which differs in the height of the vault (42.3 m) and the most large capacity– its area is 8000 m2.

Over time, cathedrals seemed to become lighter and taller, and stained glass, enriched with a variety of new shades, more numerous and more complex.

The apotheosis of stained glass Gothic art can be observed in royal chapel Saint Chapelle, entirely consisting of radiant multi-colored glasses.

Upper Chapel of Sainte-Chapelle Basilica, Wikimedia

Everything that we have said applies to French cathedrals, examples gothic style in Europe. So, to summarize: the French cathedral as a whole is tall openwork towers, light lancet arches, portals and windows. It is decorated with numerous sculptures - expressive, dynamic and invariably graceful, as well as the "stone lace" of architectural details (gables, vegetal scrolls and spikes).

Other European Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages

French cathedrals were imitated, copied, but in each country in its own way, in accordance with its regional characteristics, with technical and material equipment. For example, in England, not a city, but a monastery cathedral became widespread, more squat and extended, surrounded by a huge number of outbuildings, and having only one dominant - a tower. Among the most famous English Gothic temples are the cathedral in Salisbury, Durham and, of course, Canterbury Cathedral, the residence of the archbishop.

German Gothic is stricter than French, it has clearer geometric shapes and a relatively small amount of sculptural decoration.

Only Cologne Cathedral strongly resembles French temples and, like them, is an example of long construction.

Spanish Gothic (cathedrals in Seville, Burgos and Toledo) is characterized by a mixture with Moorish architecture, which, of course, is associated with the former Arab rule.

And in Italy, the Gothic never had the purity of the French "classical" style. The fact is that she never forgot Antiquity, and already at the end of the Middle Ages, the Proto-Renaissance flourished there with might and main, marking the beginning of the Renaissance. Probably the most Gothic building in Italy is built from white marble Milan Cathedral.

It is interesting that this most perfect miracle of architecture was built for a very long time - 550 years, and during this time 180 architects, sculptors and artists managed to take part in its creation.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

The most famous Gothic cathedrals

The Gothic cathedral, with all the richness of its constituent elements, is built according to the same canons. This can be said about both its architectural plan and the entire decor system - exterior and interior. From Victor Hugo's novel “Notre Dame Cathedral”: “Art here (in various Gothic monuments. - A. M.) changes only the shell. Its inner frame is still the same, the same sequential arrangement of parts. No matter what sculpture and carving the shell of the temple is decorated with, under it you always find, at least in its rudimentary, initial state, a Roman basilica. It is located on earth according to an immutable law. These are the same two naves, intersecting in the form of a cross, the upper end of which, rounded by a dome, forms a choir; these are all the same permanent aisles for religious processions inside the temple or for chapels - something like side aisles, with which the central nave communicates through the gaps between the columns. On this constant basis, the number of chapels, portals, bell towers, spiers varies endlessly, following the fantasy of the age, people and art. Having provided for and ensured the rules of church worship, architecture in the rest does as it pleases. Sculptures, stained-glass windows, rosettes, arabesques, various decorations, capitals, bas-reliefs - all this it combines according to its own taste and its own rules ... "

France
Abbey Church of Saint-Denis (XII century)

The current frame system of the Gothic cathedral appeared in the abbey church of Saint-Denis (12th century). The abbot of this monastery, regent and royal adviser, can rightly be called the "godfather" of the Gothic style. It was he who began the construction of the abbey church of the "patron and apostle of France" of St. Dionysius (Saint-Denis). The temple was supposed to give significance and grandeur to the monastery as the ancient tomb of the French kings. Unfortunately, detailed description of all stages of the construction of the temple, what now defines the essence of the Gothic style has been lost.

Concerned about strengthening the royal prestige, Louis IX ordered that at least sixteen tombstones of French monarchs be renovated and re-erected in Saint-Denis. These were complex structures, either in the form of a canopy, reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral, or sarcophagi with figures of saints around the perimeter. Often the motif of a funeral procession was used here. Figures of the dead in the XIII century. stereotypical in their idealized elegant youthfulness; in the 14th century they become more individualized, portrait features appear in their appearance.
Cathedral in Chartres (XII - XIV centuries) .

The original building of the cathedral in Chartres was built in the XII century. The western façade of the cathedral was completed in 1170 and happily escaped total destruction during the fire of 1194 (the rest of the building was destroyed). The transitional nature of architecture is clearly felt in the western facade. The early northern tower (1134-50) has a base that is completely Romanesque in spirit (the openwork tent crowning the tower was completed at the beginning of the 16th century). central part The façade retains a heavy Romanesque wall, into which three portals are embedded; the rose window appeared later.

south tower, the so-called "old bell tower" (1145-65) is closer to the main ideas of Gothic: the vertical buttresses are picked up by the powerful rise of the octagonal tent. After a fire in 1194, the building was rebuilt. The architects of Chartres already thought of the building as a single whole, subdivided into subordinate parts, between which there is a close connection. The interior opens up towards the viewer as a successive chain of contrasts and increasingly complex architectural rhythms, which are given a clear and precise order.

The wall has a three-part division into an arcade of supports, triforiums and windows. Service columns, rising from the base of the abutment, gather in bunches in the second tier and ascend to the vaults with an almost continuous movement. The architects managed to give the vertical rods a feeling of free and spiritual rise. Notre Dame in Chartres is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe.

Chartres is one of the few Gothic cathedrals in France that has retained its glazing almost unchanged. This is the largest ensemble of stained-glass windows of the 12th-13th centuries that has come down to us. The stained-glass windows, blind and almost colorless on the outside, opened up in the interior when the sun's rays, penetrating through the colored glass, gave each color the greatest sonority.

In the high windows of Chartres, stained-glass windows of the 12th century, with bright saturated tones, coexist with the darker range of colors of the windows of the 13th century. The theme of images in the windows of Chartres was extremely diverse.


Along with scenes from the Old and New Testaments, prophets and saints, the lower part contains about a hundred stories from the life of artisans who donated stained glass windows to the cathedral; one of the stained glass roses is dedicated to peasants. The windows with the image of the Mother of God (Our Lady of the “beautiful window”) in Chartres, the cycle “The Life of St. Eustache”, as well as the cycle “Charlemagne”.
The sculptural decoration of the "Royal Portal" on the western facade of the cathedral has been relatively well preserved.

Statues-columns in the recesses of the Chartres portals are included in the overall structure of the architectural image. On the one hand, they serve as a physical support, "pillars", also in a figurative sense - in the allegorical and plot terms for the tympanums and the New Testament scenes located in them.
Vienna Gothic Cathedral .;

Cathedral in Reims (1211-1330) .;

Notre Dame Cathedral in Reims .;.
The city in the heart of Champagne has long been the site of the coronation of French kings. existed in the 12th century. the basilica was destroyed in a fire in 1210. The construction of the new cathedral began immediately, already in 1211, and continued until 1481. The history of the cathedral in Reims is the history of several generations of architects. Based on the inscriptions of the "labyrinth", a complex mosaic floor ornament, the names of the architects and the stages of the construction of the grandiose building are known. The cathedral in Reims, despite the long construction time, retained the unity of the plan: the diversity of talents of architects and sculptors who worked here merged into a common, inspirational "stone symphony".

The complexity of the development of the architectural theme is inherent in the western facade of the temple; individual motifs intertwine, contrast, complement each other. The mass of the building, heavy and inert at the ground, becomes lighter and more agile as it rises. The movement is started by deep portals with lancet arches and triangles of vimpergs covering them. In the second tier, the flow splits, fades in the center and acquires rapid dynamics on the sides: a round “rose” with a gentle arch above it is opposed by side windows that anticipate the victorious rise of the towers, emphasized by a short burst of vimperg between them.

But the facade of Reims Cathedral is not only permeated with vertical movement - it is in a complex and dynamic interaction with environment. The portals are separated from the wall and “step on” the space of the square located in front of them, their funnel-shaped niches, as it were, draw it into themselves.

The sculptural decoration of the cathedral in Reims is considered to be the pinnacle of French Gothic plastic. The influence of antiquity in Reims was most strongly manifested in the works of 1211-25. Sculpture of St. Peter from the so-called "Last Judgment" portal on the north transept is a prime example antique influence in the plastic of Reims.
Cathedral in Amiens (1218 - 1260) .;

Almost simultaneously with Reims, construction began on the cathedral at Amiens. The first stone was laid in 1220, immediately after the fire that destroyed the Romanesque building. The construction of the building began from the longitudinal part, the choir was built later.

The western façade was mostly completed in the 13th century; its upper part was completed in the 14th and renovated in the 15th century. The location of the parts of the facade is picturesque - it is not by chance that during the construction process towers of different heights and patterns arose. The “Labyrinth”, dismantled at the beginning of the 19th century, brought the names of the builders. From 1220, Robert de Luzarches worked here, then Thomas de Cormont and his son.

The work was mostly completed in 1288. As in Reims, the cathedral in Chartres served as an example for architects, but the model was noticeably modified. In Amiens, two axial directions interact: the traveys of the naves echo the transept; the middle of the seven chapels of the choir, significantly pushed forward, emphasizes the longitudinal axis of the plan.

Sloping lancet arches complete the interior, giving rise to a sense of free movement of space, which was also achieved by an absolute increase in the size of the building. The cathedral in Amiens is the largest among the Gothic churches in France and one of the largest in Europe. The width of its naves reaches 33 m, the transept is stretched for 59 m, the vaults of the central nave are raised to a height of 42.3 m.
Cathedral at Bourges (1194) .;


Notre Dame Cathedral (1163 - XIV century) .;

The building of the cathedral was erected on the site of the temple of Jupiter, which stood here under the Romans. In the 12th century, Maurice de Sully planned the huge Notre Dame Cathedral, and in 1163, in the eastern part of the city, King Louis VII and Pope Alexander III, who had specially arrived in Paris for the ceremony, laid the foundation stone. Construction proceeded gradually from east to west and lasted more than a hundred years.

The cathedral was supposed to accommodate all the inhabitants of the city - 10,000 people. But while it was being built, more than a hundred and fifty years passed, and the population of Paris grew many times over. The cathedral in the medieval city was the center of public life. It is all covered with some shops and stalls, in which they sold all sorts of things. At the entrance, visiting merchants laid out their goods and made deals. City fashionistas came here to show off their outfits, and gossips - to listen to the news. Dances and processions of mummers were arranged here, sometimes they even played ball.

In times of danger, the inhabitants of the surrounding villages hid in the cathedral not only with their belongings, but even with cattle. Professors gave lectures to students, interrupting during worship.

There are no walls at all, they are replaced by a frame of pillars connected by arches. This frame is filled with huge lancet windows, not even windows, but multicolored paintings with dozens of figures.
Notre Dame Cathedral is divided into five naves, the middle one being taller and wider than the others. Its height is 35 meters. Under such vaults, a house of 12 floors could fit. In the middle, the main nave is crossed by another nave of the same height, two naves (longitudinal and transverse) form a cross. This was done on purpose so that the cathedral resembled the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Structures like the Colosseum or the Baths of Caracalla had to be built quickly and the whole building had to be erected at once, entirely. A long suspension of work or the slow erection of individual parts of such structures threatened that different rooms would have different strength.


For the construction, gigantic funds were needed, armies of slaves were required. The Parisians had none of this. The Gothic cathedral was built, as a rule, for decades, and even centuries. The townspeople slowly collected money, and the building of the cathedral grew slowly. By the middle of the 19th century, Notre Dame Cathedral was significantly different from how Parisians saw it in the 13th century. Disappeared, swallowed up by the soil of the Cite, all eleven steps of the ladder. The lower row of statues in the niches of the three portals was gone. The top row of statues that once adorned the gallery was gone. The inside of the cathedral was also badly damaged.

Magnificent statues and colored stained-glass windows have disappeared, the Gothic altar has been replaced. Instead, crowds of cupids, bronze clouds, marble and metal medallions appeared. The cathedral was damaged. Moreover, it was threatened with complete destruction. In 1841, a special government decision was made to save Notre Dame de Paris, and in 1845 a major restoration of the cathedral began under the guidance of famous architect E.E. Viollet-le-Duc. In its original form, only partially stained-glass windows of the western, southern and northern facades, sculptures on the facades and in the choir.
French Gothic. Burgundy. Hospice.
Germany .;
Cologne Cathedral (1248 - XIX century) .;

The grandiose five-nave Cologne Cathedral (1248-1880) was built in the style of Amiens. Light towers with gabled roofs on the western façade, an unusually high middle nave and elegant architectural decoration of all construction details characterize it. appearance. Replacing the rose with an lancet window enhances the swiftness of the movement.

The Cologne Cathedral is distinguished by its dry forms. West Side it was completed only in the 19th century. In the Gothic era, the importance of secular architecture, private, palace and public, increased in art. Developed political life and the growing self-consciousness of the townspeople were reflected in the construction of monumental town halls. Cathedral in Worms (XII century) .;
Notre Dame Cathedral in Ulm .;

Naumburg Cathedral .
England .
Cathedral of Westminster Abbey (XII-XIV centuries) in London .
; central nave


Cathedral in Salisbury. (1220-1266);


Exeter Cathedral (1050) .;

Cathedral in Lincoln (late 11th century) .

Cathedral in Gloucester (XI-XIV centuries) .

Czech .
Gothic architecture of Prague .;

St. Vitus Cathedral (1344-1929)


Italy .;
Doge's Palazzo .;

This is a vivid example of Venetian Gothic, which adopted not the constructive principles, but the decorativeness of this style. Its facade is unusual in composition: the lower tier of the palace is surrounded by a white marble colonnade with intertwining lancet arches. A huge monumental building accurately presses squat columns into the ground. A solid open loggia with keeled arches, with thin, often spaced columns, forms the second floor.

Milan Cathedral (1386 - XIX century) .



Gothic architecture. Construction of a Gothic cathedral. flying buttresses Milan Cathedral .
Palazzo d'Oro (Golden Palace) in Venice .

papal palace
Seville Cathedral

The Gothic style originates in France, where it replaced the Romanesque in the 12th century. He later covered all Western Europe until the Renaissance, four centuries later, supplanted it. The Gothic style can be traced in all medieval stained-glass windows, book miniatures, frescoes and sculptures. But he showed his greatness most fully in church architecture. The Gothic cathedral of that era is notable for its ornate façade, columns, multicolored stained glass windows, pointed arches, and characteristic narrow and tall towers. The walls and roofs are decorated with exquisitely executed sculptures. majestic monuments Gothic can be found in the territories of two European countries- France and Spain.

Gothic Quarter of Barcelona

This is the oldest part. legendary city and the most popular among tourists. To visit here and not visit the pearl of the quarter - the Gothic cathedral (XIII-XV centuries) - is blasphemy.

Walking through the winding streets of the quarter, you can see the remains of the Roman wall, the Basilica of La Merce, the ruins of the Palace, the 14th-century Gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi and Royal Palace, from where the county dynasty of Barcelona and the kings of Aragon ruled their subjects. After seeing the ancient buildings, you can walk along Royal Square and St. James Square. After tiresome, but such interesting excursions guests of the city are sent to the art cabaret "Four Cats". It is famous not only for its history, but also for its world-famous visitors. Pablo Picasso and his friend Antonio Gaudi, Rusinol, Isaac Albeniz, Ramon Casas and Gonzalez liked to drop in here.

Gothic cathedrals in France

The most significant works of medieval architectural art in France are the cathedrals of Chartres, Amiens, Angers, Reims and, of course, Paris. Historians believe that the very first gothic building became the church of Saint-Denis. Her project was created by Abbot Suger. During its construction, many supports and internal walls were removed. So the church became more graceful in comparison with religious buildings sometimes referred to as "the fortresses of God".

The Gothic cathedral of Chartres, located 90 km from Paris, was built on the site of a more valuable property - the holy shroud of the Virgin Mary, stored since 876 - passed into the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Chartres. World famous tourists visit for two main reasons. Firstly, it is a representative of the high Gothic style of its heyday, and secondly, this is the place where almost all French monarchs were crowned for many centuries. The majestic Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris needs no introduction. Victor Hugo glorified him all over the world with his work "Notre Dame Cathedral" in the first half of the century before last. The Temple of Reason, as it was given the name during the French Revolution, was built over several centuries. Every year it is visited by 14 million people. Many of them strive to visit one of the main shrines of Christians around the world - the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, which has been kept in the cathedral since August 18, 1239.