The Dominance of Gothic Architecture in The High Middle Ages

When one sees the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral in person or in pictures they are likely to be awestruck. The twin towers of the western faà §ade rise high into the sky, seemingly in an attempt to scrape heaven. Spiky arches seem to grow out of the sides and claw at the ground. Inside it is cavernous with colored light filtering in through the large, intricate stained glass windows. All of these physical qualities make Notre Dame a prime example of Gothic architecture. It does not stand alone in that distinction. One is also likely to see several hundred examples of this style on varying scales throughout Europe. Because, despite its humble origins, Gothic architecture became the standard for religious buildings in the early 11th†¦show more content†¦As town lords and bishops (the same man often held both positions) stamped out the lawlessness that marked Europe in earlier centuries, members of the upper class felt safe enough to embark on pilgrimages† (59). S uger, with his unknown architect, had a daring plan to build upward and outward and incorporate existing architectural principles with new building theories. â€Å"It is the combination of all these qualities that is important in the stylistic evaluation of the interior of Saint-Denis as the first work of the Early Gothic style† (Frankl 67). Suger’s most pressing need was space. To create that space his goal was to eliminate walls in his monastery where possible. Starting in 1140, Suger opened up a vast amount of room by using pointed arches and ribbed vaults. These techniques in themselves were not new or unique. â€Å"St. Denis didnt mark the debut of either feature; the ribbed vault shows up in a few earlier European churches, and the pointed arch is widespread in Islamic architecture† (Columbia 1). However, Suger was the first to combine all of those qualities with a new and daring element: light. 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