| French Gothic architecture | |
|---|---|
      Top left:Notre-Dame de Paris; top right: rose window, Notre-Dame de Paris; center: overview ofChartres Cathedral: center left: interior ofChartres Cathedral; center right:Reims Cathedral; bottom:Sainte-Chapelle, Paris | |
| Years active | 1140 to 16th century |
| Location | France |
French Gothic architecture is anarchitectural style which emerged in France in 1140, and was dominant until the mid-16th century. The most notable examples are the greatGothic cathedrals of France, includingNotre-Dame Cathedral,Reims Cathedral,Chartres Cathedral, andAmiens Cathedral. Its main characteristics are verticality, or height, and the use of therib vault andflying buttresses and other architectural innovations to distribute the weight of the stone structures to supports on the outside, allowing unprecedented height and volume. The new techniques also permitted the addition of larger windows, including enormous stained glass windows, which fill the cathedrals with light.
French scholars divide the Gothic of their country into four phases:[1] British and American historians use similar periods.
French scholars divide the Gothic of their country into four phases:[1] British and American historians use similar periods.
The French style was widely copied in other parts of northern Europe, particularly Germany and England. It was gradually supplanted as the dominant French style in the mid-16th century byFrench Renaissance architecture.[3]
French Gothic architecture was the result of the emergence in the 12th century of a powerful French state centered in theÎle-de-France. During the reign ofLouis VI of France (1081–1137), Paris was the principal residence of the Kings of France,Reims the place of coronation, and theAbbey of Saint-Denis became their ceremonial burial place. The Abbot of Saint-Denis,Suger, was a counselor of Louis VI and Louis VII, as well as a historian. He oversaw the reconstruction of the ambulatory of Saint-Denis, making it the first and most influential example of Gothic architecture in France.[4] The first complete Gothic cathedral,Sens Cathedral, was finished shortly afterwards.[5][6]
Over the later course of theCapetian dynasty (1180 to 1328), three Kings:Philip Augustus (1180–1223),Louis IX of France (1226–1270), andPhilip le Bel (1285–1314), established France as the major economic and political power on the Continent. The period also saw the founding of the University of Paris orSorbonne. It produced the High Gothic and theFlamboyant Gothic styles, and the construction of some of the most famous cathedrals, includingChartres Cathedral,Reims Cathedral, andAmiens Cathedral.[7]
The birthplace of thenew style was theBasilica of Saint-Denis in theÎle-de-France, not far north of Paris where, in 1137, theAbbé Suger began the reconstruction of theCarolingian-era abbey church. Just to the west of the original church, he began building a new structure with two towers, and then, from 1140 to 1144, he began to reconstruct the old church. Most of his modifications were traditional, but he made one remarkable innovation; he decided to create a newchoir at the east end of the building, using thepointed arch and therib vault in the construction of the choir and theambulatory with radiating chapels. The use of rib vaults, and buttresses outside supporting the walls, allowed the elimination of the traditional walls between the chapels, and the installation of large stained glass windows. This gave the ambulatory a striking openness, light, and greater height.[8][3]
The builders then constructed the nave of the church, also using rib vaults. It was constructed in four levels; thearcades on the ground floor whose two rows of columns received the ribs of the ceiling vaults; the tribune above it, a gallery which concealed the massive contreforts or buttresses which pressed against the walls; thetriforium, another, narrower gallery; and, just below the ceiling, theclaire-voie orclerestorey, where the windows were located. The resulting greater height and light differed dramatically from the heaviness of Romanesque architecture. On the facade of the church, Suger introduced another innovation; he used columns in the form of statues of saints to decorate the portal of the church, adding a new element of verticality to the facade. This idea too was soon copied in new cathedrals.[9] Ninety years later, the upper parts of the choir and the whole nave had to be renewed because of signs of decay; the new upper choir (on the arcades of the Primary Gothic) was built with a triforium with windows. This was the onset ofRayonnant style (see below).
The first cathedral constructed in the new style wasSens Cathedral, begun between 1135 and 1140 and consecrated in 1160.[5][6] It featured a Gothic choir, and six-part rib vaults over the nave and collateral aisles, alternating pillars and doubled columns to support the vaults, and flying buttresses.[5] But note, much of the ambulatory is still Romanesque, and all adjacent chapels are younger. One of the builders believed to have worked on that Cathedral,William of Sens, later traveled to England and became the architect who reconstructed the choir ofCanterbury Cathedral in the Gothic style. Sens Cathedral was soon followed bySenlis Cathedral (begun 1160), and the most prominent of all,Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris (begun 1160). Their builders abandoned the traditional plans and introduced the new Gothic elements. The builders of Notre Dame went further by introducing the flying buttress, heavy columns of support outside the walls connected by arches to the walls, which received and counterbalanced the thrust from the rib vaults of the roof. This allowed the builders to construct higher walls and larger windows.[9]
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The second phase of Gothic in France is calledGothique Classique orClassic Gothic. The similar phase in English is calledHigh Gothic. From the end of the 12th century until the middle of the 13th century, the Gothic style spread from the cathedrals in Île-de-France to appear in other cities of northern France, notablyChartres Cathedral (begun 1200);Bourges Cathedral (1195 to 1230),Reims Cathedral (1211–1275), andAmiens Cathedral (begun 1250);[10] The characteristic Gothic elements were refined to make the new cathedrals taller, wider, and more full of light. At Chartres, the use of the flying buttresses allowed the elimination of the tribune level, which allowed much higher arcades and nave, and larger windows. The pillars were made of a central column surrounded by four more slender columns, which reached up to support the arches of the vaulted ceiling. Therib vault changed from six to four ribs, simpler and stronger. Theflying buttresses at Amiens and Chartes were strengthened by an additional arch and with a supporting arcade, allowing even higher walls and more windows. At Reims, the buttresses were given greater weight and strength by the addition of heavy stone pinnacles on top. These were often decorated with statues of angels, and became an important decorative element of the High Gothic style. Another practical and decorative element, thegargoyle, appeared; it was an ornamental rain spout that channeled the water from the roof away from the building. At Amiens, the windows of the nave were made larger, and an additional row of clear glass windows (theclaire-voie) flooded the interior with light. The new structural technologies allowed the enlargement of the transepts and the choirs at the east end of the cathedrals, creating the space for a ring of well-lit chapels.[10]
The third period of French Gothic architecture, from the second half of the 13th century until the 1370s, is termedRayonnant ("Radiant") in both French and English, describing the radiating pattern of the tracery in the stained glass windows, and also describing the tendency toward the use of more and more stained glass and less masonry in the design of the structure, until the walls seemed entirely made of glass. The most celebrated example was the chapel ofSainte-Chapelle, attached to the royal residence on thePalais de la Cité. An elaborate system of exterior columns and arches reduced the walls of the upper chapel to a thin framework for the enormous windows. The weight of each of the masonry gables above thearchivolt of the windows also helped the walls to resist the thrust and to distribute the weight.[11]
Other landmarks of the Rayonnant Gothic are the two rose windows on the north and south of the transept ofNotre-Dame Cathedral, whereas earlier rose windows, like those ofAmiens Cathedral, were framed by stone and occupied only a portion of the wall, these two windows, with a delicate lacelike framework, occupied the entire space between the pillars.[11]
TheFlamboyant Gothic style appeared beginning about 1350 and lasted until about 1500.[12] Its characteristic features were more exuberant decoration, as the nobles and wealthy citizens of mostly northern French cities competed to build more and more elaborate churches and cathedrals. It took its name from the sinuous, flame-like designs which ornamented windows. Other new features included thearc en accolade, a window decorated with an arch, stone pinnacles and floral sculpture. It also featured an increase in the number ofnervures, or ribs, that supported and decorated each vault of the ceiling, both for greater support and decorative effect. Notable examples of Flamboyant Gothic include the western facade ofRouen Cathedral andSainte-Chapelle de Vincennes in Paris, both built in the 1370s; and the Choir ofMont Saint Michel Abbey (about 1448).[13]
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The most famous examples of Gothic architecture are found in theÎle-de-France andChampagne, but other French regions created their own original versions of the style.
Normandy at the end of the 12th century saw the construction of several notable Gothic cathedrals and churches. The characteristic features of Norman Gothic were sharply pointed arches, lavish use of decorative molding, and walls pierced with numerous passages. Norman architects and builders were active not only in Normandy, but also across the Channel in England. The high-quality Norman stone was cut and transported to England for use in English cathedrals.[14]
Notable examples of Norman Gothic includeLisieux Cathedral,Fécamp Abbey, thechevet ofAbbey of Saint-Étienne, Caen;Rouen Cathedral;Coutances Cathedral, the chevet ofLe Mans Cathedral;Bayeux Cathedral; and the celebrated monastery atMont-Saint-Michel.[14]
The Angevin Gothic style orPlantagenet style in the province ofAnjou features vaults with elegant decorative ribs, as well as ornate columns. The style is found in the interior ofAngers Cathedral (1032–1523), though many of the Gothic elements of the facade were replaced with Renaissance elements and towers. A fine example of Angevin Gothic is found in the medieval Saint Jean Hospital in Angers, which now contains the Musée Jean-Lurçat, a museum of contemporary tapestries.[15]
Poitiers Cathedral in the historic province ofMaine also features a distinctive regional Gothic style. It was begun in 1162 under KingHenry II of England andEleanor of Aquitaine. Its distinctive features, like those of Angevin Gothic, include convex vaults with ribs in decorative designs.[15]
Burgundy also had its own version of Gothic, found inNevers Cathedral (1211–1331),Dijon Cathedral (1280–1325),Chalon Cathedral (1220–1522), andAuxerre Cathedral (13th-16th century). The Burgundian Gothic tended to be more sober and monumental than the more ornate northern style, and often included elements of earlier Romanesque churches on the same site, such as the Romanesque crypt beneath the Gothic choir atAuxerre Cathedral. Other Burgundian features included colourful tile roofs in geometric patterns (Langres Cathedral).[16]
The south of France had its own distinct variation of the Gothic style: the Meriodonal orSouthern French Gothic. A prominent example isAlbi Cathedral in theTarn Department, built between 1282 and 1480. It was originally constructed as a fortress, then transformed into a church. Due to a lack of suitable stone, it was constructed almost entirely of brick, and is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. In theJacobins church ofToulouse, the grafting of a single apse of polygonal plan on a church with two vessels gave birth to a starry vault whose complex organization preceded by more than a century the Flamboyant Gothic. Tradition refers to this masterpiece as "palm tree" because the veins gush out of the smooth shaft of the column, like the fronds of palm trees.[17]
The largest civic building built in the Gothic style in France was thePalais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) inAvignon, constructed between 1252 and 1364, when the Popes fled the political chaos and wars enveloping Rome. Given the complicated political situation, it combined the functions of a church, a seat of government and a fortress.
In the 15th century, following the Late Gothic or Flamboyant period, some elements of Gothic decoration borrowed from cathedrals began to appear in civil architecture, particularly in the region ofFlanders in northern France, and in Paris. The Hôtel de Ville ofCompiègne has an imposing Gothic bell tower, featuring a spire surrounded by smaller towers, and its windows are decorated with ornateaccolades or ornamental arches. Similarly, flamboyant town halls were found inArras,Douai, andSaint-Quentin, Aisne, and across the border in Belgium inBrussels andBruges. Unfortunately, many of the finest buildings were destroyed during World War I, due to their proximity to the front lines.[18]
Gothic features also appeared in the elaborate residences built by the nobility and wealthy bourgeoisie in Paris and other large cities. Examples include the Hôtel Cluny (now theMusée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge) in Paris, and particularly the palatial house built by merchantJacques Cœur inBourges (1440–1450). Another good example in Paris is theTour Jean-sans-Peur, a nobleman's townhouse, which features a Gothic watch tower and a flamboyant gothic ceiling.
During the Middle Ages Prosperous French cities competed to build the largest cathedral or the highest tower. One of the drawbacks of French Gothic architecture was its cost; it required many skilled craftsmen working for decades. Due to downturns in the economy, a number of French cathedrals were begun but never finished. They also sometimes suffered when the ambitions of the architects exceeded their technical skills. One example wasBeauvais Cathedral. Its patrons and architects sought to build the tallest church in the world. with a vaulted choir 48 meters high, taller than its nearby competitor,Amiens Cathedral, at 42 meters. Work began in 1225 but the roof of the vault was too heavy for the walls, and partially collapsed in 1272. They thickened the walls and rebuilt the vault and in 1569 they completed a tower, 72 meters high, which from 1569 to 1573 made Beauvais Cathedral the tallest structure in the world. However, in 1573, the new tower collapsed, fortunately without any casualties. The church remains today as it was, with the choir, some of the ambulatory, apse, some chapels, but no nave or tower.[19]
Beginning in the 1530s, theFlamboyant Gothic style of French religious and civil architecture also began to show the influence of theItalian Renaissance.Charles VIII of France andLouis XII of France had both participated in military campaigns in Italy, and had seen the new architecture there. Large numbers of Italian stonemasons had come to Paris to work on the newPont Notre-Dame (1507–1512) and other construction sites. TheFontaine des Innocents, built by sculptorJean Goujon to celebrate the entrance of Henry II into Paris in 1549, was the first Renaissance monument in the city. It was soon followed by the new facade of the Cour Carré of theLouvre, also decorated byJean Goujon. The new ParisHotel de Ville (1533–1568) was also constructed in an Italianate rather than Gothic style. Most important of all, the newTuileries Palace byPhilippe Delorme, built forCatherine de' Medici, begun in 1564, was inspired by Italian palaces.[20]
Religious buildings were slower to change. The Church of the Carmes-Deschaussé (1613–1620) on rue Vaugirard in Paris, and especially the church ofSt-Gervais-et-St-Protais bySalomon de Brosse (1615–21) with a facade based on the superposition of the three orders of classical architecture, represented the new model. However, the Gothic style remained prominent in new churches. The Church ofSaint Eustache in Paris (1532–1640), which rivaled Notre-Dame in size, combined a Gothic plan with Renaissance decoration.
In the course of the 17th century, the French classical style ofFrançois Mansart began to dominate; then, under Louis XIV, the grand French classical style, practiced byJules Hardouin-Mansart,Louis Le Vau, andClaude Perrault, took center stage. Landmarks of the Gothic style, such as Notre-Dame, were modified with new interiors designed in the new style. Following the new fashion of his patron, Louis XIV, the poetMolière ridiculed the Gothic style in a 1669 poem: "...the insipid taste of Gothic ornamentation, these odious monstrosities of an ignorant age, produced by the torrents of barbarism...".
During theFrench Revolution, Gothic churches were symbols of the old regime and became targets for the Revolutionaries; the cathedrals were nationalized, and stripped of ornament and valuables. The statues of the Biblical figures on the facade of Notre-Dame were beheaded, under the false belief that they were statues of the French Kings. UnderNapoleon Bonaparte, the cathedrals were returned to the church, but were left in a lamentable state of repair.
In the 13th century, the design of thechateau fort, or castle, was modified, based on the Byzantine and Moslem castles the French knights had seen during theCrusades. The new kind offortification was called Phillipienne, afterPhilippe Auguste, who had taken part in the Crusades. The new fortifications were more geometric, usually square, with a high maindonjon or tower, in the center, which could be defended even if the walls of the castle were captured. The donjon of theChâteau de Vincennes, begun byPhilip VI of France, is a good example. It is 52 meters high, the tallest military tower in Europe.
In the Phillipienne castle, other towers, usually round, were placed at the corners and along the walls, close enough together to support each other. The walls had two levels of walkways on the inside, an upper parapet with openings (créneaux) from which soldiers could watch or fire arrows on besiegers below; narrow openings (merlons) through which they could be sheltered as they fired arrows; and floor openings (mâchicoulis), from which they could drop rocks, burning oil or other objects on the besiegers. The upper walls also had protected protruding balconies,échauguettes andbretèches, from which soldiers could see what was happening at the corners or on the ground below. In addition, the towers and walls were pierced with narrow vertical slits, calledmeurtrières, through which archers could fire arrows. In later castles, the slits took the form of crosses, so that archers could firearbalètes, orcrossbows, in different directions.[21]
Castles were surrounded by deepmoats, spanned by a single drawbridge. The entrance was also protected by aportcullis, which could be opened and closed. The walls at the bottom were often sloping, and protected with earthen barriers. A surviving example is theChâteau de Dourdan in the Seine-et-Marne department, nearNemours.[22]
After the end of theHundred Years' War (1337–1453), with improvements in artillery, the castles lost most of their military importance. They remained as symbols of the rank of their noble occupants; the narrowing openings in the walls were often widened into the windows of bedchambers and ceremonial halls. The tower of the Chateau of Vincennes became a royal residence.[22]
In the 19th century, portions of the Gothic walls and towers of theCité de Carcassonne were restored, with some modification, byEugène Viollet-le-Duc. He also rebuilt theChâteau de Pierrefonds (1393–1407), an unfinished medieval castle, making it into a neo-Gothic residence forNapoleon III. This project was incomplete when Napoleon III was overthrown in 1870, but can be visited today.
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A large part of the Gothic architectural heritage of France, particularly the churches and monasteries, had been damaged or destroyed during the Revolution. Of the 300 churches in Paris in the 16th century, only 97 still were standing in 1800. TheBasilica of St Denis had been stripped of its stained glass and monumental tombs, while the statues on the façade of the cathedral ofNotre-Dame de Paris had been beheaded and taken down. Throughout the country, churches and monasteries had been demolished or turned into barns, cafes, schools, or prisons. The first effort to catalogue the remaining monuments was made in 1816 by Alexandre de Laborde, who wrote the first list of "Monuments of France". In 1831, interest in Gothic architecture grew even greater following the popular success of the romantic novelNotre-Dame de Paris byVictor Hugo. In 1832, Hugo wrote an article for theRevue des deux Mondes, which declared war against the "massacre of ancient stones" and the "demolishers" of France's past. Louis Philippe declared that restoration of churches and other monuments would be a priority of his regime. In October 1830, the position of Inspector of Historical Monuments had been created by the Interior Minister,François Guizot, a professor of history at the Sorbonne. In 1833,Prosper Mérimée became its second Inspector, and by far the most energetic and long-lasting. He held the position for twenty-seven years.[23]
Under Louis Philippe, French Gothic architecture was officially recognized as a treasure of French culture. Under Mérimée's direction, the first efforts to restore major Gothic monuments began. In 1835, the church ofSaint Séverin in Paris was among the first to undergo restoration, followed in 1836 bySainte-Chapelle, which had been turned into a storage house for government archives after the Revolution. The restoration of Saint-Chapelle as led byFélix Duban withJean-Baptiste Antoine Lassus and a youngEugène Viollet-le-Duc. In 1843, Lassus and Viollet-le-Duc won the competition for the restoration ofNotre-Dame de Paris.[23] Over the rest of the 19th century, all of the major Gothic cathedrals of France underwent extensive restoration.
French Gothic architecture also experienced a modest revival, largely confined to new churches. Neo-Gothic churches built in Paris includedSainte-Clothilde byTheodore Ballu (1841–1857), andSaint-Laurent, Paris by Simon-Claude-Constant Dufeux (1862–1865). Jean-Baptiste Lassus became the most prolific neo-Gothic architect in France, constructing Saint-Nicolas de Nantes (1840), Sacré-Coeur de Moulins (1849), Saint-Pierre de Dijon (1850),Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville (1853) and the Église de Cusset (1855).[citation needed] TheSaint-Eugene-Sainte-Cécile in Paris by Louis-Auguste Boileau and Adrien-Louis Lasson (1854–1855) was the most innovative example of neo-Gothic; it combined a traditional Gothic design with a modern iron framework.Jules Verne was married in the church in 1857.[24]
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The Gothic style emerged from innovative use of existing technologies, particularly thepointed arch and therib vault. The rib vault was known in the earlierRomanesque period, but it was not widely or effectively used until the Gothic period. The crossed ribs of the vault carried the weight outwards and downwards, to clusters of supporting pillars and columns. The earlier rib vaults, used atSens Cathedral andNotre-Dame Cathedral, had six compartments bordered by ribs and the crossing arch, which transferred the weight to alternating columns and pillars. A new innovation appeared during the High Gothic: the four-part rib vault, which was used inChartres Cathedral,Amiens Cathedral andReims Cathedral. The ribs of this vault distributed the weight more equally to the four supporting pillars below and established a closer connection between the nave and the lower portions of the church walls, and between the arcades below and the windows above. This allowed for greater height and thinner walls and contributed to the strong impression of verticality given by the newer Cathedrals.[25]
The second major innovation of the Gothic style was theflying buttress, which was first used atNotre-Dame Cathedral. This transferred the thrust of the weight of the roof outside the walls, where it was countered by the weight of the buttress. Heavy stonepinnacles were added to the top of the buttresses, to precisely counterbalance the thrust from inside the walls. The buttress allowed a significant reduction in the thickness of the cathedral walls, and permitted the use of larger windows in the interior of the church. In churches such asSainte Chapelle, due to buttresses, the walls were made almost entirely of stained glass.[25]
The development of rib-vaults and buttresses brought gradual changes to the interior structure of cathedrals. Early Gothic cathedrals had the walls of the nave built in four levels: a gallery with columns on the ground level; then thetribune, a gallery with windows; then thetriforium, a row of smaller windows; and finally the high windows, just below the vaults. During the High Gothic period, with the development of the four-part rib vault and the flying buttress, the tribune was eliminated at Chartres and other new cathedrals, allowing taller windows and arcades. By the 15th century, at Rouen Cathedral, the triforium also disappeared, and the walls between the traverses were filled with high windows.[26]
Another innovative feature of the French Gothic cathedral was the design of theportal or entry, which by long Christian tradition faced west. TheBasilica of St Denis had a triple portal, decorated with columns in the form of statues of apostles and saints around the doorways, and biblical scenes crowded with statuary over the doorways. This triple portal was adopted by all the major cathedrals. Atympanum over the portal, crowded with sculptural figures illustrating a biblical story became a feature of Gothic cathedrals. Following the example of Amiens, the tympanum over the central portal traditionally depicted theLast Judgement, the right portal showed the coronation of the Virgin Mary, and the left portal showed the lives of saints who were important in the diocese.[27]
Largestained glass windows androse windows were another defining feature of the Gothic style. Some Gothic windows, like those at Chartres, were cut into the stone walls. Other windows, such as those in the chapels of Notre-Dame and Reims, were in stone frames installed into the walls. The most common form was an oculus, a small round window with two lancets, or windows with pointed arches, just below it. The rose window was the most famous type of the Gothic style. They were placed in thetransepts and the portals to provide light to the nave. The largest rose windows were ten meters in diameter. They had a framework of stone armatures often in an ornate floral pattern, to help them resist the wind. Gothic windows were in a stone frame separate from the wall, not cut into the wall.
The early windows were made of pieces of tinted glass, touched up withgrisaille painting, and held in place by pieces of lead that outlined the figures. As the windows grew larger, more intense colors were used. After 1260, the colors became lighter, and the combination of grisaille and pale shades of yellow became more common.Chartres Cathedral andLe Mans Cathedral have some of the finest surviving original windows.[28]
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A Gothic cathedral functioned as aliber pauperum, literally a "book of the poor", furnished with sculpture illustrating biblical stories for the vast majority of parishioners who were illiterate. These largely illustratedstories from the Bible, but also included stories and figures from mythology and more complicatedartistic symbols[29]taken from medieval philosophical and scientific teachings (such asalchemy).
The exteriors of cathedrals and other Gothic churches were decorated with sculptures of a variety of fabulous and frighteninggrotesques or monsters.[30]These included thegargoyle, thechimera, thedragon, thetarasque, and others, taken largely from legend and mythology. They formed part of the visual message for the illiterate worshippers, providing symbols of the evil and danger that threatened those who did not follow the teachings of the church.[31]
Gargoyles also had a more practical purpose. They served as the rain spouts of the building; rainwater ran from the roof into lead gutters, then down channels on the flying buttresses to the mouths of the gargoyles. The longer the gargoyle, the further they projected water away from the walls, thus protecting walls and windows from water-damage. Multiple numbers were used to distribute the water as widely as possible.
Amid all the religious figures, some of the sculptural decoration was devoted to illustratingmedieval science andphilosophy. The porch ofNotre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and ofAmiens Cathedral are decorated with similar small carved figures holding circular plaques with symbols oftransformation taken from alchemy. The central pillar of the central door of Notre-Dame features a statue of a woman on a throne holding a sceptre in her left hand, and in her right hand, two books, one open (symbol of public knowledge), and the other closed (esoteric knowledge), along with a ladder with seven steps, symbolizing the seven steps which alchemists followed in their quest of trying to transform ordinary metal into gold.[31]
Another common feature of Gothic cathedrals was a design of alabyrinth, usually found in stone on the floor in a central part of the cathedral. Inspired[citation needed] by the labyrinth in Greek legend constructed by KingMinos as the home of theMinotaur, in cathedrals labyrinths were known as the "Path of Jerusalem"[32]and symbolized the difficult and often roundabout path that a Christian sometimes had to follow in order to reach the gates ofParadise andsalvation. Large labyrinths originally found inAuxerre Cathedral,Sens Cathedral,Reims Cathedral, andArras Cathedral were removed during various renovations in the 18th century. The best surviving examples are inChartres Cathedral, in its original form, and inAmiens Cathedral, which was reconstructed in 1894.
The portal sculpture ofBurgundy integrates classical literary elements with its 13th-century Gothic style. InAuxerre, the cathedral ofSaint-Étienne features two such examples of sculptures depictingHercules, a satyr, and a sleeping faun; the Chartres–Reims cathedral's north transept illustrates the biblical tale ofDavid andBathsheba. TheSens Cathedral's "Coronation of the Virgin" reflects a similar relief on theNotre Dame in Paris; it came from a workshop that made minor contributions toSpanish Gothic architecture.[33]
Because of the lengthy period of construction of Gothic cathedrals, few were built in a single style. Most, like Notre-Dame, have a combination of features constructed in several different periods, as well as features constructed after the Gothic age. Also, different sources give varying dates for time periods. This list primarily uses the time periods given in LaRousse encyclopedia on-line and the on-line Pedagogical Dossier of Gothic Architecture of theCité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris.[34]
Everyone during the Middle Ages dreamed of going to the Holy Land. In order to relive this long voyage, the individual would advance through the labyrinth on his knees, thus making it the path of Calvary, from the house of Pilate to the site of the cross: during the Middle Ages the labyrinth was a kind of path of the cross. [...] It is understandable why the labyrinth is called 'path of Jerusalem.' One also has only to look at the outline of this spider's web to realize how often the four branches of the cross appear quite clearly on it [...].
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