Gothic Cathedrals: Notre Dame, Chartres, Amiens, Reims & Sainte-Chapelle
Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame is a magnificent Latin cross structure, featuring five naves and a double ambulatory. The platform’s beauty and the dome are striking. Note the graceful arches and slender columns of the platform, serving both structural and decorative purposes. Sexpartite vaults divide the deck into triangular segments. The exterior of Notre Dame is notable for its transept doors with large rose windows. The interplay of flying buttresses, pinnacles, and Gothic windows is also remarkable. The facade displays a balanced blend of horizontal and vertical lines, a Romanesque inheritance, lending the building a classic appearance. Three doors and a large frieze of statues complete the facade.
Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral’s exterior is remarkably homogenous. The main facade is H-shaped, with three deeply splayed doors framed by two towers topped with pyramidal pinnacles, though not identical. The large central rose window is another prominent feature. The interior boasts five naves and three transept aisles, without a dome. Cylindrical pillars with attached polygonal columns provide support. The chevet has a double ambulatory and apses. The large clerestory windows contribute to the dematerialization of the walls, creating a captivating play of light that shifts throughout the day.
Amiens Cathedral
The exterior facade is richly decorated and H-shaped, with two slightly different towers. The roof features three typical Gothic gables. Prominent gates mark the transept. Inside, five naves extend to the transept, separated by three highly stylized vertical supports. The chevet has an ambulatory with seven apses. A starry dome graces the transept, while radiating chapels crown the apse. The interior of Reims Cathedral is similar to Amiens.
Reims Cathedral
Reims Cathedral follows a Latin cross plan with five naves, a double ambulatory, and radiating chapels. The vaulted ceiling and deep windows create a rich interplay of light. The exterior is marked by a strong verticality. The homogenous main facade features two identical towers with triple gabled, flared roofs. The intricate arrangement of flying buttresses, pinnacles, buttresses, and monumental sculptures is striking. Reims Cathedral measures approximately 138 meters long and 30 meters wide, with three aisles. The nave is about 38 meters high, and its towers reach approximately 86 feet. The interior resembles Amiens Cathedral, but the capitals and moldings are more elaborate. Tapestries, including a series depicting the Virgin’s life, once adorned the cathedral. The north transept houses a prominent organ in a Gothic case, and the choir clock features mechanical figures. The three portals are laden with statues and statuettes, rivaling Chartres in sculptural richness. The central portal, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, features a rose window framed by a statue-decorated arch instead of a carved tympanum. The “gallery of kings” above depicts Clovis’s baptism, flanked by statues of his successors. The transept facades also boast sculptures. The north side displays statues of Reims bishops, a Judgement scene, and a figure of Jesus (le Beau Dieu), while the south side features a beautiful modern rose window with prophets and apostles.
Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle is an early Gothic masterpiece, considered by some to mark the pinnacle of the style. Two chapels overlap: a lower chapel for the common people and an upper chapel for the royal court, a common arrangement in medieval royal palaces. Access to the upper chapel was typically through upper galleries. The lower chapel, dedicated to the Virgin, supports the upper chapel. Its numerous columns bear the building’s weight, minimizing the lower chapel’s architectural impact to emphasize the upper chapel. The lower chapel has an open plan with three naves and detailed polychrome decoration. The upper chapel boasts a 20-meter-high vault. Each pillar features an apostle. The slender columns enhance the vault’s lightness. The upper chapel’s walls are replaced by tall, light-filled windows separated by slender columns. The windows depict religious scenes, incorporating real characters according to their positions, such as King David or King Solomon near the king. The windows form a homogenous group, dominated by blue, red, and yellow, creating a vibrant atmosphere. The nave windows, 15.35 meters high and 4.70 meters wide, are divided by four lancets, topped by a six-lobed rose window and two quatrefoils. The apse windows, 13.45 meters high and 2.10 meters wide, have two lancets and three trefoils. The window scenes represent various religious narratives.