The Gothic style originated in France; the Ile de France and Picardy are dotted with fine cathedrals.These ten cathedrals represent the heights of the Gothic style. But warning; if you get addicted, you’re going to want to search out the others too – Sens and Senlis, Soissons, Noyon, Mantes… you might never stop!
1. Laon is one of the earliest Gothic cathedrals, but its architect created marvellous effects of transparence and depth in the façade and the famous towers. At the top of the towers are the famous bulls of Laon, said to be statues of the oxen which dragged the stone from the quarries up the hill to the cathedral. The church is filled with light, and the pristine simplicity of the architecture makes this little visited cathedral an obligatory stop for any traveller who wants to understand the aspirations of the early Gothic.
2. Chartres cathedral rises on a hill above the river Eure and the cornfields of Beauce. This is Gothic style at its most classic and powerful. The west front and transept porches are finely carved with figures of prophets and saints, and much of the original stained glass survives. The little figures of the donors at the bottoms of the windows, all exercising their trades – furriers, carpenters, bakers – are worth seeking out for an unusually realistic view of medieval life.
3. Notre Dame, Paris is perhaps not the finest of the Gothic cathedrals, and lost most of its furnishings in the French Revolution. But the façade, an almost square, monumental form, shows perfectly how the Gothic style uses geometrical proportions to create strongly articulated architecture.
4. Bourges is the most visionary of French cathedrals – a single, huge, open space without transept or narthex to break the pattern. Its double aisles are arranged so that the central aisle is a miniature copy of the nave of the church, with its own triforium and clerestory – as if the cathedral had been sliced in two and a new one inserted into the middle. As at Chartres, the stained glass is original – and since much of it is in the side chapels, close-up viewing is possible.
5. Amiens cathedral is massive – the biggest Gothic cathedral in France. And it’s a very pure Gothic style – simple, light, serene. The west front is full of carved detail, including symbols of the labours of the months and the virtues and vices as well as Biblical personages and local saints.
6. Reims cathedral was where the French kings were crowned; royal patronage made it a wealthy and strikingly beautiful building. The statues of the west façade – particularly the ‘smiling angel’ – have a grace and plasticity that make them the summit of the Gothic style in sculpture. Inside, the sheer height of the church is amazing.
7. Strasbourg cathedral’s lace like façade is a marvel, particularly when the setting sun brings out the redness of the sandstone. Inside, the famous astronomical clock provides a kitsch counterpoint to the glories of the Gothic nave.
8. Beauvais was the most ambitious of the Gothic cathedrals. Pride becomes before a fall, though, and after two separate vault collapses, the masons just gave up – the building was never finished. Even the stub of the church, though, is impressive – the highest and lightest work that the Gothic ever produced.
9. Albi cathedral is very different from any of the northern cathedrals. Its southern Gothic style is massive and ponderous, not light and transparent, and as if to stress the difference, it’s built in brick, not stone. But though the exterior looks like a fortress, inside it’s a treasure house of art, including fine frescoes, a painted vault, and a rood screen covered in painted statues.
10. The little-known Saint-Bertrand de Comminges isn’t one of the architectural masterpieces of France. But with its mixture of Romanesque narthex and Gothic nave, and its fine stained glass and Renaissance choir stalls, it’s one of those delightful places where every age has left its impression and every glance discovers new beauties. And how could you miss out a cathedral with its own stuffed crocodile?

Most tourists visit the town of Chartres, an hour south of Paris, to view the famous Gothic cathedral, but there is much more to this town and its environs. Chartres is an ancient town visitors need to take time to melt into using all their senses.
Visiting Chartres
Chartres sits on the banks of the Eure River in France with a flat plain to the south-east known as The Granary. The old town of Chartres is a walker’s delight, with numerous medieval streets, passages and alleys to traverse. There are signs posted to assist the visitor in finding some of the more interesting attractions within the town.
Visit the many museums and other churches along the walk like St.Pierre, St. Aignan and the Chapel of St. Foy which is now a gallery devoted to Chartres. There are beautiful gardens, cloisters and stunning medieval architecture everywhere the visitor chooses to meander in this historic area of France. The town is slowly being restored into the medieval town it once was and therefore worth the visit.
Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral is easy to find when you approach the town. The Gothic spires tower as a landmark, as important now as it was during it’s early history when pilgrims moved across the countryside to be blessed in the Cathedral. It is one of the most valuable treasures in France, built in the early 13th century in honor of the Virgin Mary.
Much of its claim to fame is that it’s still standing. Unlike many large medieval buildings in Europe and Great Britain, Chartres survived history. It survived the religious wars of the 16th century and it survived the town’s seizure by the Germans in 1870. It wasn’t damaged until World War 11. The importance of Chartres Cathedral has given it inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Treasures of Chartres Cathedral
Among the treasures of Chartres Cathedral is the tunic Mary wore on the day Jesus was born, an amazing collection of statues, a well of miracles and the head of the Virgin Mary’s mother, St. Anne. Find the labyrinth on the floor and follow the pilgrim’s path. The best day to do this is on Fridays, when the seating is removed.
Chartres Cathedral also boasts a crypt with a number of medieval chapels containing more relics. No one is or every was buried in the crypt, nor in the cathedral. Early custom prevented it as they wanted to keep it purely dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Chartres is a good jumping off point for day trips into the Loire Valley, so if visiting, consider spending a week at least in this beautiful town. It has many fine restaurants and has accommodation to suit every budget.

Gothic architecture in Europe and Great Britain grew out the Crusades. The rounded arches in churches soon evolved to the strong arch and Gothic style was born.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote that the principle of Gothic architecture is “infinity made imaginable.” And Ralph Waldo Emerson described a Gothic cathedral as “a blossoming in stone.” Both writers had an obvious love of Gothic architecture. With its tall spires and pointed windows, there is a certain romance to this style of architecture, both in its history and its beauty.

Gothic Architecture in Europe

Gothic architecture in Europe began as early as the 12th century, but its origins are much earlier in one form or another. Until the 16th century it was known as “the French style.” But during the Renaissance, it was known among builders and craftsman as an insult to style. That attitude changed as more and more buildings of this nature were being built. more

Key Features in Gothic Architecture

The key features in Gothic architecture are the strong arches – a style not far removed from ancient Sassanian architecture via the Arabs in the time of the Crusades. It was introduced into Europe and was preferred over the more rounded arch incorporated into buildings already extant. Soon came the cross-ribbed vaulted ceilings with “flying buttresses.” This made it possible to have higher naves in churches or cathedrals, larger and taller windows, giving the impression that the walls were not supporting anything, and the building was but a skeleton. It was “open concept” at its best and brilliant architecture for its time.

While some people were still living with mud floors, no glass in their windows and only shutters to keep out the weather, they had the beauty of the Gothic church to turn to with all its decadent splendor.

Examples of Gothic Architecture

Fine examples of Gothic architecture include Chartres Cathedral near Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Amiens Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Doges Palace in Venice with leanings to Byzantine and Arab architecture. Many of these buildings were designed in Romanesque Gothic. The Milan Cathedral in Italy is one of the most splendorous. It has numerous spires like upside-down icicles rising 349 ft. into the air.

Gothic architecture was used mainly for churches and cathedrals. The overabundance of lines and details was proven to work well in these buildings as it touched the emotions and the spirit of the people.

18th Century Gothic Revival

In the 18th century, Gothic architecture was revived. It became all the rage in England when Horace Wolpole built his Gothic mansion, Strawberry Hill. Chippendale began to make “Gothick” furniture and Gothic novels were being written and read everywhere, again beginning with trend-setting Walpole’s Castle of Otranto. Gothic Revival architecture was considered a frivolous folly and not to be taken too seriously. Yet it continued and is still an important style for some new buildings.

By the 19th century, Gothic architecture was considered the only proper style for new churches and has remained so into the 21st century. With its emphasis on vertical lines, the curves and remarkable, unfathomable engineering have given it an awesome beauty that continues to have it’s place in cities, towns and villages everywhere.