Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . d! But thebuilders knew well enough that the pillars and ribs would bepushed over by the weight and outward thrust of the stonevaulting if they were not firmly supported from the outside.Instead of erecting . heavy walls to insurethis support theyhad recourse to but-tresses (/?), whichthey built quite out-side the walls of thechurch, and con-nected them bymeans of fl3nng buttresses (C) withthe points where thepillars and ribs hadthe most tendencyto push ou
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Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . d! But thebuilders knew well enough that the pillars and ribs would bepushed over by the weight and outward thrust of the stonevaulting if they were not firmly supported from the outside.Instead of erecting . heavy walls to insurethis support theyhad recourse to but-tresses (/?), whichthey built quite out-side the walls of thechurch, and con-nected them bymeans of fl3nng buttresses (C) withthe points where thepillars and ribs hadthe most tendencyto push outward. Inthis way a vaultedstone ceiling couldbe supported withoutthe use of a massivewall. This ingen-ious use of but-tresses instead ofwalls is the funda-mental principle ofGothic architecture, and it was discovered for the first time by the architects inthe medieval towns. The wall, no longer essential for supporting the ceiling, was The pointedused only to inclose the building, and windows could be built ashigh and wide as pleased the architect. By the use of pointedinstead of round arches it was possible to give great variety to. WsDI^^ Fig. ig. Flying Buttresses of NotreDame, Paris The size of the buttresses and the height of the clerestory windows of a great cathedral are well shown here arch 220 Medieval and Modem Times the windows and vaulting. So pointed arches came into generaluse, and the Gothic is often called the pointed style on thisaccount, although the use of the ribs and buttresses is the chiefpeculiarity of that form of architecture, not the pointed arch. The light from the huge windows (those at Beauvais arefifty to fifty-five feet high) would have been too intense had itnot been softened by the stained glass, set in exquisite stone