The Flying Buttress: A Gothic Godsend

While we covered general Gothic architecture last week, I thought it was important to mention one creation that made Gothic architecture possible and is synonymous with the form, the flying buttress.

In essence, the flying buttress is a column that instead of providing support only vertically, is curved and helps provide support both vertically and horizontally.

Precursors to the flying buttress can be found in some Byzantine buildings, as well as Roman architecture, but it wasn’t until the 1100s that it became a true architectural form of its own.

When a building is constructed, the weight of gravity is pulling down, but there is also a lateral force pulling the walls outward. The taller the building means the stronger the lateral force pushing against the walls. By placing the buttress against the wall, you are relieving a considerable amount of stress on the mortar and not only decreasing the chance of collapse, but also allowing for higher buildings.

Buttresses were not easy to construct as they themselves needed support while their own mortar dried. Architects first needed to construct a wooden frame for the buttress, which held it together and kept it from falling apart as the mortar dried.

A flying buttress is made up of two important components: a vertical column called a buttress and a curved arch. It is the arch that separates it from other buttresses of the time and made it a structural key in Gothic architecture.

Without the flying buttress, many of the massive Gothic churches and cathedrals could not have been built or would have to have been built very differently.

While it had an important component of support, the flying buttress became a part of the architecture and was embellished with designs to augment the design of the structure itself.

The flying buttress was popular until around the Renaissance and buttresses were replaced with thicker walled construction. It wasn’t until the 20th Century when Gothic architecture once again became popular that the flying buttress began being used again.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/brighton/4608512034/

See also:

1. Gothic Architecture: The Universe in Microcosm
2. Scary or Protectors? The Ugly Truth About Gargoyles
3. Local Architecture: Expand Your Vacation Horizons
4. Ancient Architecture: Beauty and Grandeur
5. Frank Lloyd Wright: Architectural Superstar
6. Basket Building: The Longaberger Company’s Home Office
7. Affordable Window Treatments – Arch Cellular Shades
8. Architect Profile: Helmut Jahn
9. Blinds for Your Arches