1. Who made the Gothic Cathedral and where was the name derived?

Abbot Suger made the Gothic Cathedral. They named it after some barbarians called the Goths. Gothic
was a negative name to the people back in these days.

2. Why was the cathedral's size so large and height so enormously high? What would a medieval
man's experience be in a cathedral?
They had to try and reach heaven so they had taller buildings to try and reach heaven. A medieval man
would be entering “heaven” and have a religious experience in the cathedral. The cathedral represents
Christ’s body and so when you enter the cathedral you are also entering Christ.

3. What problem faces the Amien's and Beauvais Cathedral (specific facts please--cracks, etc.)
The Amien’s is 138.8 feet tall, and the Beauvais Cathedral is 159 feet tall. They are cracking because
they are so tall and unstable. When you have to much weight with no load bearing walls gravity pulls the
building down and is making the building bow and crack.

4. What technology was used to keep a Gothic cathedral from collapsing? How did walls made of
glass support an enormous ceiling of stone?
They created a vaulting that is called groin vaulting. They put it in the roof of the gothic cathedral to help
hold the building up and help distribute the weight. Because of this the groing vaulting would take the
majority of the weight so that you could have a stone ceiling with glass supporting it and it would not break.

5. What is the difference between a ribbed vault and a barrel vault?

A ribbed vault is more triangular in shape, while the barrel vault is more round/dome like in shape.

6. What is a load bearing wall?

Is a wall that has to be there. It holds all of the weight from the upper levels.

7. Name all of the innovations described in the video.

8. What other reason does the video state could motivate Medieval man to make the incredible
dimensions of the cathedral (other than bragging rights)?
Already covered above

9. Why were Ancient pagan philosophers, like Pythagoras, Plato, ect., revered to Medieval man
(the sculptures in the facade jams)? What's the relationship to Biblical measurements? Why is
144 significant?
Pythagoras rectangle has always been use for a measurement of beauty. The dimensions of the
cathedral added up to 144, and it was the height to heaven.

10. What is the one thing most memorable to you about this video?