ITALIAN GOTHIC

ARCHITECTURE

PART 1
 INFLUENCES
GEOGRAPHICAL
German influence in Lombardy was effected through the connection of this
part of Italy and Germany geographically by the Brenner Pass.

GEOLOGICAL
The coloured marble of Northern and Central Italy supplied abundant and
beautiful material for the elaboration of plain wall treatment.
Red , black and white marbles were used in stripes and also in panels.
Many large buildings such as the Hospital at Milan and the Certosa at Pavia ,
have been erected in the materials like brick and terra-cotta of Northern Italy.

CLIMATE
Thick walls with small windows were necessary to keep out the glare and
heat of the Italian sun.
The preference of opaque treatment such as mosaic work and fresco
decoration was inherited from Romans.
 RELIGION
The real power of the Pope as the head of Western Church died with
Gregory X,(1271-1276). The succeeding Popes were under the influence of King
of France, and for nearly seventy years (1309-1376) resided at Avignon, losing
the authority and influence during their absence from Rome.

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL

Italy at this period was cut up in small principalities and commonwealths , in
which political life was full of rivalry and activity, and small wars were of constant
occurrence.

HISTORICAL
To the Latin conquest of Constantinople , in 1203 , is mainly attributed the
sudden development of the formative arts in the13th century in Europe .
In his century the successive members of the Visconti family ruled as Dukes of
Milan, and were very powerful in consequence of the wealth and industry of the
cities over which they held sway.
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
The churches are especially noticeable externally for :
• the flatness of the roofs .
• the tendency to mask the aisle roofs by mere screen wall forming the west
facade without reference to the slope of the roofs behind.
• the great central circular window in the west front lighting the nave.
• the flatness and comparative unimportance of the moulding , marble with
which the facades were faced.
 There is an absence of pinnacles due to the unimportance of the butteresses .
 Other characteristic features include the employment of elaborately carved
projecting porches at the west.
 Mosaic was used externally in panels, in continuation of early ideas and
practice.
 Terra-cotta and brick work in there plastic state was rendered much ornamental.
 The treatment of moulded brick work has never been carried to a greater
perfection than in North Italy during the Gothic and early renaissance period.
 The effect of variegated colour was relied on instead of depth of shadow.
 Stone of different colour was also carried systematically in patterns through the
design giving a special character , as at Verona.
 MILAN CATHEDRAL (AD 1385-1418)
It was erected by the first duke of Milan ,is the most important work of this
period and there is a marked German influence , both in character and detail.

It is the largest mediveal cathedral and second largest Catholic Church with
the exception of Seville and is built entirely of white marble.
 520’
CHOIR

AISLE

TRANSEPT
NAVE
302’ 55’

AISLE

POLYGONAL APSE CHOIR APSE

The plan consist of a nave 148 ft high with Four side Aisles ,crossed by a Transept and then
followed by Choirand Apse.
The five broad naves are divided by 40 pillars which are 80ft high. The nave has very small
clerestorey.
PLAN
 SECTION
The nave is terminating with a circlet of columns in the French manner , but is
enclosed in a German polygonal Apse.
The roof is very flat in pitch, being constructed of massive marble slabs ,laid upon
the upper surface of the vaulting.

The feature of the interior is the range of immense shafts to the Nave , whose
summits are treated with canopied Niches ,filled with statues , in the place of
ordinary capitals.
The huge building is a brick construction , faced with marble from the quarries.

At the crossing of Nave and Aisles is a vault crowned a marble Spire designed by
Brunelleschi in Ad 1440.
THANK
YOU
SUBMITTED BY :

HARMANJIT SINGH 2017ARA0006

KRITIKA MAHAJAN 2017ARA0014
RANBIR SINGH 2017ARA0025
RIDDHI AGGARWAL 2017ARA0026
AMOLIKA SHARMA 2017ARA0045
ARSHDEEP SINGH 2017ARA0049
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