Gothic castle in the Vladimir region. Czech gothic castles

Huge walled cities, large, beautifully fortified castles, knights armed to the teeth on horseback, grandiose cathedrals with stained-glass windows, buttresses and gargoyles - this is how we usually imagine Europe in the XII-XIV centuries. This era is called "Gothic era" in honor of the architectural style. The term "Gothic" originally had a negative connotation: it was introduced by the Italian Renaissance humanists as a pejorative designation for all medieval art, which was considered "barbarian".

Gothic temples are decorated with colored glass, or stained glass. Colored glasses were made by adding various dyes to molten glass. Glass was made in the form of small plates, the technology for creating large sheets was not yet known. To make a large stained glass window, small pieces of glass were connected with lead strips. Getting into the interior of the temple with brightly colored stained-glass windows, we still experience spiritual awe. This spectacle was supposed to shock and inspire people of the Middle Ages. Gothic has its own set of decorative elements, abstract elements of classical orders - dentils, meander, etc. - were replaced by ornaments that depict various natural forms, sometimes very accurately. Ornaments in the form of a trefoil (clover) and a quatrefoil and a variety of leafy ornaments are signs of a new style. Sculpture (grotesques, gargoyles) can be both funny and intimidating. In the window ornaments, for the first time, masswork appears - a Gothic ornament, which is based on no specific organic form, it was created with the help of a compass. The forms of this ornament are extremely diverse: roses, ornaments made up of parts of a circle, in the form of a fish bubble, etc. Ornaments in Gothic were used arbitrarily, and not in accordance with the rules, as in classical architecture.

New building technologies

The lancet arch and cross rib vault were the most advanced structures in the Gothic era. In the Romanesque, semicircular arches were sometimes modified, acquiring a slightly pointed shape. But the lancet arch began to be widely used only after 1150. It is generally accepted that the lancet arch symbolizes the desire for heaven, for God. However, lancet arches were used not only in temple architecture. They are found in castles, city fortifications, town halls and other secular buildings, in furniture and decorative items. IN cathedral in Wales, for example, the apex of the lancet arch generally faces down. Whatever significance modern scholars may give to the lancet arch, its use is an attempt to solve the technical problems that arose in the construction of large cathedrals.

In Romanica, the use of simple semi-cylindrical vaults sometimes made it impossible to construct windows large enough to illuminate the interior of the cathedral well. Cross vaults made it possible to unload the wall and make large upper windows. One problem remained: the cells of the side aisles, square in plan, also had to be covered with cross vaults corresponding to the vaults of the central nave (because of this, the side vaults turned out to be too wide and as complex and expensive to build as the vaults of the central nave); or each bay should be divided into two parts so that the side naves correspond to vaults, the width of which would be half as wide as the width of the vaults of the central nave. This approach has been used in the construction of a number of churches, such as the church of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan or the cathedrals in Mainz and Worms in Germany. Another problem arose due to the fact that the cross vault, overlapping a square cell in plan, if its side arches were semicircular, had to have elliptical diagonal arches, or its diagonal arches had to be higher than the side ones. In the first case, the vaults looked flattened, and in the second, each vault turned into a kind of dome, which divided the central nave into several separate compartments, thus violating the integrity of the space. In addition, earlier vaults were built using wooden circles that filled the space that needed to be covered. As vaults grew larger, it was desirable to minimize the need for these temporary structures. This was achieved due to the fact that at first, with the help of circles, the ribs of the cross vault (ribs) were erected, and then these “ribs” were used as a support for the wooden scaffolding needed to fill the gaps between the ribs. The ribs were difficult to design and build in the shape of an ellipse, or had to be made higher than the jaw arches. If the vault covered a cell that was rectangular rather than square in plan, the problem was exacerbated, since the cheek and diagonal arches of the vault were very different in height.

The solution to the problem was to make the diagonal arches semi-circular, and the side arches should be narrower, but their height remains the same. The geometric solution to this problem required the use of elliptical cheek arches, but the ellipse is a complex figure, it is not part of a circle, therefore it cannot be inscribed in a circle. The medieval architect and the medieval stonemason were not prepared to design and build elliptical arches. In the Gothic era, the solution was the arch, which could be any height, any width, and fit into a circle.

The resulting arch was lancet, a compromise that allowed for an ellipse, but was easier to design and build. As soon as rib arched vaults became widespread, it became possible to cover the span of any shape - square, rectangular and even trapezoidal (5.7-5.9). In such vaults, four side and two diagonal arches are of the same height, which allowed the ridge beam to stretch along the entire length of the central nave in the form of a continuous line that visually unifies the interior space.

The last problem concerns the buttresses, which could dampen the expansion of the vaults. Inside, the vaults were dampened by neighboring vaults, but the outer walls had to be reinforced with a structure that would be higher than the side aisles and would not prevent light from penetrating through the large windows located in the upper tier of the central nave. It could have been stone buttresses, but it was embarrassing that they would put a lot of pressure on the side aisles. The solution to the problem was the use of one or more tiers of flying buttresses - semi-arches, transmitting the thrust of the vaults to the buttresses, a wonderful element of a medieval cathedral. It became possible to place stained-glass windows in the upper and lower parts of the walls, which no longer experience either mass pressure or thrust.

Medieval guilds helped masons to comprehend stereometry, which is used to make arches of complex shapes out of stones. Some cathedrals were designed and built better than others. For example, the cathedral at Chartres (begun c. 1145) was not as perfect in its constructive solution as the cathedral at Bourges (1195-1275), where the double side aisles were surrounded by double light buttresses, which did not require much material to create, but which were of incredible strength and beauty. An analysis of the structures proves that the construction was not haphazard. It can be clearly shown that, just as in Ancient Egypt or Ancient Greece, the construction of Gothic buildings used mathematical concepts. The western façade of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris can be divided into a series of squares, 6 units wide and 9 high. Again and again, the golden ratio is used, obtained with the help of simple geometric calculations, for which ordinary rope and pegs were used. A simple 3-4-5 right triangle was used to define the right angle and also as the basis for modular planning. It is proved that the ratio of the width and height of the south tower of the Chartres Cathedral is 1:6, which corresponds to the coefficient of vibration of the notes of the sixth.

Gothic cathedrals and churches

Although it is possible in principle to describe a "typical" Gothic cathedral, it is nevertheless distinguished by a huge variety of forms. For example, the cathedral in Albivo France (1202-1390) was built of brick, there are no side naves, but the central one is very wide, and the buttresses are “hidden” in the thickness of the high outer walls. Gothic churches, which were smaller than cathedrals, are also distinguished by a variety of forms. The Dominican Church in Toulouse (1260-1304) is a hall space covered by two rows of vaults supported by tall columns located along the central axis of the building with a very unusual and spectacular interior. The famous royal chapel Sainte Chapelle (1242-1248) has low naves with a high volume above them. The supporting structure is reduced to thin stone ribs, the gaps between which are filled with stained-glass windows, so that the interior is flooded with light.

The tallest completed French cathedral, Notre Dame in Amiens, is the most perfect example of this type of structure. Gray stone is enlivened by marble floors and colored stained glass windows. The height of the central nave (42 m) makes a stunning impression. The church of Saint-Maclou in Rouen (c. 1463-1520) is an example of the late Gothic style, which is called the "flaming Gothic" style. The flame-like patterns that gave the style its name can be seen on the windows at the far end of the choir. The church is not as big as the cathedrals, but the most beautiful elements of the “flaming” style are used in its decoration, especially the western portal.

Secular Gothic buildings

In the Gothic era, in addition to cathedrals, many more diverse structures were erected. Many small churches were built during this period. Sometimes they had stone vaults, but more often wooden ceilings, as in secular buildings. City halls, buildings of guilds, customs were built in the Gothic style. London's Westminster Hall (1397-1399), the only surviving part Palace of Westminster, has wooden floors, consisting of rafters, the so-called. crossbars. The lancet arches rest on cantilevers, allowing more space to be spanned than is possible with a conventional truss structure.

The complication of the social structure of society has led to the emergence of structures for various purposes. The hospital, where the sick and infirm were cared for, was part of the monastery complex. The hospital in Beaune in France (c. 1443) is a complex of two-story buildings, on three sides surrounding the courtyard, in which various hospital services were located, on the fourth side the courtyard was closed by a Gothic hall that served as the main chamber. It was a spacious room with curtains and beds for patients. The beds are located some distance from the wall, forming a passage for the staff. Visitors and walking patients could walk around the center of the hall (where church services also took place), while doctors and attendants moved unnoticed around the hall - such a system is in many ways better than the chaos that reigns in modern medical institutions. The hall is covered with a wooden vault. The hospital was located here until 1948.

During this period, more and more colleges and universities appeared, and college libraries became so large that they needed separate rooms, and sometimes even entire buildings. The large library of Durham College and the more modest library of St. John's College, Oxford (1555) are examples of hardwood-beamed halls furnished with shelves and tables. The largest building in the college was the chapel, an example is the fan-vaulted chapel of King's College, Cambridge (1446-1515) and the refectory, where all students gathered at dinner. The refectory was an enlarged main hall that served as the main living quarters in a medieval castle. The refectory at St. John's College, Oxford (1555) has vaulted windows and doors, oak-paneled walls, and vaulted timber ceilings.

New types of commercial buildings appeared slowly. The shop of a craftsman or merchant was still a room on the lower floor of the house in which the owner lived with his family (and often some of the workers). Over time, new forms of commerce have led to larger premises. In Valencia, Spain, the silk exchange (Lonja de la Seda, 1483-1498) is housed in a large gothic hall with groin vaults. In many European cities preserved halls with wooden ceilings, where the arches form covered shopping arcades. An excellent example of such a structure is the covered market at Crémieux in France.

The construction of castles lasted more than one century. Several large castles date back to the very end of this period, when the invention of gunpowder ended the age of castles. The castles of the Gothic era had a more elaborate layout and were better suited for life than before. The interiors of some castles are perfectly preserved. Of the castles at Caernarvon and Conwy (both begun in 1283) in Wales, only the outer walls now remain. For example, at Stokesay Castle in Shropshire (1258-1305), stone walls, windows with Gothic arches and wooden ceilings of the main hall have been preserved. Bodiam Castle in Sussex (1368-1369) has a symmetrical square plan. At the corners, as well as in the center of each of the sides of the square, towers rise. Palazzo Vecchio in Florence (1298-1314) medieval fortress although it was the town hall. In the Ca d'Oro palace in Venice (c. 1420), ornaments demonstrate the sophistication of Italian Gothic.

During the late Middle Ages, rich people began to prefer large houses to castles, sometimes with a moat and a drawbridge, but without fortified walls and towers. In England, many feudal houses are well preserved. Just like in the castle, the hall remains the main room. At one end of the hall there is usually a vestibule, called "screens" (screen, partition) due to the fact that it was separated from the main room by a wooden partition. It also served as a support for a balcony - a minstrel gallery where musicians and entertainers performed - and connected to the kitchen and pantries. At the other end of the hall there was a platform where there was a table intended for the family members of the owner of the house and important guests, the rest of the guests were seated on benches at temporary tables in the center. The fireplace served as a source of heat. Smaller rooms with different purposes - living rooms, bedrooms, chapels - were concentrated around the courtyard. The huge Haddon Hall in Derbyshire is a fine example of an English manor and dates from the 14th century. (although some parts were rebuilt later). The beautiful main hall at Penzhurst Place Palace in Kent (1341-1348) is perfectly preserved. hallmark more modest in size Little Morton Hall in Cheshire (XVI century) is half-timbered. The old-fashioned rooms, chimneys, moat and drawbridge, despite their late date of construction, are essentially medieval.

The castles of France, such as the castle in Lange (c. 1490) or the castle of La Brede (c. 1290) are well preserved, although subsequent additions somewhat distorted their appearance. Château Pierrefonds (c. 1390), one of the most impressive castles in France, was "restored" in the 19th century. under the leadership of Viollet le Duc, as a result, medieval architecture was almost lost. The Swiss castles at Aigla (13th century) and Chillon Castle (10th-13th centuries) mostly look the same as in the Middle Ages, although the furniture and small details of the interior have not been preserved. Many rooms have stone Gothic vaults. The main rooms usually have a large fireplace; as a rule, it is a hearth protruding from the wall, and not a depression in the wall. The windows are small, with lead-paned glass and wooden shutters. Stone benches under the windows made it possible to sit in the stream of sunlight. Many pieces of furniture were portable and sometimes temporary, although canopy beds began to appear in the chambers of rich people, protecting them from the cold and prying eyes. We learn a lot about the interiors of castles thanks to miniatures in manuscripts. Although the artists of the Middle Ages were not familiar with the laws of perspective, the interiors in miniatures look very realistic, the color of furniture, fabrics and small utensils is accurately conveyed.

The interiors are present in the illustrations for biblical and religious texts, on which the characters are placed in the environment of the era contemporary to the artist; other miniatures depict holidays, feasts, weddings, coronations and other events. For example, in a miniature by Lois Llede (d. 1478), the sons of St. Mary are born in a medieval bedroom. We see a huge fireplace, a gothic canopy bed on which a young mother lies, next to it stands a gothic armchair and a cradle for a newborn. Bed linen, pillows, sheets and blankets made of colored fabrics. The same artist depicted a wedding feast in a hall with a tiled floor; on the balcony the musicians play the trumpets. The tables are covered with beautiful tablecloths. gothic cupboards hold plates and goblets. Servants serve snacks to guests, which they take with their hands.

The paintings of the Dutch artist Robert Campin (1375-1444), usually identified with the master from Flemal, depict the interior of the late Middle Ages. in the central part of the triptych "Annunciation" you can see a large fireplace with a screen. Nearby is a wooden bench with a reversible back, on lush cushions you can sit facing the fire or, conversely, turning to the table. On the table is a silver candlestick with one candle and a jug of flowers. Light enters through windows covered with hinged shutters, which are opened with a rope.

Artists of the Middle Ages most often depicted the interiors of the houses of the nobility. In the house of ordinary people there were one, maximum two rooms, an earthen or plank floor, bare stone or wooden walls and a minimum of furniture - benches, a table, a chest or a sideboard. Beds, especially in northern regions, were a wooden structure, shaped like a box, often so short that you had to sleep half-sitting in it. The hearth or fireplace served for heating and cooking. Candles have already firmly entered into use, so various candlesticks have appeared, from simple ones to elegant table or wall ones.

In the era of the late Middle Ages, trade and crafts also began to develop, shops appeared in the cities, including workshops. Artists of that era often depicted workshops, bakeries, butcher shops, etc. The front of the store usually faced the street, the goods were laid out on a table or counter, in the back of the store there was a warehouse. The room had a strictly utilitarian character, there were no decorations. In the late Middle Ages, few merchants were rich enough to live in large, comfortable and beautiful houses. Such houses were found only in cities; life in the countryside at a time when there was almost no transport was neither safe nor comfortable. Only noble people could have their own horses, and it was best to move along broken roads on foot. In many European cities, the houses of wealthy citizens have been preserved. Large houses resembled small palaces. For example, the house of the banker Jacques Coeur (XV century) in Bourges in France is essentially a palace with a courtyard, stairs in the towers, vaulted galleries, gable roofs and dormer windows. In the house of a wealthy merchant, the hall is equipped with a fireplace covered with magnificent carvings. Wooden doors are also decorated with wonderful carvings; a cornice with elegant ornaments runs under the ceiling. The hall is covered with a simple wooden ceiling. The interior has images of the royal coat of arms. The interiors are decorated with carved doors and fireplaces, as well as brightly painted ceilings. the main rooms had tapestries. They sat on simple chairs or armchairs. Simple planks on trestle were later replaced by Gothic tables. The walls in the houses of the nobility began to be decorated with tapestries, which warmed the room and delighted the eye with beautiful images.

Style history

In the late Middle Ages, the interior decoration of temples becomes more magnificent. The sculpture on the walls and columns echoes the wooden carvings of the pews and pulpit. Candelabra, liturgical accessories and vestments made of embroidered fabrics gave the interior of the Gothic church pomp and color. On the altar there was often a triptych consisting of a central and two side panels, the side panels, when folded, had to completely cover the central one. The back surfaces of the side panels could also be covered with soft paintings or carvings, so that when the triptych was opened during the service, it began to shine with bright colors. The patterns on the walls and at the bottom of the vaults were also colored. Wall paintings are often recreated, sometimes hidden under later layers or completely destroyed, so that the walls have the color of natural stone.

Gothic in different countries

France

The Gothic cathedrals of France are examples of the most successful constructive solutions. Gothic architecture gradually changed. The following terms are used for different periods in the development of French Gothic:

• Early and High Gothic: These terms refer to the period from 1150 to 1250. Chartres Cathedral, for example, includes both early and high Gothic elements. Many of the most magnificent French cathedrals - those of Amiens, Lana, Chartres, Bourges and Beauvais - are examples of High Gothic.
• Radiant style: The radiant (or decorative) style is the style of 1230-1325, when the whole building and its parts are given light, stretching forms. The huge round windows (roses) found in many French cathedrals are typical of this style. The Sainte Chapelle in Paris is the most famous building in this style.
• Flaming Style: This term refers to the last phase of French Gothic. It is characterized by complex intricate patterns. The churches of Saint-Ouin and Saint-Maclou in Rouen are examples of the "flaming style".

The Abbey of Saint-Denis, located north of Paris, was founded in the 5th century. The abbey church was rebuilt in the Carolingian and Romanesque era, but the work undertaken under the rector Sugeria c. 1130 and continued in the XIII century. abbot Clement, turned the building into the earliest example of the Gothic style. The plan of the church is in the form of a Latin cross. The central nave consists of seven rectangular bays, side aisles stretch on both sides of it, the choir consists of three bays and ends in a semicircular apse. There is a de-ambulatory around the choir. The entire volume is covered with lancet vaults, the height of which is the same in the central nave, transept and choir, thus creating a single space. The supports are thin, it seems that the walls consist entirely of stained-glass windows.

Cathedrals in Sens, Lana, Notre-Dame in Paris, built later, go back to the abbey church of Saint-Denis. However, the Cathedral of Chartres, with its magnificent towers (built several centuries later), which began to be built in the Romanesque style, departs from this scheme. You can enter the cathedral from the west, each portal (there are three in total) is decorated with a sculpture. The number of doors - three - is associated with the Trinity. The viewer enters the central nave, which is immersed in twilight. Above the arcade stretches a narrow strip of windowless triforium. The windows above it are decorated with stained-glass windows. Each opening is divided by massverk into two high lancet openings with a rose in the upper part. To the right and left of the crossroads, transepts diverge, the choir in the east is surrounded on three sides by a double bypass and a crown of chapels. The complexly organized mystical space of the cathedral, drowning in darkness, prompts reflections on eternity.

The stained glass windows depict apostles, saints, prophets and martyrs. Twenty-two stained-glass windows in the ambulatory tell the legend of Charlemagne. The top row windows are set too high, so it's hard to see all the details, but the richness of colors still makes an impression. Let's return to the western facade - above the entrance there are Romanesque arched windows and a huge rose. From the north and south there are also portals and five narrow windows with a rose above them.

Cathedral at Reims (begun 1211) - formally a more "perfect" Gothic cathedral; the cathedral at Amiens (begun in 1220), with its impossibly high nave, looks more impressive. The cathedral at Beauvais, whose construction began at about the same time, was even larger, but in 1573 the central tower collapsed, and it became clear that the limit in the field of high-rise construction had been reached. The central nave of the cathedral was never completed, so only the transept and the choir have come down to us.

England

The medieval cathedrals of England are guided by French cathedrals, so we can talk about close contacts between architects and builders on both banks of the English Channel. Perhaps the cathedrals in England and France were built by itinerant architects. English Gothic has never been as spectacular as the French, but it is inherent in diversity, each building has its own unique look.

Salisbury Cathedral (1220-1266) was built in the early English Gothic style and can be considered the prototype of English Gothic cathedrals. The cathedral in Wales (1175-1338), with its inverted cross-arch arches, seems to us more interesting and original. In English Gothic, a fan vault was sometimes used, which got its name from its resemblance to a fan of palm leaves. The central nave of the Exeter Cathedral (XIV century) is covered with fan vaults. The cathedral was built in a style that in England is called "decorated Gothic". The vaults of the central nave with many ribs rise above the space of the temple. The massive partition separating the central nave from the choir, which was once present in most cathedrals, has been preserved and serves as a support for a huge organ that appeared here later.

The fan-vaulted monasteries at Gloucester and the octagonal chapter houses at Salisbury, Lincoln, York and Wales were originally part of the monastic complexes. There is often talk of strong French influence in Westminster Abbey (1045-1519). The Gothic cloister and chapter hall survive along with fragments of the earlier Norman abbey, while the Henry VII Chapel is built in the "perpendicular Gothic" style. Enough is known about English cathedrals to name some of the architects of that era: William Joy in Wales, Hugh Herland and William Winford in Winchester, Henry Yevel in Westminster. The masons worked under the guidance of highly qualified specialists who developed the plan of the cathedral and supervised the construction.

Because many cathedrals were built over a long period of time, different parts of a building are often of different styles. The established terminology looks like this:

• Norman style is the English name for the Romanesque style. Norman structures date from 1066-1200.
• Early English style - This term refers to the Gothic style of the 13th century. The cathedrals at Lincoln and Wells are mostly of the early English style; Salisbury Cathedral is a prime example of this style. For him, the characters are lancet arches and vaults with a simple decor.
• The decorated style is a style characteristic of the 14th century. Examples are Exeter Cathedral and the central nave of Lincoln Cathedral. A distinctive feature of this style is carved ornaments, the main element of which is curved leaves.
• Perpendicular style - the term refers to the style that existed in the 15th century. Vertical divisions of windows and fan vaults are the characteristic features of this style. Examples are the King's College Chapel and the tops of the towers at Lincoln and York.

Rest of Europe

The Gothic style spread from France to other countries, so there are Gothic buildings in almost all parts of Europe.

The interiors of gothic churches in the Netherlands are characterized by cold simplicity and good lighting, made possible by the numerous windows with transparent glass. In Germany, the Cologne Cathedral (begun in 1270) carefully repeats French models. In St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, the central and side naves are of the same height, which means that there is no triforium and upper windows, in which case the interior space is called hall. Examples of Gothic churches in the Benelux countries (Netherlands and Belgium) are the cathedral in Tournai and the Sint-Bavo church in Haarlem.

In Spain, the cathedral at León (begun 1252) resembles that at Amiens, while those at Toledo (begun 1227) and Barcelona can be compared to Notre Dame in Paris. In Spanish cathedrals, huge, carved reredos behind the altar are the main feature of the interior, along with ornate metal bars, or reyas, that separated the central nave from the choir. In the grandiose cathedral in Seville (1402-1519), on the site of which a mosque had previously risen, double side naves, almost the same in width and height as the central nave with a flat roof.

Italian Gothic could not escape the influence of Roman architecture. Italian architecture rarely exploits the possibilities of the Gothic to the fullest, it seems to have gone straight from the Romanesque to the Renaissance. Milan Cathedral (begun in 1390) is the largest Gothic cathedral in Italy. It has the shape of a Latin cross in plan, the high central and double side naves are covered with cross vaults, inside and outside the cathedral is richly decorated. The interior space of the cathedral is overloaded with decor, both delighting and disappointing. The cathedral in Siena (1245-1380) was built in a style close to the Romanesque, the alternation of light and dark stripes in the columns and window frames gives the interior a special charm. The western façade is replete with Gothic sculpture, as in Milan Cathedral.

In the cathedral in Florence (Santa Maria del Fiore, 1296-1462), the cross-cross is octagonal in shape, which suggests that the cathedral originally had a centric layout, which the long central nave turned into a basilica. The builders were unable to block the octagonal crossroads, only in the Renaissance a huge dome was erected over the cathedral.

There are things that delight people. One of these things are old buildings, in particular gothic castles. How could people build such grandiose structures? It is surprising. Let's take a look at a selection of different castles and palaces made in different countries of Europe. Each of these structures is unique.

Tower

Do you know the legends about the famous Tower Prison? London Fortress holds a lot of death and torture. The first ghosts appeared in the Tower in the 13th century, and now many guards who remain to guard the prison at night talk about them. The ghosts of royalty are often seen. The most famous ghost of the Tower is the figure of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of the famous King Henry VIII. Anna died at the age of 35 by order of the king. Her headless ghost often walks the corridors of the Tower.

There is also a legend about the ghost of Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury. Her beliefs differed from the beliefs of King Henry VIII of England, so the king ordered the countess to be beheaded. At the moment of execution, Margaret refused to put her head on the deck and escaped from the executioner, but he caught up with her and cut her with an ax. Now this scene is repeated at night and the guards are fired, because to see the horrors every night - there are problems with the psyche.

Neuschwanstein

A castle in Germany was the home of a strange division of the Third Reich, which studied the occult sciences, fortune telling, summoned spirits and studied ancient witchcraft. Then an amazing thing happened - the Nazis said that despite the fact that Ludwig II was gay, his genius was beyond that. At the end of World War II, the castle was the Reichsbank's gold vault, but then the gold disappeared. In addition, paintings and antiques disappeared from the castle, which after the war were supposed to replenish Hitler's collection. And Neuschwanstein Castle was the prototype of the Sleeping Beauty castle from Disneyland.

Other castles

Each castle has its own legends and stories. If the castle is more than 1000 years old, then it has experienced completely different eras, including the Middle Ages with its executions, the renaissance with its balls and the present with tourists. The walls of Gothic castles remember all the key moments of history. Check out a selection of beautiful castles in Europe such as those in France, Hohenzollern in Germany, and more!

The Gothic architectural style originated in the middle of the 12th century in northern France. The efforts of Abbot Suteria contributed to this. This style reached its greatest prosperity in the first half of the 13th century, spreading to the territories modern Spain and the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany, as well as the UK.

You can meet Gothic in the architecture of Italy. However, this style leaked into this country a little later, having undergone a powerful transformation. By the end of the 14th century international gothic swept the whole of Europe. In countries located in the east of this continent, this style appeared much later and lasted until the 16th century. Gothic gave the world not only peculiar forms. This style has created a completely new understanding of volumetric composition and organization of space.

Stages of Gothic development

There is a certain periodization in the development of this amazing architectural style. So, gothic is distinguished:

Early (12th century);
- heyday of style (13th century);
- flaming (14-15 centuries);
- international.

Somewhat later, only elements of this unusual style began to be used in the architectural solutions of buildings. The term "Neo-Gothic" is used for such structures.

architectural features

The Gothic style is characterized by the verticality of the composition, the complex frame of the support system, the ribbed vault, and the lancet arch. These design features made it possible to build structures with large vaults (due to the presence of stiffeners) and with walls of smaller thickness (due to the repayment of loads on them by a system of buttresses). The architects reduced the massiveness of the buildings under construction as much as possible. This was made possible by the introduction of frameworks. As a result, the walls ceased to serve as load-bearing elements.

Features

The styles existing at a certain historical stage undergo certain changes over time. And so it gradually began to transform into Gothic.

What are its main features? There are seven hallmarks of the Gothic style:

1. Fashionable and predominant colors are blue, red and yellow.
2. Lancet lines forming a vault of two intersecting arcs.
3. Rectangular shape of the building in plan, turning into pillars
4. Fan vault, built on supports. Instead, it is sometimes found. The halls in such buildings are long and narrow. Or wide, with supports installed in the center. The ceilings in these rooms are necessarily high.
5. Lancet, frame, openwork, stone, elongated arches, as well as an underlined skeleton of the entire frame.
6. Multicolored stained glass windows. Their shape can be round or elongated upwards.
7. Paneled oak doors and ribbed lancet arches in doorways.

An integral feature of this art is also the presence of sculptures. Mythical creatures and gloomy figures most often adorned the walls and cathedrals.

Many medieval castles in Europe were built in the Gothic style. This is a real example of the synthesis of many arts, such as:

Architecture;
- sculpture;
- monumental painting;
- decorative and applied arts.

Cathedrals in the Gothic style lined up in the central city squares, dominating the surrounding two or three-story houses. This arrangement is especially typical for of Eastern Europe and Italy.

The first building of the Gothic style

According to the project of Abbot Suger, the church of Saint-Denis was erected. It was the first building built in the Gothic style. During the construction of this cathedral, a large number of internal partitions and supports were removed. As a result, the building took on a graceful appearance that cannot be compared with Romanesque fortresses.

Erected by the royal adviser and abbot of the monastery, Suger, the Gothic cathedral carried a certain semantic load. He gave grandeur to the monastery, which was the ancient tomb of the French kings. According to contemporaries, the temple erected by Suger became a continuous and amazing light that saturated the interior with beauty. Louis IX, who was ruling at that time, ordered that the tombstones of sixteen French monarchs be refurbished. All this was to strengthen the royal prestige.

Cathedral of Saint Stephen

Many Gothic castles are national symbols of the countries in which they were built. This also applies to Saint Stephen, who is in Vienna. It is considered the national symbol of Austria.

This majestic building, built over almost two centuries, was built in the very center of the Austrian capital. Like many Gothic castles of the Middle Ages, it stands on the square. To this day, divine services are held in this cathedral every day.

For the first time, this Catholic church is mentioned in manuscripts dating back to 1137. In the 12th century St. Stephen's Cathedral had a pronounced imprint of the Romanesque style. However, in the 14-16 centuries. the building was radically rebuilt and became completely Gothic. Already in the 17th century. the interior of the cathedral has changed somewhat. It included notes of the popular

It has two towers. One of them, unfinished, is the Northern one. Its height is 68 m. The second tower is South. It rises 136 m above the ground and has observation deck with a stunning view not only of Vienna, but also of its environs. The largest bell in the country is located on the North Tower. Its weight is 21 tons, and its diameter is three meters. The bell rings only on great holidays, no more than 11 times a year.

Chartres Cathedral

Gothic castles leave a deep impression in the soul of every person. Their height and beauty of numerous towers and pointed arches stretching to the sky are striking. In addition, castles in the Gothic style are extremely extended. So, Chartres Cathedral, located in France, has a length of 130 m. From each new vantage point chosen, the castle looks different. And all this thanks to the amazing design of the facade.

Unlike Romanesque churches, which have simple and clear visible forms, when viewed from Chartres Cathedral, one gets the impression of a lack of walls. Galleries, arches, towers, huge windows, numerous platforms with arcades represent an endless play of openwork forms. Like all Gothic castles, Chartres Cathedral is literally inhabited by a mass of various sculptures. There are about ten thousand statues in the temple alone. These figures are not only in portals and galleries. They can be seen on cornices and roofs, on drainpipes, on consoles and under the vaults of chapels. In other words, gothic castles for visitors represent an unexplored and wonderful world.

Cathedral of Notre Dame

The Gothic style of medieval castles was also used in a huge temple, the construction of which began in 1163. The foundation stone of Notre Dame Cathedral was laid by Louis VII and Pope Alexander III. Construction continued for over a century. At the same time, it went gradually from the eastern part of the structure to the western. According to the original plan, the cathedral was supposed to accommodate all of the 10,000 inhabitants at the beginning of construction. However, after the construction of the temple, the city grew many times over, which did not allow the plan to be realized.

The inner space of the temple is a real kingdom of stone slender pillars of the frame, which are interconnected by lancet arches. The interior is a real realm of vertical lines, directed upwards, towards the sky itself. Colored glass, inserted into stained-glass windows, scatters sunlight, which pours on numerous statues of warriors and bishops, children and women, men and kings. There are no walls in this temple at all. Instead, a frame was built, consisting of pillars connected by arches. This design is filled with lancet windows, which are similar to huge paintings of dozens of figures. The light of the sun makes the multi-colored stained-glass windows look like huge gems. There is a certain mystical connotation to this, which sets a person in a pious religious mood.

Cologne Cathedral

Building this grand structure The Gothic style was begun in 1248. The cathedral is distinguished by the light towers of the western facade with gabled roofs, as well as the elegant solution of all construction details and the unusual height of the middle nave.

This temple is the most recognizable and most famous on our entire planet. All tourists visiting Germany strive to look at the amazing monument of Gothic architecture, which is in third place among all the cathedrals in the world in terms of its height.

Doge's Palazzo

This cathedral is a vivid example of Venetian Gothic, which took no design features, and the decorativeness of this amazing style. The facade of the temple is very unusual in its composition. A series of white marble columns encircle the lower tier of the castle. The monumental building visually presses these columns into the ground. The second floor is formed by a solid open loggia. It connects with keeled arches and numerous thin columns. This tier is distinguished by grace and lightness. Further on rises the third floor, the pink wall of which has sparsely spaced windows. This part of the façade is decorated with a white geometric ornament. The whole palace pleases the eye with the sonority of its decorative solution. It combines the splendor of Byzantium with secular cheerfulness.

It is unusual to see this in Russia. The castle needs urgent restoration.

According to legend, V. Khrapovitsky, traveling around France in the 1880s, was delighted with medieval castles. To the remark of the French that there is nothing of the kind in Russia, V. Khrapovitsky found a peculiar answer: he made a bet that he would build a castle. Inviting French friends to his estate a few years later, the owner demonstrated to the surprised guests not just a castle, but a "Gothic" palace with a park and a cascade of ponds near the main house. This is how this magnificent ensemble arose, which still strikes with its scope and amazing freedom of spatial solution. I don’t dare to call it “eclectic” (although this term is firmly rooted in relation to the buildings of this era). The sophistication and even quirkiness of the composition does not at all destroy the integrity of perception, on the contrary, it creates the impression of harmony. The brilliant stylizations of the architect P.S. Boytsov, although formally remain within the framework of eclecticism, are in many ways close to the Art Nouveau that was emerging at that time. In particular, this applies to the horse yard, or rather, the equestrian palace, standing a little further away, since in terms of scale and representativeness this building may well compete with the main manor house .. "

If you have seen other creations of Boytsov - Barvikha, Uspenskoe or Vasilievskoe, then in Murom you will recognize his hand.
The castle is by far the largest of his works.
Look at the old photographs in the photo album showing what the Khrapovitsky estate looked like before the revolution. Once in front of the main house there was an Italian garden with a complex water cascade on the terraces, regular parterres, fountains of the French garden. Even in the richest estates, such a water extravaganza was a rarity.
Remains of this water system can still be found today. In front of the main house there are views of the gradually collapsing retaining walls of the former ponds, in some places completely overgrown with bushes.

The castle itself was very dilapidated and abandoned. A few decades ago, the picture was different. Before the war, a machine and tractor technical school was located here, and in the 1950s a rest home settled in the building. But as a result of the fire, the roof collapsed, the floors were damaged