| Title |
Characteristics of Gothic Architecture in the Languedoc Region of Southern France |
| Abstract |
For more than a hundred years, art and architectural historians have attempted to interpret Gothic architecture. However, most of these investigations had focused on northern French Gothic architecture. Unlike northern French Gothic architecture, Gothic in the Languedoc region of southern France has never been thoroughly studied by art and architectural historians. Languedocien Gothic systems separately developed in accordance with the two major geographical regions of Languedoc during Middle Ages and the major interest of Languedoc builders commonly aimed to search for spaciousness, lightness and a systemized skeletal framework based on local aesthetic tradition. To satisfy their interests, Languedocien builders chose different solution, one vaulted, the other unvaulted, resolving conflicts in between structural problem of the late Romanesque barrel-vaulted nef unique and seeking the light weight and spaciousness. Especially, non vaulted nef unique with diaphragm arches in Lower Languedoc may be the most satisfactory expression of Gothic builders' desires for thinness, spaciousness, and self-explanatory order. |