Gothic art grew out of the Romanesque and emerged in the Ile-de-France, with the rebuilding of the abbey church of Saint-Denis by Abbot Suger as its early landmark. Gothic architecture is defined by pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses, which allowed taller buildings with large windows filled with stained glass, as at Chartres, Notre-Dame in Paris and Reims. The style also found expression in sculpture, manuscript illumination and panel painting. It spread across Europe and lasted for centuries in local variations. The name was coined by later Renaissance writers who considered it barbaric, like the Goths who were blamed for the end of classical culture.
Before and after
- c. 1138Birth of Moshe ben Maimon
- 1138Birth of Saladin
- from 28 April 1138 to 21 May 1138Siege of Shaizar
- from 25 July 1139 to 5 October 1910Kingdom of Portugal
- from 1140 to 1530Gothic art
- 1147Construction of Koutoubia Mosque
- 1147Construction of Maulbronn Monastery
- from 1147 to 1149Second Crusade
- 1148Founding of Offenburg
More in Art, literature & culture
- from 8th century to 13th centuryHouse of Wisdom
- 12th centuryPublication of Primary Chronicle
- c. 1260sPublication of Poetic Edda
- from 5 November 1414 to 22 April 1418Council of Constance
- 15 April 1452Birth of Leonardo da Vinci
- c. 1485Painting of The Birth of Venus
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 12th century.