Gothic and Romanesque Architecture

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thus divides the area to be vaulted into squares known as bays. Rediscovered by Romanesque architects, this type of vault became the basis for a more complex and varied type of vault construction in the Middle Ages.
Romanesque and Gothic architecture, although having many similarities, also have many differences. This may be due to the fact that lifestyles changed in the time between these two eras of architecture. Romanesque architecture was designed to be more for protective purposes than for any aesthetic quality. The walls of Romanesque cathedrals were built very thickly, so as not to be destroyed by invaders. Gothic, on the other hand, had thinner walls and worked towards a more artistic approach. Gothic cathedrals have many more buttresses than Romanesque cathedrals. Gothic cathedrals were also designed with statues and sculptures on them such as the gargoyle, which also served as a rain spout. Romanesque cathedrals had few windows, as the walls of the cathedrals were ...

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