Buttresses are architectural structures that reinforce main structures, allowing for more efficient weight distribution and artistic flexibility. They originated in ancient Greece and Rome, but became highly decorated in the 13th and 14th centuries. Flying buttresses, connected to main buildings by arches, were popular in Gothic architecture. They allowed for large stained glass windows and remain impressive relics today. Famous examples include Bath Abbey and Notre Dame Cathedral.
A buttress is an architectural structure that serves to strengthen or reinforce the supports of a main structure. Popular in some architectural forms dating back to antiquity, the buttress allows for more efficient distribution of weight and load while providing a more solid support system. Buttresses are often highly decorated and imposing and are perhaps most famous for their association with Gothic architecture.
Buttresses are typically made of strong materials, such as brick or stone. While sometimes elaborately carved and shaped, buttresses actually allow for greater artistic flexibility in creating the primary walls of a structure, as they reduce the need for the primary walls to be the support system for the ceiling or roof. By installing a buttress, the main walls carry less weight and can therefore be delicately carved or even hollowed out to allow for windows and archways.
The invention and perfection of buttresses has allowed the development of many artistic trends, particularly in the design of large buildings. Stained glass windows, for example, are often found in cathedrals and churches that rely heavily on the added strength of regular or flying buttresses. These often huge windows require large open spaces in the main structural walls which could make the building seriously unstable without adequate support. The functional and robust buttress allowed for greater artistic expression, resulting in some of the most exquisite and impressive buildings the world has ever seen.
The origin of the buttress is unknown, but some evidence and the remaining buildings suggest that this architectural technique was first used in ancient Greece and Rome. Although commonly used from that period, it was not until the 13th and 14th centuries that it became common to create highly decorated forms of the structural support. While the use of buttresses is no longer extremely common, impressive relics from the style’s heyday remain around the world, proudly continuing to support massive buildings nearly a thousand years after construction.
A highly recognized form are the famous flying buttresses of Gothic buildings. Instead of directly abutting the main walls, a flying buttress is an entirely separate structure connected to the main building by the use of arches. Flying buttresses were extremely popular during the 13th century when many large cathedrals and castles were built using these unusual structures. Some famous examples of flying buttresses from this period include Bath Abbey, England, and the fantastic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
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