Flamboyant (other)
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Flamboyant () is a lavishly decorated style of
Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...
that appeared in France and Spain in the 15th century, and lasted until the mid-sixteenth century and the beginning of the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
.Encyclopedia Britannica, "Flamboyant style" (by subscription), accessed April 2024 Elaborate stone tracery covered both the exterior and the interior. Windows were decorated with a characteristic s-shaped curve. Masonry wall space was reduced further as windows grew even larger. Major examples included the northern spire of
Chartres Cathedral Chartres Cathedral (, lit. Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres) is a Catholic cathedral in Chartres, France, about southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the List of bishops of Chartres, Bishop of Chartres. Dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary ( ...
, Trinity Abbey,
Vendôme Vendôme (, ) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Loir-et-Cher, France. It is also the department's third-biggest Communes of France, commune with 15,856 inhabitants (2019). It is one of th ...
, and
Burgos Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos () is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos ...
and
Segovia Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and of Saint Fructus is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the Spanish city of Segovia. The church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and to Saint Fructus and is the seat of the Dioc ...
in Spain. It was gradually replaced by
Renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
in the 16th century.


The Period

French scholars define Flamboyant as the fourth phase of Gothic style, preceded by
Primary Gothic Early Gothic is the term for the first period of Gothic architecture which lasted from about 1120 until about 1200. The early Gothic builders used innovative technologies to resolve the problem of masonry ceilings which were too heavy for the t ...
,
Classic Gothic Classic Gothic () is a French term for the second phase of Gothic architecture French Gothic architecture, in France, as defined by French scholars. The common English term for the period is High Gothic.Watkin, David, "A History of Western Archit ...
and
Rayonnant Rayonnant was a very refined style of Gothic Architecture which appeared in France in the 13th century. It was the defining style of the High Gothic period, and is often described as the high point of French Gothic architecture."Encylclopaedia B ...
Gothic. British and American historians describe it as a period of
Late Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...
, following
Early Gothic architecture Early Gothic is the term for the first period of Gothic architecture which lasted from about 1120 until about 1200. The early Gothic builders used innovative technologies to resolve the problem of masonry ceilings which were too heavy for the t ...
,
High Gothic High Gothic was a period of Gothic architecture in the 13th century, from about 1200 to 1280, which saw the construction of a series of refined and richly decorated cathedrals of exceptional height and size. It appeared most prominently in France ...
, and
Rayonnant Rayonnant was a very refined style of Gothic Architecture which appeared in France in the 13th century. It was the defining style of the High Gothic period, and is often described as the high point of French Gothic architecture."Encylclopaedia B ...
.


Characteristics

Flamboyant is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tracery, which give the style its name; by the multiplication of ornamental ribs in the vaults; and by the use of the arch in accolade. Ribs in Flamboyant tracery are recognizable by their flowing forms, which are influenced by the earlier curvilinear tracery of the Second Gothic (or Second Pointed) styles. Very tall and narrow pointed arches and
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
s, particularly double-curved
ogee An ogee ( ) is an object, element, or curve—often seen in architecture and building trades—that has a serpentine- or extended S-shape (Sigmoid curve, sigmoid). Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combination of two semicircle, semicircula ...
arches, are common in buildings of the Flamboyant style. In most regions of Europe, Late Gothic styles like Flamboyant replaced the earlier Rayonnant style and other early variations. The style was particularly popular in
Continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...
. In the 15th and 16th centuries, architects and masons in the
Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...
, the
Crown of Castile The Crown of Castile was a medieval polity in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and, some decades later, the parliaments of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Castile, Castile and Kingd ...
, the
Duchy of Milan The Duchy of Milan (; ) was a state in Northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti of Milan, Visconti family, which had been ruling the city since 1277. At that time, ...
, and
Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...
exchanged expertise through theoretical texts, architectural drawings, and travel, and spread the use of Flamboyant ornament and design across Europe. Notable examples of Flamboyant style are the west rose window of
Sainte-Chapelle The Sainte-Chapelle (; ) is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine in Paris, France. Construction b ...
(1485–1498); the west porch of the
Church of Saint-Maclou The Church of Saint-Maclou, () is a Roman Catholic church in Rouen, France, named after the Saint Malo, which is considered one of the best examples of the Flamboyant style of Gothic architecture in France. Saint-Maclou, along with Rouen Cathedr ...
,
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
, (c.1500–1514); the west front of
Troyes Cathedral Troyes Cathedral () is a Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, located in the town of Troyes in Champagne, France. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Troyes. The cathedral, in the Gothic architectural style, has been ...
(early 16th century), and a very early example, the upper tracery of Great West Window of
York Minster York Minster, formally the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. The minster is the seat of the archbishop of York, the second-highest of ...
(1338–1339) in England. Further major examples include the chapel of the
Constable of Castile Constable of Castile () was a title of a military nature created by John I, King of Castile in 1382, as a result of the Third Fernandine War against the Portuguese and the English. The post substituted the title of ''Alférez Mayor del Reino'' ...
() at
Burgos Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos () is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos ...
(1482–94);
Notre-Dame de l'Épine The Basilica of Our Lady of l'Épine (), also known as Notre-Dame de l'Épine, is a Roman Catholic basilica in the small village of L'Épine, Marne, near Châlons-en-Champagne and Verdun. It is a major masterpiece in the Flamboyant Gothic style. ...
,
Champagne Champagne (; ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
; the north spire of
Chartres Cathedral Chartres Cathedral (, lit. Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres) is a Catholic cathedral in Chartres, France, about southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the List of bishops of Chartres, Bishop of Chartres. Dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary ( ...
(1500s–); and
Segovia Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and of Saint Fructus is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the Spanish city of Segovia. The church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and to Saint Fructus and is the seat of the Dioc ...
(1525–). The Late Gothic style appeared in Central Europe with the construction of the new
Prague Cathedral The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert () is a Catholic metropolitan cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Until 1997, the cathedral was dedicated only to Saint Vitus, and is still commonly ...
(1344–) under the direction of
Peter Parler Peter Parler (, , ; 1333 – 13 July 1399) was a German-Bohemian architect and sculptor from the Parler family of master builders. Along with his father, Heinrich Parler, he is one of the most prominent and influential craftsmen of the Middle Ag ...
. This model of rich, variegated tracery and intricate reticulated (net-work) rib-vaulting was widely used in the Late Gothic of continental Europe, and was emulated in the
collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, headed by a dignitary bearing ...
es and cathedrals, and by urban parish churches that rivalled them in size and magnificence. Use of the ogee was especially common. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Flamboyant forms spread from France to the
Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...
, where the
Isabelline style The Isabelline style, also called the Isabelline Gothic (), or Castilian late Gothic, was the dominant architectural style of the Crown of Castile during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of A ...
became the dominant mode of prestige construction in the Crown of Castile, the portion of Spain governed by
Isabella I of Castille Isabella I (; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''Isabel la Católica''), was Queen of Castile and List of Leonese monarchs, León from 1474 until her death in 1504. She was also Queen of Aragon ...
. During the same period, Flamboyant features also appeared in
Manueline style The Manueline (, ), occasionally known as Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese architectural style originating in the 16th century, during the Portuguese Renaissance and Age of Discoveries. Manueline architecture incor ...
in the
Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...
. In Central Europe, the ''
Sondergotik Sondergotik (; ''Special Gothic'') is the style of Late Gothic architecture prevalent in Austria, Bavaria, Swabia, Saxony, Alsace, Rhineland, Switzerland, Bohemia and Silesia between 1350 and 1550. The term was invented by art historian Kurt Ge ...
'' ("Special Gothic") style was contemporaneous with Flamboyant in France and the Isabelline in Spain. The term "Flamboyant" was first used by the French artist
Eustache-Hyacinthe Langlois Eustache-Hyacinthe Langlois (; 3 August 1777 – 29 September 1837) was a French painter, draftsman, engraver and writer. He became known as the "Norman Callot". He taught both his daughter Espérance Langlois and his son Polyclès Langlois an ...
(1777–1837) in 1843, and then by the English historian
Edward Augustus Freeman Edward Augustus Freeman (2 August 182316 March 1892) was an English historian, architectural artist, and Liberal politician, a one-time candidate for Parliament. He held the position of Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, where he tut ...
in 1851. In
architectural history The history of architecture traces the changes in architecture through various traditions, regions, overarching stylistic trends, and dates. The beginnings of all these traditions is thought to be humans satisfying the very basic need of shelt ...
, the Flamboyant is considered the last phase of
French Gothic architecture French Gothic architecture is an architectural style which emerged in France in 1140, and was dominant until the mid-16th century. The most notable examples are the great Gothic cathedrals of France, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathed ...
and appeared in the closing decades of the 14th century, succeeding the Rayonnant style and prevailing until its gradual replacement by
Renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
during the first third of the 16th century. Notable examples of Flamboyant in France include the west rose window of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, the transepts of
Sens Cathedral Sens Cathedral () is a Catholic cathedral in Sens in Burgundy, eastern France. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Stephen, is the seat of the Archbishop of Sens. Sens was the first cathedral to be built in the Gothic architectural style (the B ...
and
Beauvais Cathedral Beauvais Cathedral otherwise the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais () is a Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in the High Gothic style, ...
, the façade of
Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes The Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes is a Gothic royal chapel within the fortifications of the Château de Vincennes on the east edge of Paris, France. It was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle, the royal chapel within the Palais de la Cité in Paris. ...
and the west front of
Trinity Abbey, Vendôme Trinity Abbey, Vendôme, was a Benedictine monastery founded in 1035 in Vendôme by Geoffrey Martel and his first wife, Agnes of Burgundy. It was consecrated on 31 May 1040, one month before Geoffrey became Count of Anjou. The abbey was under the ...
. Significant examples of civil architecture include the
Palais Jacques Cœur The Palais Jacques Cœur is a large ''hôtel particulier'' built by Jacques Cœur for himself and his family in Bourges, France. Built and decorated in the flamboyant style, it is widely viewed as one of the most prominent examples of French ...
in
Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...
and the Hôtel de Cluny in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, contemporary styles called
Decorated Gothic English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed a ...
and
Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-ce ...
appeared in England.


Origins

Although the precise origin of the Flamboyant style remain unclear, it likely emerged in northern France and the
County of Flanders The County of Flanders was one of the most powerful political entities in the medieval Low Countries, located on the North Sea coast of modern-day Belgium and north-eastern France. Unlike the neighbouring states of Duchy of Brabant, Brabant and ...
during the late 14th century. Parts of these lands were involved in the cloth trade with the
Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from the late 9th century, when it was unified from various Heptarchy, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland to f ...
or were under the control of
John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford (20 June 1389 – 14 September 1435) was a medieval English prince, general, and statesman who commanded England's armies in France during a critical phase of the Hundred Years' War. Bedford was the third son ...
, regent of France for his nephew Henry VI,
King of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...
from 1422 to 1453. Through this direct connection, the flickering, flame-like tracery motifs after which the style is named may have been "inspired by the English Decorated style", though this is disputed. In addition, the
Duchy of Normandy The Duchy of Normandy grew out of the 911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple, King Charles III of West Francia and the Viking leader Rollo. The duchy was named for its inhabitants, the Normans. From 1066 until 1204, as a r ...
, was in
personal union A personal union is a combination of two or more monarchical states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, involves the constituent states being to some extent in ...
with England until the 13th century, while during the
Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...
, Rouen, capital of Normandy, was English territory from 1419 until 1449. Earlier in the conflict,
John, Duke of Berry John of Berry or John the Magnificent (French language, French: ''Jean de Berry'', ; 30 November 1340 – 15 June 1416) was Duke of Berry and Rulers of Auvergne, Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. His brothers were King Charles ...
was taken hostage in England. The ongoing war provided many opportunities for cultural exchange, as evidenced by the fireplace in the ducal palace in
Poitiers Poitiers is a city on the river Clain in west-central France. It is a commune in France, commune, the capital of the Vienne (department), Vienne department and the historical center of Poitou, Poitou Province. In 2021, it had a population of 9 ...
and the panelled, screen-like upper parts of the west façade of
Rouen Cathedral Rouen Cathedral () is a Catholic church architecture, church in Rouen, Normandy, France. It is the Episcopal see, see of the Archbishop of Rouen, Primate of Normandy. It is famous for its three towers, each in a different style. The cathedral, b ...
.
Tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support th ...
patterns of the 14th century are either rich, flame-like forms inspired by the English Decorated (e.g. west façade of York Minster) or the "panelled severity" of English
Perpendicular style Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-ce ...
(e.g.
King's College Chapel, Cambridge King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge. It is considered one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and features the world's largest fan vault. The Chapel was bu ...
). According to Robert Bork, "continental builders borrowed almost exclusively from the Decorated style, which had largely passed out of fashion in England by 1360, rather than from the more current Perpendicular style". The clear rejection of the grid-like forms in France indicates some awareness of the contrasting styles. The emergence of the Flamboyant style was a gradual process. What has been termed "proto-Flamboyant" appeared at the
Saint-Ouen Abbey, Rouen Saint-Ouen Abbey, () is a large Gothic Catholic church and former Benedictine monastic church in Rouen. It is named for Audoin (, ), 7th-century bishop of Rouen in modern Normandy, France. The church's name is sometimes anglicized as St Owen's. Bu ...
in the inner wall of the north
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
between 1390 and 1410. No flowing, double-curved forms were used there but the "eight double lancet panels seem to spin around a quatrefoil center". Although this rose motif appears dynamic and in motion, its design was not based on the double-curve. It is an early example of experimentation with tracery forms that anticipates the use of flowing, double-curve forms in Normandy. More so than the great churches of northern France, palaces constructed by royal and elite patrons provided "fertile grounds for innovation" with curvilinear tracery in France while England turned to the Perpendicular style.


France

The term "Flamboyant" was coined in the early 19th century, primarily to refer to French monuments with flame-like, curvilinear tracery that were constructed between circa 1380 and 1515. The Flamboyant style appeared in France during the Hundred Years' War against England (1337–1444). Despite this, the construction of new cathedrals, churches, and civil structures—as well as additions to existing monuments—went ahead in France and continued throughout the early 16th century. Features of the Flamboyant style are richly articulated façades, very high, lavishly decorated porches, towers, and spires. Early examples included the castle chapel of John, Duke of Berry, at
Riom Riom (; Auvergnat ''Riam'') is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. History Until the French Revolution, Riom was the capital of the province of Auvergne, and the ...
(1382), the fireplace in the great chamber (1390s) of the ducal palace at Poitiers, and in the La Grange chapels (c. 1375) at
Amiens Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Catholic Church, Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens, the administra ...
. Residences of the nobility were among the earliest structures that were entirely built in the Flamboyant style. The Palais Jacques Coeur, residence of the treasurer of the King at Bourges was built between 1444 and 1451. It combines residential and official wings that are richly decorated with gables, turrets, and chimneys arranged around a central courtyard. The Château de Châteadun, which was transformed between 1459 and 1468 by Jehan de Dunois, the half-brother of king Charles VI, and was one earliest residences built for leisure in France. The Château has one of the seven remaining ''Sainte-Chapelle'' chapels and an elegant spiral staircase. The corresponding façade is decorated with characteristic flame-like tracery in the windows and also includes dormers with
fleur-de-lys The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...
, denoting the owner's status as a descendant of
Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...
. Another notable example is the Hôtel de Cluny in Paris, originally the residence of the abbot of Cluny, now the Museum of the Middle Ages. Flamboyant details are found in the chapel, the doorways, windows, tower, and roof-line. A late example of Flamboyant civil architecture in France is the
Parlement de Normandie Under the French Ancien Régime, a ''parlement'' () was a provincial appellate court of the Kingdom of France. In 1789, France had 13 ''parlements'', the original and most important of which was the ''Parlement'' of Paris. Though both the ...
, now the ''Palais de Justice'' of Rouen (1499–1528), which has slender,
crocket A crocket (or croquet) is a small, independent decorative element common in Gothic architecture. The name derives from the diminutive of the Old French ''croc'', meaning "hook", due to the resemblance of a crocket to a bishop's Shepherd's crook, ...
ed
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was main ...
s and
lucarne In general architecture a lucarne is a dormer window. The term is borrowed from , which refers to a dormer window, usually one set into the middle of a roof although it can also apply to a façade lucarne, where the gable of the lucarne is aligne ...
s terminated with fleurons. They were designed by architects Roger Ango and Roulland Le Roux. File:Poitiers Palais Justice Salle pas perdus(4).jpg, Flamboyant openwork tracery, fireplace and chimney, ''Salle des pas perdus'',
Palace of Poitiers The Palace of Poitiers was the palace of the Counts of Poitiers and subsequent Dukes of Aquitaine in Poitiers, in Poitou, western France. It is a medieval testimony of the Plantagenet style of architecture. Until 2019, this building was used ...
(c. 1390) File:Amiens - Impasse Joron - View SW & Up on the newly renovated Northern Side Nave & North Front Tower of Amiens Cathedral.jpg, Chapels commissioned by
Jean de la Grange Jean de La Grange (a.k.a. Jean de Lagrange; c.1325 – April 25, 1402) was a French prelate and politician, active during the reigns of Charles V of France, Charles V and Charles VI of France, Charles VI, and an important member of the papal curia ...
, northwest corner,
Amiens Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Catholic Church, Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens, the administra ...
(c. 1375). Note the use of curvilinear ''mouchettes'' and ''soufflets'' at the top of the windows. File:Jacques Coeur Palace main tower.JPG,
Palais Jacques Coeur The Palais Jacques Cœur is a large ''hôtel particulier'' built by Jacques Cœur for himself and his family in Bourges, France. Built and decorated in the flamboyant style, it is widely viewed as one of the most prominent examples of French c ...
,
Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...
(1444–1451) File:Châteaudun - château, aile Longueville (08).jpg, The ''Dunois'' staircase,
Château de Châteaudun A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking r ...
(1459–1468) File:Hôtel de Cluny - exterior gable.JPG, Gable window of the Hotel de Cluny, Paris (15th century) File:Parlement de Normandie Rouen 2009 03.jpg, Lucarne, west façade of the former
Parliament of Normandy In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. T ...
, now the ''Palais de Justice'',
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
(1499–1507)
In 15th-century France, few churches were constructed entirely in the Flamboyant style; it was more common to commission additions to existing structures. One exception is the
Church of Saint-Maclou The Church of Saint-Maclou, () is a Roman Catholic church in Rouen, France, named after the Saint Malo, which is considered one of the best examples of the Flamboyant style of Gothic architecture in France. Saint-Maclou, along with Rouen Cathedr ...
in Rouen, which was commissioned by the Dufour family during the English occupation of the town. It was designed by the master mason Pierre Robin, who was in charge of construction from 1434 until the church was consecrated in 1521. The church, which is referred to as "monumental architecture in the miniature", has double-tiered
flying buttress The flying buttress (''arc-boutant'', arch buttress) is a specific form of buttress composed of a ramping arch that extends from the upper portion of a wall to a pier of great mass, to convey to the ground the lateral forces that push a wall ou ...
es, fully developed transept façades with portals, curvilinear
rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' wa ...
s, and a projecting polygonal west porch with openwork ogee
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
s. The influence of Pierre Robin's design lasted into the 16th century, when Roulland Le Roux oversaw work on the upper parts of the '' Tour de Beurre'' ("Butter Tower") (1485–1507) and the central portal (1507–1510) of Rouen Cathedral. Increasing specialization in Gothic workshops and lodges led to the sophisticated forms characteristic of structures that were completed in the early 16th century, such as the south façade and porch of the
Church of Notre-Dame de Louviers The Church of Notre-Dame de Louviers is a parish church located in Louviers, a town in the Eure department. It is a notable example of Gothic church architecture in northern France. The north façade, and, especially the south façade and porch, ...
(1506–1510) and the north tower of
Chartres Cathedral Chartres Cathedral (, lit. Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres) is a Catholic cathedral in Chartres, France, about southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the List of bishops of Chartres, Bishop of Chartres. Dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary ( ...
, which were designed by architect
Jehan de Beauce Jehan (Jean) Texier or Le Texier (before 1474 – 29 December 1529 in Chartres), better known as Jehan (Jean) de Beauce was a 15th/16th-century French architect. He is known for his works of religious architecture, notably on the Chartres Cathedr ...
(1507–1513). The style also appeared early in
Île-de-France The Île-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...
. The west rose window of the Sainte-Chapelle was made between 1485 and 1498 by a glass artist known only as The Master of the Life of Saint-John the Baptist. It is nine meters in diameter, with 89 sections of glass, of which all but nine are original. The curling tracery of the window spills out onto the exterior of the west façade. where the
Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes The Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes is a Gothic royal chapel within the fortifications of the Château de Vincennes on the east edge of Paris, France. It was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle, the royal chapel within the Palais de la Cité in Paris. ...
, a royal chapel constructed by King
Charles V of France Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (; ), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War as his armies recovered much of the terri ...
, is a notable example. It was located just outside Paris, next to the massive
Château de Vincennes The Château de Vincennes () is a former fortress and royal residence next to the town of Vincennes, on the eastern edge of Paris, alongside the Bois de Vincennes. It was largely built between 1361 and 1369, and was a preferred residence, after ...
and was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. The Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes had a single floor and the windows, consisting of curvilinear tracery, covered nearly all of the walls. Construction began in 1379 but was halted by the
Hundred Years War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of England and France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy of Aquitaine and was triggered by a c ...
and the window and west front were completed until 1552. A significant Flamboyant landmark in Paris is the Tour Saint-Jacques, which is all that remains of the Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ("Saint James of the butchers"), which was built 1509–23 and was located close to ''
Les Halles Les Halles (; 'The Halls') was Paris' central fresh food market. It last operated on 12 January 1973 and was replaced by an underground shopping centre and a park. The unpopular modernist development was demolished yet again in 2010, and replac ...
'', the Paris central market. In the
Loire Valley The Loire Valley (, ), spanning , is a valley located in the middle stretch of the Loire river in central France, in both the administrative regions Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire. The area of the Loire Valley comprises about . It is r ...
, the west front of
Tours Cathedral Tours Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic church located in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France, and dedicated to Saint Gatianus. It is the seat of the Archbishops of Tours, the metropolitan cathedral of the Tours ecclesiastical province. It was built b ...
was a notable example of Flamboyant architecture. As the French Renaissance began with the royal chateaux along the Loire, the towers of the cathedral were updated with domes and lanterns in the new style, completed in 1507. File:Saintechapelle7b.jpg, West rose window of
Sainte-Chapelle The Sainte-Chapelle (; ) is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine in Paris, France. Construction b ...
, Paris (1485-1498) File:Paris Sainte Chapelle du Chateau de Vincennes ancienne demeure royale Vers le Bois de Vincennes en France angle 3.JPG, Façade of
Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes The Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes is a Gothic royal chapel within the fortifications of the Château de Vincennes on the east edge of Paris, France. It was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle, the royal chapel within the Palais de la Cité in Paris. ...
(completed 1559) File:Les tours de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen.jpg, The Butter Tower of
Rouen Cathedral Rouen Cathedral () is a Catholic church architecture, church in Rouen, Normandy, France. It is the Episcopal see, see of the Archbishop of Rouen, Primate of Normandy. It is famous for its three towers, each in a different style. The cathedral, b ...
(1485–1507) File:Cathedrale Sens 035.jpg, Rose window and façade of south transept,
Sens Cathedral Sens Cathedral () is a Catholic cathedral in Sens in Burgundy, eastern France. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Stephen, is the seat of the Archbishop of Sens. Sens was the first cathedral to be built in the Gothic architectural style (the B ...
(1490–1518) File:Notre-Dame de Louviers, south porch.jpg, South porch of Notre-Dame de Louviers (1506–1510) File:Северная башня - panoramio (29).jpg, Detail of the North Tower of
Chartres Cathedral Chartres Cathedral (, lit. Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres) is a Catholic cathedral in Chartres, France, about southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the List of bishops of Chartres, Bishop of Chartres. Dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary ( ...
(1507–1513) File:Tour Saint-Jacques BLS.jpg, Tour Saint-Jacques, Paris (1509–1523) File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Süd-Rosette.jpg, South rose window of
Amiens Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Catholic Church, Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens, the administra ...
(16th c.) File:Bourges - Cathédrale - Architecture -2.jpg, North tower of
Bourges Cathedral Bourges Cathedral ( French: ''Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges'') is a Roman Catholic church located in Bourges, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Stephen and is the seat of the Archbishop of Bourges. Built atop an earlier Romanesq ...
(1508-1515)
Beyond northern France, churches were also enlarged and updated with additions in the Flamboyant style. Due to its size and decoration, the abbey-church of Saint-Antoine in
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye Saint Antoine l'Abbaye (, before 1991: ''Saint-Antoine''), also Saint-Antoine-en-Viennois, is a Communes of France, commune in the Isère departments of France, department in southeastern France. On 31 December 2015 the former commune of Diona ...
(
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (; AURA) or ; or ; . is a Regions of France, region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes. The new region came into e ...
) is one of the most significant examples of Gothic architecture in southeastern France. The five-aisled abbey-church was a key pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages because it contained the relics of
Saint Anthony the Great Anthony the Great (; ; ; ; – 17 January 356) was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is distinguished from Saint Anthony (disambiguation), other saints named Anthony, such as , by various epithets: , , , , , a ...
, which were especially sought out by those who were suffering from "Saint Anthony's Fire" (
ergot poisoning Ergotism (pron. ) is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, traditionally due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the ''Claviceps purpurea'' fungus—from the Latin "club" or clavus "nail" and for "head", i.e. the purple club-he ...
). Royal figures including
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elect ...
(1415),
Louis XI of France Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revolt known as the ...
(1475), and
Anne of Brittany Anne of Brittany (; 25/26 January 1477 – 9 January 1514) was reigning Duchess of Brittany from 1488 until her death, and Queen of France from 1491 to 1498 and from 1499 to her death. She was the only woman to have been queen consort of Fran ...
(1494) also visited the abbey-church. The building's most prominent architectural feature is its monumental west façade, which was completed in the Flamboyant style in the 15th century. The façade has a central portal flanked by secondary portals and a large
lancet window A lancet window is a tall, narrow window with a sharp pointed arch at its top. This arch may or may not be a steep lancet arch (in which the compass centres for drawing the arch fall outside the opening). It acquired the "lancet" name from its rese ...
with curvilinear tracery that includes
triskelion A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient motif consisting either of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry or of other patterns in triplicate that emanate from a common center. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean s ...
s. Additional ornamentation in the form of naturalistic vegetation, gables, pinnacles, and delicate sculpture niches are further testaments of the talents of the masons' workshop. Work on the façade stopped before it was completed; there is no evidence of the iron hooks that are needed to attach figural sculptures. At
Lyon Cathedral Lyon Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic Church architecture, church located on Place Saint-Jean in central Lyon, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and is the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon. Begun in 1180 on the ruins of ...
, the Bourbons chapel, built during the last decades of the 15th century by the Cardinal
Charles II, Duke of Bourbon Charles II, Duke of Bourbon (Château de Moulins, 1433 – 13 September 1488, Lyon), was Archbishop of Lyon from an early age and a French diplomat under the rule of Louis XI of France. He had a 2-week tenure as Duke of Bourbon in 1488, bei ...
and his brother Pierre de Bourbon, son-in-law of Louis XI, is a key example of the trend of expanding existing Gothic churches in the newer Flamboyant style. Consisting of two
bays A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...
, it features a small oratory and a
sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...
. The
pendant vault Pendant vaulting is considered to be a type of English fan vaulting. The pendant vault is a rare form of vault, attributed to fifteenth century English Gothic architecture, in which large decorative pendants hang from the vault at a distance f ...
s are decorated with finely carved
keystones A keystone (or capstone) is the wedge-shaped stone at the apex of a masonry arch or typically round-shaped one at the apex of a vault. In both cases it is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allo ...
. The mouldings of the transverse
ribs The rib cage or thoracic cage is an endoskeletal enclosure in the thorax of most vertebrates that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum, which protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, such as the heart, lungs and great vessels ...
are decorated with the monograms of Charles de Bourbon, Pierre de Bourbon, and his wife,
Anne of France Anne of France (or Anne de Beaujeu; 3 April 146114 November 1522) was a French princess and regent, the eldest daughter of Louis XI by Charlotte of Savoy. Anne was the sister of Charles VIII, for whom she acted as regent during his minority fro ...
. File:Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye Abteikirche 132.JPG, West façade, Abbey-church of Saint-Antoine,
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye Saint Antoine l'Abbaye (, before 1991: ''Saint-Antoine''), also Saint-Antoine-en-Viennois, is a Communes of France, commune in the Isère departments of France, department in southeastern France. On 31 December 2015 the former commune of Diona ...
(15th century) File:Chapelle des Bourbons XIXe (Gravure - T. Allom & E. Challis - Coll. part.).jpg, Bourbons chapel,
Lyon Cathedral Lyon Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic Church architecture, church located on Place Saint-Jean in central Lyon, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and is the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon. Begun in 1180 on the ruins of ...
, engraving by Ebenezer Challis after a drawing by Thomas Allom (19th century) File:Lyon katedra 15.jpg, Pendant vaults and mouldings with monograms, Bourbons chapel,
Lyon Cathedral Lyon Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic Church architecture, church located on Place Saint-Jean in central Lyon, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and is the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon. Begun in 1180 on the ruins of ...
(late 15th century)


Transition between Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance (1495–1530)

The transition from Flamboyant Gothic to early
French Renaissance The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15th and early 17th centuries. The period is associated with the pan-European Renaissance, a word first used by the French historian Jules Michelet to define ...
began during the reign of
Louis XII Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), also known as Louis of Orléans was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples (as Louis III) from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Marie of Cleves, he succeeded his second ...
(1495) and lasted until roughly 1525 or 1530. During this brief transition period, the ogee arch and the naturalism of the Gothic style was blended with round arches, flexible forms, and stylized antique motifs that are typical of Renaissance architecture. A good deal of Gothic decoration is apparent at the
Château de Blois A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking re ...
but it is totally absent from the tomb of Louis XII, which is housed in the abbey-church of Saint-Denis. In 1495, a colony of Italian artists was established in
Amboise Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home to the French royal court. Geography Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about awa ...
and worked in collaboration with French master masons. This date is generally considered to be the starting point of the period of interaction between the Flamboyant Gothic and early French Renaissance styles. In general, theories of building design and structure remained French while surface decoration became Italian. There were connections between French architectural production and other stylistic traditions, including
Plateresque Plateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" (''plata'' being silver in Spanish language, Spanish), was an artistic movement, especially Architecture, architectural, developed in Spanish Empire, Spain and its territories, which appeared ...
in Spain and the
decorative art ] The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose aim is the design and manufacture of objects that are both Beauty, beautiful and functional. This includes most of the objects for the interiors of buildings, as well as interior design, but typical ...
s of the north—especially
Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
. The limits of this style, which is called ''style Louis XII'' in French, were variable, especially outside the
Loire Valley The Loire Valley (, ), spanning , is a valley located in the middle stretch of the Loire river in central France, in both the administrative regions Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire. The area of the Loire Valley comprises about . It is r ...
. This period includes the seventeen-year reign of Louis XII (1498–1515), the end of the reign of Charles VIII, and the beginning of that of Francis I, whose rule corresponded with a definitive stylistic change. The creation of the
School of Fontainebleau The School of Fontainbleau () () refers to two periods of artistic production in France during the late French Renaissance centered on the royal Palace of Fontainebleau that were crucial in forming Northern Mannerism, and represent the first majo ...
in 1530 by Francis I is generally considered the turning point of the acceptance and establishment of the Renaissance style in France. Early evidence of the intermingling of Flamboyant and classicizing decorative motifs can be found at the Château de Meillant, which was transformed by
Charles II d'Amboise Charles II d'Amboise, Seigneur de Chaumont (1473 – 11 March 1511) was a French nobleman, who acted as French governor of Milan (1503–1511) during the reign of Louis XII and as a French commander during the War of the League of Cambrai. ...
, governor of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, in 1473. The structure remained fully medieval but the superposition of the windows in bays connected to each other by extended, cord-like pinnacles foreshadows the grid designs of the façades of early French Renaissance monuments. Other notable features include the
entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...
with classical
egg-and-dart Egg-and-dart, also known as egg-and-tongue, egg-and-anchor, or egg-and-star, is an Ornament (architecture), ornamental device adorning the fundamental quarter-round, convex ovolo profile of molding (decorative), moulding, consisting of alternating ...
motifs surmounted by a Gothic
balustrade A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...
and the treatment of the upper part of the helical staircase with a semi-circular
arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...
equipped with shells. In the final years of the reign of Charles VIII, experimentation with Italian ornamentation continued to enrich and mix with the Flamboyant repertoire. With the ascendancy of Louis XII, French masons and sculptors were further exposed to new, classicizing motifs that were popular in Italy. In architectural sculpture, the systematic contribution of Italian elements and the "Gothic" reinterpretation of Italian Renaissance works is evident in the Abbey of Saint-Pierre in Solesmes, where the Gothic structure takes the form of a Roman
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
flanked by
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s with Lombard candelabra. Gothic foliage, which was now more jagged and wilted as seen at the Hôtel de Cluny in Paris, mingles with portraits of Roman emperors in medallions at the
Château de Gaillon The Château de Gaillon is a French Renaissance architecture, French Renaissance castle located in Gaillon, Normandy region of France. History The somewhat battered and denuded Château de Gaillon, begun in 1502 on ancient foundations was the su ...
. The ''maison des Têtes'' (1528–1532) in Valence is another example of Flamboyant blind tracery and foliage mixing with classicizing figures, medallions, and portraits of Roman emperors. In architecture, the use of brick and stone on buildings from the 16th century can be observed, for example in the Louis XII wing of the
Château of Blois The Royal Château of Blois (, ) is a château located in the city center of Blois, Loir-et-Cher, in the Loire Valley, France. In addition to having been the residence of the Counts of Blois and some French kings, Joan of Arc also went there by ...
. The French high roofs with
turret Turret may refer to: * Turret (architecture), a small tower that projects above the wall of a building * Gun turret, a mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon * Optical microscope#Objective turret (revolver or revolving nose piece), Objective turre ...
s in the corners and the façades with helical staircases perpetuated the Gothic tradition but the systematic superposition of the bays, the removal of the
lucarne In general architecture a lucarne is a dormer window. The term is borrowed from , which refers to a dormer window, usually one set into the middle of a roof although it can also apply to a façade lucarne, where the gable of the lucarne is aligne ...
s, and the appearance of
loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
s influenced by the villa Poggio Reale and the
Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; ; 'New Castle'), often called Maschio Angioino (; ; ' Angevin Keep'), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and ...
of
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
are evidence of a new decorative art in which the structure remains deeply Gothic. The spread of ornamental vocabularies from
Pavia Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was a major polit ...
and
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
also played major roles. Equally important is the influence of Italian architects who designed formal gardens and fountains to complement French monuments as seen at the
Château de Blois A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking re ...
(1499) and the
Château de Gaillon The Château de Gaillon is a French Renaissance architecture, French Renaissance castle located in Gaillon, Normandy region of France. History The somewhat battered and denuded Château de Gaillon, begun in 1502 on ancient foundations was the su ...
shortly thereafter. The incorporation of Flamboyant Gothic with the classicizing forms of Italy produced eclectic, hybrid structures that were rooted in traditional French building practices yet modernized through the application of imported antique motifs and surface decoration. These transitional monuments led to the birth of French Renaissance architecture. File:Château de Blois-122-Chateau-Innenhof-2008-gje.jpg, Louis XII wing of the
Château de Blois A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking re ...
(1498–1503) File:Château de Gaillon 21.jpg, Fusion of Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance exterior decoration at
Château de Gaillon The Château de Gaillon is a French Renaissance architecture, French Renaissance castle located in Gaillon, Normandy region of France. History The somewhat battered and denuded Château de Gaillon, begun in 1502 on ancient foundations was the su ...
(1502–1510) File:Mise au tombeau du Christ, Solesmes (moulage).jpg, Burial of Christ,
Solesmes Abbey Solesmes Abbey or St. Peter's Abbey, Solesmes () is a Benedictine monastery in Solesmes, Sarthe, France, and the source of the restoration of Order of Saint Benedict, Benedictine monastic life in the country under Dom Prosper Guéranger after the ...
(1496) File:SaintPierreVoûteTB.JPG, Chapel vault with classicizing decoration,
church of Saint-Pierre, Caen The Church of Saint-Pierre () is a Roman Catholic church located on the Place Saint-Pierre in the centre of Caen in Normandy, northern France.Georges Huard, La Paroisse et l'Église Saint-Pierre de Caen, des origines au milieu du XVIe siècle, t ...
, by Hector Sohier (1518–1545) File:Saint Pierre de Caen.jpg, Southeast side of the
church of Saint-Pierre, Caen The Church of Saint-Pierre () is a Roman Catholic church located on the Place Saint-Pierre in the centre of Caen in Normandy, northern France.Georges Huard, La Paroisse et l'Église Saint-Pierre de Caen, des origines au milieu du XVIe siècle, t ...
, showing combinations of Flamboyant Gothic and antique forms File:Chateaudun - Chateau cour 03.jpg, The ''Longueville'' staircase,
Château de Châteaudun A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking r ...
, showing juxtaposition of Flamboyant Gothic and antique decoration File:Chateaudun Chateau 05.jpg, Detail of the ''Longueville'' staircase,
Château de Châteaudun A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking r ...
, showing juxtaposition of Flamboyant Gothic and antique decoration File:Valence-MaisonTêtes-facade.jpg, ''Maison des Têtes'' (1528–1532), Valence File:Angers cathedrale.jpg,
Angers Cathedral Angers Cathedral () is a Catholic church dedicated to Saint Maurice in Angers, France. It is the seat of the Bishops of Angers. Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, it is known for its mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, its or ...
, a Renaissance lantern atop the Flamboyant Gothic central tower (finished 1515) File:Tours Cathedral Saint-Gatian adj.jpg,
Tours Cathedral Tours Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic church located in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France, and dedicated to Saint Gatianus. It is the seat of the Archbishops of Tours, the metropolitan cathedral of the Tours ecclesiastical province. It was built b ...
(finished 1507) with Renaissance lanterns atop the flamboyant towers


Low Countries

Variations of Flamboyant, influenced by France but with their own characteristics, began to appear in other parts of continental Europe. Flamboyant had a particularly strong influence in Low Countries, which was then part of the
Spanish Netherlands The Spanish Netherlands (; ; ; ) (historically in Spanish: , the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the Habsburg Netherlands ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs from 1556 to 1714. They were a collection of States of t ...
and was also a part of the Catholic diocese of
Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
. Extraordinarily high towers were a feature of the Belgian style. In the 15th century, Belgian architects produced remarkable examples of religious and secular Flamboyant architecture, one of which is the tower of
St. Rumbold's Cathedral St. Rumbold's Cathedral (; ) is the Roman Catholic metropolitan archiepiscopal cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium, dedicated to Saint Rumbold, Christian missionary and martyr who founded an abbey nearby. His remains are rumoured to be buried insid ...
in
Mechelen Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
(1452–1520), which was built as both a bell tower and a watch tower for the defence of the city. The tower was intended to be high and was designed to have a spire, only of which was completed. Other notable Flamboyant cathedrals include
Antwerp Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady () is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's seat of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. It was construct ...
with a tower and an unusual dome on
pendentives In architecture, a pendentive is a constructional device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or of an elliptical dome over a rectangular room. The pendentives, which are triangular segments of a sphere, taper to point ...
that is decorated with a Flamboyant rib vault;
St. John's Cathedral ('s-Hertogenbosch) The Catholic Cathedral Church of St. John (Sint-Janskathedraal) of 's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant, is the height of Gothic architecture in the Netherlands. It has an extensive and richly decorated interior, and serves as the cathedral for the bi ...
in 's-Hertogenbosch (1220–1530), the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels (1485–1519); and Liege Cathedral. File:St-Romboutskathedraal3.jpg, Tower of St Rumbold's Cathedral in
Mechelen Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
(1452–1520) File:Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal Antwerpen 16.jpg, Lantern tower,
Antwerp Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady () is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's seat of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. It was construct ...
, consecrated 1521 File:Saints-Michel-et-Gudule Luc Viatour.jpg, Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula, Brussels (1485–1519) File:Breda, de toren van de Grote of Onze Lieve Vrouwerkerk RM10305 vanaf de Grote Markt foto6 2014-12-28 10.39.jpg, Grote Kerk, Breda (1410–1547) File:De grootste kathedraal van Nederland, de Sint Janskathedraal in 's-Hertogenbosch.jpg, St. John's Cathedral, 's-Hertogenbosch (1220–1530)
The town halls of Belgium, many of which were built by the prosperous textile merchants of Flanders, were even more flamboyant. They were among the last great statements of Gothic style as the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
gradually came to Northern Europe, and were designed to showcase the wealth and splendour of their cities. Major examples include the town hall of
Leuven Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...
(1448–1469) with its multiple, almost fantastic towers, and those of
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
(1401–1455),
Oudenaarde Oudenaarde (; ; in English sometimes ''Oudenarde'') is a Belgium, Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders. The municipality ...
(1526–1536),
Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...
(1519–1539), and
Mons Mons commonly refers to: * Mons, Belgium, a city in Belgium * Mons pubis (mons Venus or mons veneris), in mammalian anatomy, the adipose tissue lying above the pubic bone * Mons (planetary nomenclature), a sizable extraterrestrial mountain * Batt ...
(1458–1477). File:42150 - België - Leuven - Stadhuis - 00.jpg, Leuven's Town Hall (1448–1469) File:Leuven Rathaus detail1.JPG, Detail of the façade of Leuven's Town Hall File:Brussels, townhall oeg2043-00090 foto3 2015-06-07 08.38.jpg, Brussels' Town Hall (1401–1455) File:Oudenaarde (East Flanders, Belgium) late Gothic town hall and belfry tower.jpg, Oudenaarde's Town Hall (1526–1536)


Adaptations in Holland and of Zeeland

Many churches in the former Counties of
Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...
and of
Zeeland Zeeland (; ), historically known in English by the Endonym and exonym, exonym Zealand, is the westernmost and least populous province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the southwest of the country, borders North Brabant to the east ...
are built in a style sometimes inaccurately separated as Hollandic and as Zeelandic Gothic. These are in fact Brabantine Gothic style buildings with concessions necessitated by local conditions. Thus (except for
Dordrecht Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Western Netherlands, lo ...
), because of the soggy ground, weight was saved by wooden
barrel vault A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault, wagon vault or wagonhead vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are ...
s instead of stone vaults and the flying buttresses required for those. In most cases, the walls were made of bricks but cut natural stone was not unusual. Everaert Spoorwater played an important role in spreading Brabantine Gothic into Holland and Zeeland. He perfected a method by which the drawings for large constructions allowed ordering virtually all natural stone elements from quarries on later Belgian territory, then at the destination needing merely their cementing in place. This eliminated storage near the construction site, and the work could be done without the permanent presence of the architect. File:Gouda Stadhuis during sunny day 2017.jpg, Gouda's Town Hall (1449–1459) File:Townhall of Middelburg at 4 May 2012 in the morning - panoramio.jpg, Middelburg's Town Hall (1452–1520) File:DomTorenUtrechtNederland.jpg, St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht in
Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
File:Grote-Kerk-Haarlem.jpg, Grote Kerk in
Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English language, English) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the Provinces of the Nether ...


Spain

Before the unification of Spain, monuments were constructed in the Flamboyant style in the
Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon (, ) ;, ; ; . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona (later Principality of Catalonia) and ended as a consequence of the War of the Sp ...
and
Kingdom of Valencia The Kingdom of Valencia (; ; ), located in the eastern shore of the Iberian Peninsula, was one of the component realms of the Crown of Aragon. The Kingdom of Valencia was formally created in 1238 when the Moorish taifa of Valencia was taken in ...
, where Marc Safont was among the most important architects of the Late Middle Ages. Safont was commissioned to repair the
Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya The Palace of the Generalitat of Catalonia ( Catalan: ''Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya'', ; Spanish: ''Palacio de la Generalidad de Cataluña'') is a historic palace in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It houses the offices of the Presidency ...
in
Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
and worked on this project from 1410 to 1425. He designed the building's courtyard and elegant galleries. Also notable is the Chapel of Sant Jordi (1432–34), which has a striking façade consisting of an entry portal flanked by windows resplendent with blind and openwork Flamboyant tracery. The chapel's interior includes a
lierne Lierne may refer to: Places *Lierne Municipality, a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway * Lierne National Park, a national park in Trøndelag county, Norway Other *Lierne (vault) In Gothic architecture, a lierne is a tertiary rib connecti ...
vault with a keystone depicting
Saint George and the Dragon In a legend, Saint Georgea soldier venerated in Christianity—defeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a huma ...
. Following the
1428 Catalonia earthquake The Catalan earthquake of 2 February 1428, known in Catalan as the ' because it took place during Candlemas, struck the Principality of Catalonia, especially Roussillon, with an epicentre near Camprodon. The earthquake was one of a series of rel ...
, a replacement Flamboyant rose window on the west façade of the church of
Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona Santa Maria del Mar (, " Saint Mary of the Sea") is a church in the Ribera district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, built between 1329 and 1383 at the height of Principality of Catalonia's maritime and mercantile preeminence. It is an outstandi ...
, was completed by 1459. It is worth mentioning a few examples of civil buildings, in particular the trading floors(Lonjas) in Palma de Mallorca( 1420-1452) and Valencia(1482-1498) having a similar design with a columnar hall plan, the one in Valencia being more ambitious. The fine columns have a helicoidal design, characteristic of Iberian Gothic architecture. Other examples can be found in the church of Santiago in Villena, the Cistercian monastery of Secar de la Real in Palma, the church of Magdalena in Olivenza or the Palace of Montarco in Ciudad Rodrigo. Additional examples of the Flamboyant style in the Kingdom of Valencia include the cloister of the Convent of Sant Doménec, the dome of the cathedral of Valencia, or the reformed transept of the cathedral of Orihuela. In the kingdom of Castile, representative examples of civil Gothic architecture include the Infantado Palace in
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...
, the Casa de las Conchas in
Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
or the castle of
Manzanares el Real Manzanares el Real is a town in the north of the autonomous Community of Madrid. It is located at the foot of La Pedriza, a part of the Sierra de Guadarrama, and next to the ''embalse de Santillana'' (the Santillana reservoir). In 2020, the town h ...
. There are a good number of fine cloisters built during the 15th century such us the ones in the cathedrals of Burgo de Osma, Sigüenza, Lérida(LLeida), Segovia, Oviedo, in monasteries like San Salvador in
Oña Oña is a municipality and town located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2011 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 1,219 inhabitants. Main sights * Benedictine monastery of San Salvador de O ...
, Santa Maria la Real in
Nájera Nájera () is a small town, former bishopric and now Latin Catholic titular see, former capital of the Kingdom of Najera-Pamplona, located in the "Rioja Alta" region of La Rioja, northern Spain, on the river Najerilla. Nájera is a stopping poi ...
, Santa Maria de la Oliva in
Carcastillo Carcastillo is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, in the north of Spain. It is located 70 km from its capital, Pamplona. Until the middle of the 19th century it belonged to the abbey of Santa M ...
, or San Juan de los Reyes in
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...
, and in churches like Santo Domingo in Jerez de la Frontera, Santa Maria in Los Arcos (Navarra), San Miguel in Oñati, Oñate or Santa Maria la Real in Sasamón. Spain was united by the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1469, and saw the conquest of Granada, the last stronghold of Moorish occupation, in 1492. This was followed by a great wave of construction of new cathedrals and churches in what became known as the
Isabelline style The Isabelline style, also called the Isabelline Gothic (), or Castilian late Gothic, was the dominant architectural style of the Crown of Castile during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of A ...
after the queen. This late Spanish Gothic architecture, Spanish Gothic style includes a mixture of French-inspired Flamboyant tracery and vaulting features, Flemish features such as fringed arches, and elements that may have been borrowed from Islamic architecture, such as the crossed rib vaults and pierced openwork tracery of
Burgos Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos () is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos ...
. To this, Spanish architects such as Juan Guas added distinctive new features, for example in the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...
(1488–1496) and the Colegio de San Gregorio (completed 1487). The rose window on the west façade of Toledo Cathedral (late 15th century) is a good example. Juan de Colonia and his son Simón de Colonia, originally from Cologne, are other notable architects of the Isabelline style; they were the chief architects of the flamboyant features of
Burgos Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos () is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos ...
(1440–1481), including the openwork towers and the tracery in the star vault in the Chapel of the Constable. File:GeneralitatCapellaStJordi 0630-01.jpg, Façade of the Saint George chapel in the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Generalitat Palace, Barcelona (1432–1434) File:052 Generalitat de Catalunya, capella de Sant Jordi, volta.JPG, Vault of the Saint George chapel in the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Generalitat Palace, Barcelona File:Santamariawindow.jpg, Rose window, west façade, Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona, Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona (1459) File:Santdomenec claustre5.jpg, Cloister of the Convent of Sant Doménec, Valencia File:Valladolid - Colegio de San Gregorio 03.jpg, Colegio de San Gregorio (Completed 1487) File:Alonso de Burgos, Colegio de San Gregorio (Valladolid).jpg, Decoration of Colegio de San Gregorio (1488–1496) File:España - Toledo - Convento de San Juan de los Reyes - Mamposteria 001.JPG, Vaults of the lower cloister of the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...
(1477–1504) File:Escaleras a la Catedral -- 2023 -- Burgos, Castilla y León, España.jpg, Façade and openwork spires of
Burgos Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos () is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos ...
(1440–1481) by Juan de Colonia and Simón de Colonia File:Burgos-condestable.jpg, Star vault in the Constable Chapel of
Burgos Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos () is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos ...
by Simón de Colonia File:Cathedral of Toledo, 1226 and later (5) (29138674274).jpg, Rose window of west façade of Toledo Cathedral (end of 15th century)


Portugal

The
Manueline style The Manueline (, ), occasionally known as Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese architectural style originating in the 16th century, during the Portuguese Renaissance and Age of Discoveries. Manueline architecture incor ...
was named for King Manuel I of Portugal, who reigned from 1495 to 1523, a period of cultural and economic splendour in Portugal, the style was originally known as ''ad modus hispaniae''. Batalha Monastery's construction began in 1387 to celebrate John I of Portugal's victory over John I of Castile at the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota, which secured the independence of the
Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...
. Batalha was modified in the Flamboyant style after 1400. The building includes elements borrowed by the English Perpendicular style, tracery inspired by French Flamboyant, and German-inspired openwork steeples. In 1495, Portuguese navigators opened a sea-route to India and began trading with Brazil, Goa, and Malacca, bringing enormous wealth into Portugal. King Manuel funded a series of new monasteries and churches that were covered with decoration inspired by banana trees, sea shells, billowing sails, seaweed, barnacles, and other exotic elements as a monument to the Portuguese navigator Vasco de Gama and to celebrate Portugal's empire. The most lavish example of this decoration is found on the Convent of Christ (Tomar), Convent of Christ in Tomar (1510–1514). File:Monasterio dominico de Santa María da Vitória.jpg, Batalha Monastery (1386–1517) File:Mosteiro da Batalha (14).JPG, Flamboyant window of Batalha Monastery (1386–1517) File:View from the Cloisters in the Jerónimos Monastery.JPG, Jeronimos Monastery, Belém (1501–158) File:98563-Tomar (48622397886).jpg, Marine themed decoration of the Chapter House window of the Convent of Christ (Tomar) (1510–1514)


Central Europe

Architects in central Europe adopted some forms and elements of Flamboyant in the late 14th century, and added many innovations of their own. The Late Gothic buildings of Archduchy of Austria, Austria, Duchy of Bavaria, Bavaria, Saxony, and Kingdom of Bohemia, Bohemia are sometimes called ''
Sondergotik Sondergotik (; ''Special Gothic'') is the style of Late Gothic architecture prevalent in Austria, Bavaria, Swabia, Saxony, Alsace, Rhineland, Switzerland, Bohemia and Silesia between 1350 and 1550. The term was invented by art historian Kurt Ge ...
''. The high triple west porch of Ulm Minster was placed at the base of the tower; it was designed by Ulrich von Ensingen. The porch, which was in the centre of the façade — a break from earlier Gothic styles. Work on the tower was continued by Ensingen's son after 1419 and much more decoration was added from 1478 to 1492 by Matthaus Boblinger. The spire was added between 1881 and 1890, which made it the tallest tower in Europe. Other remarkable towers were constructed like openwork webs of stone; these include Johannes Hultz's additions to the tower of Freiburg Minster, which had an open spiral staircase and a lacework octagonal spire; the additions were begun in 1419. File:Ulmer Münster-Westfassade.jpg, West porch and tower of Ulm Minster (begun late 14th century, completed 19th) File:Ulm Münster Westturm 01.jpg, Detail of the tower of Ulm Minster, 19th century. File:0722 Westturm des Freiburger Münsters.jpg, Detail of the tower of Freiburg Minster File:Octagonal belfrey.jpg, Looking up into the spire of Freiburg Minster (after 1419) File:Church of Saint Barbara, North Facade, Kurna Hora.jpg, Exterior of St. Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora, 15th century, roof 19th. File:Vladislav Hall, Prague Castle 20160809 1.jpg, Vault of the Vladislav Hall, Prague Castle (1490-1502)


British Isles

Flamboyant had little influence in England, where the Perpendicular style prevailed. Flamboyant architecture was not common in the British Isles but examples are numerous. The flame-like window tracery appeared at Gloucester Cathedral before it appeared in France. In Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, Flamboyant detailing was employed in window tracery of the northern side of the nave at Melrose Abbey, and for the west window that completed the construction of Brechin Cathedral. Melrose Abbey had been destroyed during the English invasion of Scotland (1385), English invasion of 1358 and the initial rebuilding followed the traditions of English masons. From c.1400, the Parisian master-builder John Morrow (architect), John Morow began work on the Abbey, leaving an inscription identifying him in the church's south transept. Morow had possibly been brought to Great Britain by Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, for whom he also worked on Lincluden Collegiate Church. The design of some windows in both Brechin and Melrose are so similar it is possible Morow or his team of Continental masons worked on both. Comparison can also be made with the chapel (1379) of the Château de Vincennes, a castle and royal residence near Paris. Somewhat later, further Flamboyant work was done on the western bays of Brechin Cathedral. In England, the contemporaneous Late Gothic (or Third Pointed) style
Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-ce ...
was prevalent from the middle 14th century. A very early example of Flamboyant tracery is found in the top of the Great West Window in York Minster—the cathedral of the Archbishop of York. It also appears in the Flamboyant curvilinear bar-tracery of St Matthew's Church at Salford Priors, Warwickshire.


Characteristics


Tracery

The flamboyant tracery designs are the most characteristic feature of the Flamboyant style. They appeared in the stone mullions, the framework of windows, particularly in the great rose windows of the period, and in complex, pointed, blind arcades and arched gables that were stacked atop one another, and which often covered the entire façade. They were also used in balustrades and other features. Interlocking openwork gables and balustrades, as seen on the west porch of the church of Saint-Maclou, Rouen, were often used to disguise or diffuse the mass of buildings. An important early example from the late 15th century is the west rose window of the royal chapel, Sainte-Chapelle (1485–98), depicting the Apocalypse of St John. It is 9 meters (29.5 feet) in diameter, with eighty-nine panels arranged in three concentric zones around a central eye. Flamboyant rose windows are also prominent features of the transept of
Sens Cathedral Sens Cathedral () is a Catholic cathedral in Sens in Burgundy, eastern France. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Stephen, is the seat of the Archbishop of Sens. Sens was the first cathedral to be built in the Gothic architectural style (the B ...
(15th c.) and the transept of
Beauvais Cathedral Beauvais Cathedral otherwise the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais () is a Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in the High Gothic style, ...
(1499), one of the few parts of that Cathedral still standing. The Flamboyant façades of Sens Cathedral, Beauvais Cathedral, Senlis Cathedral and
Troyes Cathedral Troyes Cathedral () is a Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, located in the town of Troyes in Champagne, France. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Troyes. The cathedral, in the Gothic architectural style, has been ...
(1502–1531) were all the work of the same master builder, Martin Chambiges. Flamboyant windows were often composed of two arched windows, over which was a pointed, oval design divided by curving lines called ' and '. Examples are found in the Church of Saint-Pierre, Caen. ''Mouchettes'' and ''soufflets'' were also applied in openwork form to gables, as seen on the west façade of
Trinity Abbey, Vendôme Trinity Abbey, Vendôme, was a Benedictine monastery founded in 1035 in Vendôme by Geoffrey Martel and his first wife, Agnes of Burgundy. It was consecrated on 31 May 1040, one month before Geoffrey became Count of Anjou. The abbey was under the ...
. File:Paris Sainte-Chapelle Rosette 1.jpg, West rose window of Saint Chapelle (1485–1498) File:Limoges curvilinear tracery.JPG, Flamboyant window tracery, Limoges Cathedral (late 15th century) File:Rouen Église Saint-Maclou Fassade Wimperg 1.jpg, Openwork gable and balustrade, west porch, church of Saint-Maclou, Rouen (1435–1521) File:Mouchettes dans le réseau d'une fenêtre de l'église St Pierre de Caen.jpg, Mouchettes in the south façade windows of the Church of Saint-Pierre, Caen File:Eglise St Pierre de Caen. Soufflet.jpg, A soufflet from a window on the south façade of the Church of Saint-Pierre, Caen File:Vendôme Abbatiale de la Trinité Fassade 5.jpg, West façade of Trinity Abbey,
Vendôme Vendôme (, ) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Loir-et-Cher, France. It is also the department's third-biggest Communes of France, commune with 15,856 inhabitants (2019). It is one of th ...
File:Cathédrale St Étienne Sens 23.jpg, Flamboyant rose window and façade, south transept
Sens Cathedral Sens Cathedral () is a Catholic cathedral in Sens in Burgundy, eastern France. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Stephen, is the seat of the Archbishop of Sens. Sens was the first cathedral to be built in the Gothic architectural style (the B ...
(late 15th–early 16th century) File:Beauvais Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Nord-Rosette 2.jpg, North rose window,
Beauvais Cathedral Beauvais Cathedral otherwise the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais () is a Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in the High Gothic style, ...
(1540–1548)


Façades and porches

The term "Flamboyant" typically refers to church façades and to some secular buildings such as the Parlement de Normandie, Palais de Justice in Rouen. Church façades and porches were often the most elaborate architectural features of towns and cities, especially in France, and frequently projected outwards onto marketplaces and town squares. The intricate and dazzling forms of many façades and porches often appealed to their urban contexts; in some cases, new façades and porches were designed to create impressive architectural vistas when viewed from a specific street or square. This architectural response to increasing concerns with the aesthetics of urban space is particularly notable in Normandy, where a striking group of late 15th- and early 16th-century projecting polygonal porches were constructed in the Flamboyant style; examples include Basilica of Notre-Dame d'Alençon, Notre-Dame, Alençon; La Trinité, Falaise, Calvados, Falaise; Church of Notre-Dame de Louviers, Notre-Dame, Louviers; and Church of Saint-Maclou, Saint-Maclou, Rouen. Martin Chambiges, the most prolific French architect between c. 1480 and c. 1530, combined three-dimensional forms such as nodding ogees with a miniaturized vocabulary of niches, baldachins, and pinnacles to produce dynamic façades with a new sense of depth at Sens Cathedral,
Beauvais Cathedral Beauvais Cathedral otherwise the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais () is a Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in the High Gothic style, ...
, and
Troyes Cathedral Troyes Cathedral () is a Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, located in the town of Troyes in Champagne, France. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Troyes. The cathedral, in the Gothic architectural style, has been ...
. The addition of sumptuous Flamboyant façades and porches provided new public faces to older monuments that survived the Hundred Years' War. Façades and porches often used the ''Accolade (architecture), arc en accolade'', an arched doorway that was topped by short pinnacle with a ''Fleuron (architecture), fleuron'' or carved stone flower, often resembling a lily. The short pinnacle bearing the fleuron had its own decoration of small, sculpted forms like twisting leaves of cabbage or other naturalistic vegetation. There were also two slender pinnacles, one on either side of the arch. File:Basilique Notre-Dame - Alençon 6.JPG, West porch, Basilica of Notre-Dame d'Alençon, Notre-Dame d'Alençon File:Eglise-trinite-falaise,calvados.jpg, West porch, La Trinité, Falaise, Calvados, Falaise File:Church of Saint-Maclou (France).jpg, West porch, church of Saint-Maclou, Rouen File:Beauvais Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Süd-Querschiff 3.jpg, South transept façade,
Beauvais Cathedral Beauvais Cathedral otherwise the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais () is a Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in the High Gothic style, ...
File:Sens - Cathédrale 35.jpg, North transept façade,
Sens Cathedral Sens Cathedral () is a Catholic cathedral in Sens in Burgundy, eastern France. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Stephen, is the seat of the Archbishop of Sens. Sens was the first cathedral to be built in the Gothic architectural style (the B ...
File:Troyes Cathedral, West Facade 20140509.jpg, West façade,
Troyes Cathedral Troyes Cathedral () is a Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, located in the town of Troyes in Champagne, France. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Troyes. The cathedral, in the Gothic architectural style, has been ...
File:Parlement de Normandie Rouen 2009 02.jpg,
Parlement de Normandie Under the French Ancien Régime, a ''parlement'' () was a provincial appellate court of the Kingdom of France. In 1789, France had 13 ''parlements'', the original and most important of which was the ''Parlement'' of Paris. Though both the ...
,
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
, now the ''Palais de justice''


Vaults, piers, and mouldings

Elision—the elimination of Capital (architecture), capitals—coupled with the introduction of continuous and "dying" mouldings, are additional noteworthy characteristics of which the parish church of Saint-Maclou in Rouen is a key example. The uninterrupted fluidity and merging of disparate forms led to the emergence of decorative Gothic vaults in France. Another characteristic feature were vaults with additional types of ribs called the ''Lierne (vault), lierne'' and the ''tierceron'', whose functions were purely decorative. These ribs spread out over the surface to make a star vault; a ceiling of star vaults gave the ceiling a dense network of decoration. Another feature of the period was a type of very tall, round pillar without a capital, from which ribs sprang and spread upwards to the vaults. They were often used as the support for a fan vault, which branched upward like a spreading tree. A fine example is found in the chapel of the Hotel de Cluny in Paris (1485–1510). File:Hotel de cluny chapel vaults.jpg, Vaults of the chapel of the Hotel de Cluny (1485–1510) File:Rouen, St-Maclou 05.JPG, Nave of the Church of Saint-Maclou, church of Saint-Maclou, Rouen Note the absence of capitals and use of continuous mouldings throughout. File:Cannelure torse d'un pilier, transept de Saint-Nicolas-de-Port.JPG, Transept pier and vaults, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, Basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port File:Rue Somme chapelle du Saint Esprit 04.JPG, Chapelle du Saint-Esprit, Rue


Notable examples in France


Religious architecture

* Auch (Gers (département), Gers), Cathédrale Sainte-Marie d'Auch, Auch Cathedral (except the façade) * Beauvais (Oise), transept façades of
Beauvais Cathedral Beauvais Cathedral otherwise the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais () is a Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in the High Gothic style, ...
* Beauvais (Oise (département), Oise), choir and chapels of the Church of Saint-Étienne de Beauvais * Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain (département), Ain), Royal Monastery of Brou * Caudebec-en-Caux (Seine-Maritime), Church of Notre-Dame * L'Épine, Marne, L'Épine (Marne (département), Marne),
Notre-Dame de l'Épine The Basilica of Our Lady of l'Épine (), also known as Notre-Dame de l'Épine, is a Roman Catholic basilica in the small village of L'Épine, Marne, near Châlons-en-Champagne and Verdun. It is a major masterpiece in the Flamboyant Gothic style. ...
* Évreux (Eure (département), Eure), north transept of Évreux Cathedral * Louviers (Eure (département), Eure), Notre-Dame de Louviers (north and south façade) * Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), Nantes Cathedral *
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Église Saint-Séverin, Church of Saint-Séverin *
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Tour Saint-Jacques, Saint-Jacques Tower, bell tower of the former church of Saint-Jacques de la Boucherie * Pont-de-l'Arche (Eure (département), Eure), Church of Notre-Dame-des-Arts, Notre-Dame-des-Arts * Rouen (Seine-Maritime), cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, Rouen Cathedral (in part) * Rouen (Seine-Maritime),
Church of Saint-Maclou The Church of Saint-Maclou, () is a Roman Catholic church in Rouen, France, named after the Saint Malo, which is considered one of the best examples of the Flamboyant style of Gothic architecture in France. Saint-Maclou, along with Rouen Cathedr ...
* Rouen (Seine-Maritime), Church of St. Ouen, Rouen, abbey-church of Saint-Ouen * Rue, Somme, Rue (Somme (département), Somme), Chapel of Saint-Esprit * Saint-Nicolas-de-Port (Meurthe-et-Moselle), Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, Basilica of Saint-Nicolas * Saint-Riquier (Somme (département), Somme), Abbey of Saint-Riquier, Abbey * Senlis (Oise), transepts of Senlis Cathedral * Sens (Yonne (département), Yonne), Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Sens, Sens Cathedral (south transept) * Thann, Haut-Rhin, Thann (Haut-Rhin), St Theobald's Church, Thann, St Theobald's Church * Toul (Meurthe-et-Moselle), west façade of Toul Cathedral * Tours (Indre-et-Loire, Indre-et-Loir), cathédrale Saint-Gatien de Tours, Tours Cathedral (west façade) *
Vendôme Vendôme (, ) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Loir-et-Cher, France. It is also the department's third-biggest Communes of France, commune with 15,856 inhabitants (2019). It is one of th ...
(Loir-et-Cher), west façade of the Trinity Abbey, Vendôme, Abbaye de la Trinité * Vincennes (Val-de-Marne), Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, Sainte-Chapelle


Civil architecture

* Beaune (Côte-d'Or), Hospices de Beaune, hospices * Beauvais (Oise (département), Oise), former episcopal palace *
Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...
(Cher (département), Cher), Palais Jacques Cœur * Château de Châteaudun (Eure-et-Loir) *
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Hôtel de Cluny *
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Hôtel de Sens * Rouen (Seine-Maritime), Parlement de Rouen, Palais de Justice


Notable examples outside France

* St. Lorenz, Nuremberg (nave ceiling in particular), Germany * Milan Cathedral, a relatively rare Italian building in the style, which is adopted very fully here * Vladislav Hall in Prague Castle (vaults), Czech Republic * Seville Cathedral, Spain *Capella de Sant Jordi,
Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya The Palace of the Generalitat of Catalonia ( Catalan: ''Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya'', ; Spanish: ''Palacio de la Generalidad de Cataluña'') is a historic palace in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It houses the offices of the Presidency ...
,
Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, Spain * Batalha Monastery, Portugal * Brussels Town Hall, Belgium * Church of St. Anne, Vilnius, Lithuania * St. Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora, Czech Republic


Gallery

File:Palau reial.jpg, Flamboyant window from the last surviving Lusignan palace in Nicosia File:St. Anne's Church Exterior 3, Vilnius, Lithuania - Diliff.jpg, St Anne's, Vilnius, Lithuania (1500) File:Abbeville 23-09-2008 15-22-11.JPG, File:Beauvais (60), église Saint-Étienne, abside.JPG, File:Eglise de Brou1.jpg, File:Basilique Notre Dame de l'Épine, vue générale.jpg, File:Portail transept nord cathédrale d'Évreux.JPG, File:Notre-Dame-des-Arts, south façade.JPG, File:Vitraux de l'Abbatiale Saint Ouen.JPG, File:Rue 24-09-2008 17-40-13.JPG, File:Abbaye-de-Saint-Riquier-DSC 0307.jpg, File:Tours Cathedral Saint-Gatian.jpg, West façade of
Tours Cathedral Tours Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic church located in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France, and dedicated to Saint Gatianus. It is the seat of the Archbishops of Tours, the metropolitan cathedral of the Tours ecclesiastical province. It was built b ...
(towers completed 1547) File:Brussels, townhall oeg2043-00090 foto3 2015-06-07 08.38.jpg,


See also

*
French Gothic architecture French Gothic architecture is an architectural style which emerged in France in 1140, and was dominant until the mid-16th century. The most notable examples are the great Gothic cathedrals of France, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathed ...
* Gothic cathedrals and churches *
High Gothic High Gothic was a period of Gothic architecture in the 13th century, from about 1200 to 1280, which saw the construction of a series of refined and richly decorated cathedrals of exceptional height and size. It appeared most prominently in France ...
* International Gothic *
Rayonnant Rayonnant was a very refined style of Gothic Architecture which appeared in France in the 13th century. It was the defining style of the High Gothic period, and is often described as the high point of French Gothic architecture."Encylclopaedia B ...


Footnotes


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Wenzler, Claude (2018), ''Cathédrales Gothiques - un Défi Médiéval'', Éditions Ouest-France, Rennes (in French) * {{Gothic architecture Gothic architecture Gothic architecture in France Gothic architecture in Portugal Gothic architecture in Spain,