High Gothic "Rayonnant"
Right around the peak of the early Gothic era, the High Gothic (1200-1280) “Rayonnant” was surfacing. With the architects now focusing on the decoration aspect instead of the size of the buildings, more and more art style was coming forth. The most distinctive element coming from Rayonnant was the enormous round windowpane adoring the west facades of many churches, such as the Strasbourg Cathedral. Now the focus was on the appearance and art of the structure, not the size of the building. So with this new idea, cathedrals were starting to have large colorful stained glass windows and reoccurring patterns to give more flare. “Geometrical logic was frequently obscured by covering the exterior with tracery, which overlaid masonry as well as windows, augmented by complex clusters of gables, pinnacles, lofty porticos, and star patterns of extra ribs in the vaulting.”[1]
[1] http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/gothic-architecture.htm
[1] http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/gothic-architecture.htm
Saint-Urban Cathedral started construction under supervision of Pope Urbain II in 1160 but was not finished till 1260. The main reason why production was slowed for so long was because the nuns of Nortre-Dame was going through an opposition from Nonnains. The articulation of Saint-Urban has a astounding marvelous play of tracery elements, constrict forms, and the early showings of double curved tracery. The exterior has gables with sharp points, a slim buttresses with many pinnacles, and open work flying arches. Showing a new band of window style, with highly colored large rectangular grisaille glass, made this cathedral stand out among the Early Gothic architecture. Giving this cathedral a much sleeker look by having a simple leaded pattern and including natural foliage along the windows and structure to the building.
Laon Cathedral was one of the first cathedrals built with the High Gothic style in 1260. With the pointed archers inside and out, many believed it was a way symbol to the way up to Heaven. Laon had a flat end in the apse, and sic part groin vault for the stone roof. With the roof being a lot higher than most other cathedrals which is 78 feet tall, it is being held up by a big stone buttresses leaning against the outside walls. The High Gothic style playing a large part in the architectural style, the walls were the first low arches built with thick columns, along with two galleries one being on top of another.