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El impacto de la arquitectura gótica en la realidad y en la ficción

The impact of Gothic arquitecture in reality and fiction

By: Lina Amry and Ane Gil

When we hear the word Gothic, the first thing we think about is usually gothic architecture. This architectural style emerged in Medieval Europe, concretely in the 12th century and since its creation, this trend has been of great influence to different artistic expressions like literature, cinema or even music. In fantasy fiction, we can find different representations of gothic architecture that help to shape the ambience or atmosphere that the author wants to transmit to the audience, for instance. 

What is gothic architecture?

Initially, gothic architecture was created with the intention of enhancing God’s glory and to expand the teachings of christianity. This is why the gothic style is characterized by having high and tall structures that allow the buildings to approach the sky and thus the divine. To achieve such high structures, the architects of the time used pointed arches, ribbed vaults, fasciated pillars, large windows, towers and spires. These elements allowed the buildings to be stable without sacrificing the aesthetic and the height. Moreover, in gothic cathedrals the aim was to fill the buildings with luminosity, since light was linked to God. This is why it is very common to find huge stained-glass windows that filtered the light, and also showed scenes from biblical passages, in order to pass on this knowledge to the illiterate population. Also, in the exterior of the cathedral we can find decorations and structures with religious motives, like saints and apostles. Even though this architectural style started as a type of luminous and celestial architecture, with the passing of time, the gothic has been associated with the dark and sinister. 

Gothic architecture of yesterday and today

The impact that gothic architecture has had in the contemporary urban landscape is undeniable, since it was an architectural trend that completely changed the ideals about verticality and light that should be in a building. The gothic building is a totem of wit, creativity and human inspiration, the need to innovate and improve the previous models (in this case architecture).

One of the most important features, like we have previously mentioned, is the emphasis of verticality, often accompanied by ornamentation like gargoyles. An outstanding example is the Cathedral of Chartres in France. This cathedral, built between 1194 and 1250, is a clear example of the desire of reaching the divine through height, an essential characteristic of the Gothic style. The very high vessels, ogive vaults and the high towers of the cathedral reinforce the feeling of verticality, creating an impressive visual impact. 

Catedral de Chartres: descubre la historia de una de las grandes joyas de Francia

When it comes to contemporary architecture, probably the most clear example of the emphasis of verticality in contemporary architecture is the skyscraper of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Arab Emirates. With a height of 828 meters, it is the tallest building in the world and it perfectly reflects the contemporary obsession for verticality as it is a structure that seems to soar into the sky. 

2025) Entrada general para la planta alta del Burj Khalifa, pisos 125 y 124

In terms of luminosity and the use of completely innovative structures like pointed arches, the greatest exponent is probably the cathedral of Notre-Dame, which is located in Paris. Built between the 12th and 14th century, it has a rose window that fills the interior space of the building with colors whenever the sun reflects in it. It is one of the greatest examples of the gothic play with light and darkness. In addition, this cathedral features one of the most prominent structural innovations of Gothic architecture, the use of flying buttresses, which allowed the installation of the cathedral’s stained-glass windows. 

Los tesoros de incalculable valor que contenía la catedral de Notre Dame

The Minneapolis Museum of Art excels in the field of the use of the concepts of Gothic luminosity. This American museum incorporates said concepts using glass and large windows that allow the entrance of natural light. Although the building is not intended to emulate the Gothic style directly, the use of innovative materials such as glass or steel is reminiscent of the Gothic. 

WEISMAN ART MUSEUM (Minneapolis) - Qué SABER antes de ir

Gothic architecture in literature

If we focus on gothic literature, we can take as an example some of the most remarkable works of the genre. Bram Stoker’s Dracula presents us the castle of Count Dracula, which is located in Transylvania and features gothic characteristics like tall and pointy towers or dungeons and tunnels that build a gloomy and dramatic atmosphere, typical of this literary genre. 

On the other hand, gothic architecture is also an element that we can find in more recent works. A Song of Ice and Fire by the well known writer George R.R Martin is a perfect example. In this novel, Martin presents us with various castles that fit with the gothic aesthetic with the intention of setting the scene for his work and evoke fear. One of the examples is the castle of Harrenhal, one of the most important settings of this work. This structure has tall and massive towers both indoors and outdoors, the castle is decorated with gargoyles and broken statues. The use of these gothic elements achieve a dark and imposing.

Castle Dracula by Lanaart912 on DeviantArt

Gothic architecture in cinema

When it comes to cinema, it is also possible to find this architectural style. In the cinematic adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, we can encounter Barad-dûr, Sauron’s fortress, the villain from J. R. R Tolkien ‘s universe. The verticality and the imposing height of this construction remind us of what we can find in gothic cathedrals. The use of these elements makes Barad-dûr transmit a sinister and at the same time oppressive aura. The greatness and the imposingness of the gothic fits this construction that seeks to intimidate perfectly. 

On the other hand, in the Harry Potter movies we have as a setting the school of Hogwarts, a castle with clear gothic characteristics, like high towers, ribbed vaults, gargoyles, dark and labyrinthine passages and stained-glass windows. All of these elements manage to convey greatness while creating an enigmatic ambience. Also, we know that the architecture of Hogwarts was inspired by real Gothic buildings such as Oxford University and the cathedrals of Durham and Gloucester.

Barad-dûr ve Sauron

Conclusion

As a conclusion, it is clear that Gothic architecture has left a huge mark both in contemporary construction and in other arts such as literature or cinema. The impact that this style has in fantasy fiction is something that we cannot ignore. Thanks to Gothic architecture, authors can better set the scene for their works and build scenes with features that we nowadays associate with the Gothic, like darkness, greatness, melancholy or mystery.  The fascinating characteristic of luminosity and the innovations both structural and stylistic have left an undeniable impact on society and have served as an inspiration for centuries, and they will continue to do so because of their beautiful yet mysterious character, which are characteristics that define the Gothic and this same combination of the ethereal and the macabre that is often attributed to the appeal of the Gothic.


OpenEdition le sugiere que cite este post de la siguiente manera:
Ane Gil Arzallus (27 de febrero de 2025). El impacto de la arquitectura gótica en la realidad y en la ficción. El blog de Tartalo. Recuperado 12 de marzo de 2026 de https://doi.org/10.58079/13e77


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