ctbuh.org/papers Title: The Analysis on the Collapse of the Tallest Gothic Cathedral Author: Seong-Woo Hong, Professor, Kyungwoon University Subject: Structural Engineering Keyword: Structure Publication Date: 2004 Original Publication: CTBUH 2004 Seoul Conference Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished © Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Seong-Woo Hong The Analysis on the Collapse of the Tallest Gothic Cathedral Seong-Woo Hong1 1 Professor, School of Architecture, Kyungwoon University Abstract At the end of the twelfth century, a new architectural movement began to develop rapidly in the Ile-de-France area of France. This new movement differed from its antecedents in its structural innovations as well as in its stylistic and spatial characteristics. The new movement, which came to be called Gothic, is characterized by the rib vault, the pointed arch, a complex plan, a multi-storied elevation, and the flying buttress. Pursuing the monumental lightweight structure with these structural elements, the Gothic architecture showed such technical advances as lightness of structure and structural rationalism. However, even though Gothic architects or masons solved the technical problems of building and constructed many Gothic cathedrals, the tallest of the Gothic cathedral, Beauvais cathedral, collapsed in 1284 without any evidence or document. There have been two different approaches to interpret the collapse of Beauvais cathedral: one is stylistic or archeological analysis, and the other is structural analysis. Even though these analyses do not provide the firm evidence concerning the collapse of Beauvais cathedral, this study extracts some confidential evidences as follows: The bay of the choir collapsed and especially the flying buttress system of the second bay at the south side of the choir was seriously damaged. After the collapse, they reconstructed the quadripartite vault to a sexpartite vault. Through these evidences and analyzing the building, medieval masons based design decisions for the reconstruction on both structural exigencies and aesthetic preferences, and the adjustments they made to structure represent a balance between those concerns. Keywords: Gothic, Beauvais Cathedral, Vaulting System, Collapse 1. Introduction current analyses do not provide the firm evidence Unlike previous architectural periods, High Gothic concerning the collapse of Beauvais cathedral, architecture that took shape in Northern Europe because they are based on previous analyses that showed such technical advances as lightness of contained misconceptions. Therefore, in this study, we structure and structural rationalism. However, even will review art and architectural literature on the though Gothic architects or masons solved the collapse of Beauvais cathedral, and point out the technical problems of building and constructed many pitfalls of previous structural analyses. In order to Gothic cathedrals, one of the tallest of the Gothic avoid the problems that have previous research, this cathedrals, Beauvais cathedral, collapsed in 1284 study examine thoroughly the intricate relationships without any evidence or document. among decisions made during the reconstruction. It There have been two different approaches to will help us understand to gothic structural system and interpreting the collapse of Beauvais cathedral: one is a greater extent the degree to which medieval masons through stylistic or archeological analysis, and the really understood structure. other is through structural analysis. Stylistic analysis, coupled with a review of the primary textual sources, 1.1. Archeological Evidence provides us with information as to which parts of the When we analyze the cause of collapse in historic building collapsed, and will enable us to distinguish building, the most accurate evidence would be the between campaigns of repair which followed documents written concerning the failure of the immediately after the collapse and later work of repair building. As the other Gothic architecture, and restoration.(Murray, 1976) unfortunately, the documents on Beauvais cathedral Structural analysis enables us to understand of the are extremely insufficient and archeological studies nature of structural forces and behavior. However, are also quite limited. Through the limited documentation and recent bibliographical study, we Contact Author: Seong-Woo Hong, Professor, are able to understand the collapse and reconstruction School of Architecture, Kyungwoon University, of Beauvais. 55, Indukri, Sandongmyun, Kumi, Kyungbuk, Korea Beauvais cathedral was taken up to the triforium Tel: 054-479-1241 Fax: 054-479-1029 level between 1225 and 1245 under the first master e-mail: [email protected] who set solid foundations and erected the chevet up to CTBUH 2004 October 10~13, Seoul, Korea 913 the level of the inner aisles. There was an interim and the main arcade remained intact so that the period, 1245-50, when a small amount was done addition of extra piers divided each bay into two, and under a second master, and from 1250 on the work the choir was rebuilt with sexpartite vaults. The plan was carried on under the direction of a third master of Beauvais [Fig. 2] shows Murray's chronology of who finished the choir and chevet in 1272. Whether construction and his grid system of reference. this third master was an intended by the first, and created the intermediate buttresses in porte-à-faux, although there seems to be no evidence that this construction was not intended by the first master.1 According to the document, Beauvais Cathedral collapsed on Thursday November 29, 1284 at 8.00 p.m.2 The vaults of the choir fell and several exterior pillars were broken. The same source tells us that “the disaster of 1284 was the second collapse which had occurred at the cathedral. The account of the first collapse has not been taken seriously by subsequent historians, because it was said to have occurred in 1225.” (Murray, 1976) After the collapse of 1284, repairs to the choir were completed by about 1337. Work ceased during the Hundred Years War, and the completion of the transept was not begun until about 1500. Between 1564 and Fig. 2. Plan of the chronology of construction and grid system 1569, before work on the nave was far advanced, a gigantic stone tower of some 150 m (490 ft)3 in height was erected over the crossing. In 1573 the tower collapsed. Damage from this disaster was Murray states that “the written sources hint at the repaired by 1578, although the tower itself was not possibility of the reuse of material in the high vaults, replaced. No further major construction was suggesting that parts of the original vaults might have undertaken after that date, leaving the cathedral in its survived.”(Murray, 1989) Murray also stated “while it present truncated condition.(Mark, 1982) [Fig. 1] is impossible to distinguish between new and re-used masonry in the vaults, it is noticeable that three of the present clerestory windows are different from the others in the tracery patterns used. It is probable that the original windows in the narrower bay at the west end of the choir may have survived the disaster, and that elements from these windows could have been recut and reused after 1284.”(Murray, 1976 & 1989) However, there is no way to have reused all of the stone from the original vault in the reconstructed vault without serious recutting of stone, because the curvature of stone of quadripartite vault is different from that of the stone of sexpartite vault and hence probably also the curvature of the surface of many individual stones. If they recut the stone, the rebuilt Fig. 1. The choir from west. vault might be thinner than the original. On the exterior of the building, Murray believes that only the outer and inner uprights of the flying 1.2. Reconstruction of Beauvais buttress system have been entirely rebuilt in the In attempts to analyze the reasons for the collapse second bay of the choir at south side, because the of Beauvais cathedral, we should study the building uprights here lack the detached shafts and simple itself through an archeological analysis. The most bases of the original units around the hemicycle. The recent study is that of Murray, who surveyed the forms section also shows that the height of flying buttress of tracery, capitals, molding profiles, and other details. piers on the south is much lower than the piers on the He confirmed that the main body of the choir has been north. The heights of the clerestory windows at choir are not only lower than at hemicycle, but tracery rebuilt from the level of the sill of the high triforium 4 to the vaults. However, the hemicycle was not rebuilt patterns are also different. [Fig. 3] 914 CTBUH 2004 October 10~13, Seoul, Korea that they have given way, for they could not resist the weight brought upon them when the inner piers began to settle in consequence of the drying of the mortar of the coursed construction. In the disorder, the lintels L were broken and the large blocks M (tas-de-charge), in swaying, rested too heavily upon the top of the first flying-buttress (C); this latter was deformed and, the vault following the movement, the pressure upon these flying buttresses was such that they nearly all were forced outward and their action annulled. In consequence, the upper flying buttresses (N) were Fig. 3. Clerestory of upper choir from south. loosened somewhat, since the vault no longer pressed against them. The equilibrium was broken.” Murray found that significant reconstruction at the (Viollet-le-Duc, 1987) base of the hemicycle which belongs to a much later Viollet-le-Duc theory is correct if the slender period. In the exterior of the hemicycle itself, all the column supports the horizontal force from vaults and major elements including the flying buttress system roof. His theory, however, involved some critical predate the collapse.