The Insult Behind Gothic Architecture

The term Gothic was originally a stinging insult. Renaissance critics used the word to mock medieval buildings, comparing their jagged designs to the supposedly barbaric tribes that destroyed the Roman Empire.

During the Renaissance, people were obsessed with the order of classical Greek and Roman styles. They viewed the intricate pointed arches and soaring spires of the Middle Ages as chaotic and ugly. Calling a building Gothic was essentially saying it was primitive or unrefined. Ironically, the style eventually became celebrated as one of the greatest artistic achievements in human history.