Architecture of Gothic Medieval Cathedrals

The plan of most medieval Gothic churches is in the form of the Latin cross or “cruciform.” This means the body of the building is made up of a long nave that runs on an East-West axis crossed with the transept, and then with the choir, chancel, or presbytery, all referred to as the aspe, extended beyond that. The front of the building is referred to as the “West Front.”

The nave is usually tall and has clerestory windows that provide light. On either side of the nave are aisles that generally have lower ceilings than the nave, but not always.
The transept, the cross piece of the church, can either be the same width as the nave and aisles, or extend beyond the aisles on both sides, giving the building a more pronounced cross shape.

The architectural features of the East End vary greatly from country to country and may contain the choir, presbytery, a projecting chapel and smaller chapels, or an ambulatory.

Pictured above: Plan of Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France