Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that well developed during the high and late medieval period, from about 1150 to 1250. It is growth out from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture. The Gothic style originated in northern France, in the region around Paris known as the Ile-de-France. During the Renaissance, after the French Style had fallen out of fashion, artisans mocked it. They coined the word Gothic to suggest that French Style buildings were the crude work of German (Goth) barbarians. Although the label wasn't accurate, the name Gothic remained.

Furthermore, there are three structural elements of Gothic architecture, which are the pointed arch, the rib vault and the flying buttress. Especially for French Gothic architecture, verticality and light are being emphasized to a great extent in most of the cathedrals. Gothic architecture is more than a collection of technical tricks, however, for it embraces an integrated aesthetic system. Most of the buildings use Gothic architecture are castle, palaces, town, halls, guild halls, universities and to a less prominent extent, private dwellings. Notre Dame de Paris, Cologne Cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, York Minister and Reims Cathedral are those significant Gothic architecture buildings.

Notre Dame de Paris - the church dedicated to (“Our Lady,” the Virgin Mary). It was served as a cathedral. It currently stands at the eastern end of Île de la Cité, a small island in the heart of the city and was built on the ruins of two earlier churches, which were themselves predated by a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. In 1160, Maurice de Sully, the Bishop of Paris conceived the idea of converting both existing churches into a new larger church. The foundation stone of this church was laid, in 1163. Bishop de Sully then went on the cathedral's construction till his death in 1196. Construction of the west front, with its distinctive two towers, began in around 1200 before the nave had been completed. Over the construction period, numerous architects were involved as is evidenced by the varied design of the west front and towers. Among the master builders are Jehan de Chelles, Pierre de Montreuil, Pierre de Chelles, and Jehan Rave. The whole cathedral was completed around 1363.

Notre Dame de Paris is the cathedral with 128m long (420 ft.) with two 69 meter tall towers (226 ft.). The spire, which reaches 90m (295 ft.), was added in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc. It was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttresses though they were not originally designed to be included. The plan consists of a wide central nave rising 34m high and flanked by double aisles, with a transept of slight projection from the main body. The aisles continue around the east end with the projecting chapels to form a cheviot. Three sculptured portals: the Virgin, the Last Judgment and St. Anne, with richly carved sculptures around the ornate doorways. Above them a line of statues of the 28 kings of Judah and Israel extends across the facade, which known as King’s Gallery and over this, in the center, there is a horizontal row of stone sculptures: a rose window glorifying the Virgin. Above the 9m-diameter rose windows is the Grand Gallery connecting the two towers, and is where the cathedral's legendary gargoyles can be found. The top part of the south tower houses the cathedral's famous bell which weighs 1 metric ton with its clapper alone weighs 500kg. Overall, a total of 21 hectares of oak were necessary for Notre-Dame’s structure. The roof was made using 1,320 lead plates weighing over 210,000 kilograms. The walls had to be built very high and be strong enough to support the heavy roof and the immense windows that let light into the building. All the construction’s weight was supported by pillars instead of the walls. The ogival vaults inside and the flying buttresses outside made it possible to distribute weight from the stone and the roof out to all the cathedral’s pillars. 

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