Elevations

Left: Saint-Sernin, Toulouse
Right: Amiens Cathedral

Saint-Sernin, Toulouse: Two-story elevation with arcade and vaulted gallery supporting a longitudinal barrel vault reinforced by transverse arches. Arcade piers are a cruciform type. The attached shaft added to the front of each arcade pier marks the vertical bay divisions and visually connects the pier with the transverse arch above. Heavy barrel vault exerts great weight and thrust on central vessel walls and therefore, there is no clerestory and no direct lighting into the central vessel. Light enters the church through the windows of the gallery, side aisles and choir. Central space remains relatively dark. Twin-unit gallery (two openings per bay). Gallery level provides an additional aisle above the inner aisles of the nave and transept.

Amiens Cathedral: A three-story elevation consisting of an arcade, triforium with passage, and clerestory window. Proportions of the elevation are A:A (the height of the arcade is the same as the height of the triforium and clerestory combined). This distinguishes it from Chartres and Reims which have A:B:A proportions. The effect is lateral and vertical spaciousness. Arcade piers are pilier cantonnéŽ (Chartrain type)--four attached shafts to a central cylindrical core). Triforium consists of two twin- units per bay (with three lancets per unit). A trefoil pierces the twin-unit arch. A foliate stringcourse runs along the lower level of the triforium. Above is a four lancet clerestory window with bar tracery. Each of the two lancets have an oculus with sexpartite cusping and the entire unit is surmounted with an oculus. Wall shafts (responds) connect the quadripartite ribbed vaults with the pilier cantonneé forming clearly defined bays.