Medieval Glossary

Flying Buttress

A buttress that stands apart from the roof that it supports. It is usually connected to the main supporting wall by arches. This was a critical component of the tall, window-filled walls of Gothic churches and cathedrals.

Related term(s): Gothic
Category: Architecture
Added: 08.07.05
Contributor(s): Natalie Kohout
Source information: Hollister, C. Warren and Judith M. Bennett. Medieval History: A Short History. 9th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2002.

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