Arts & Culture
The Flying Buttress as a Structural Innovation
Quick fact
The flying buttress was not invented all at once; it evolved from earlier, heavier buttresses. Its first mature use is often attributed to the choir of the Abbey of Saint-Denis (1140–1144), and it became a defining feature of High Gothic cathedrals like Chartres and Reims.
Why this is interesting
You've marveled at the soaring heights and luminous stained glass of Gothic cathedrals—but how did medieval builders create such vast windows without the walls collapsing? The answer lies in a hidden exoskeleton: the flying buttress.