Rose Windows in Gothic Cathedrals: A Compositional Challenge for Church Builders

Abstract

Rose windows are of special significance in gothic cathedrals. These are large circular windows. They are also exquisite works of masonry. In terms of their construction, the sectioning of the circle into smaller, equal segments presented a particular challenge. The division of a circle into equal segments or the ratio between the diameter and the circumference was an old mathematical problem, which had practical consequences for architects and masons. Their answers ranged from simple to more complex solutions. Analysis has shown that the segmentation of rosettes was simpler in the early period. It later evolved into more complex segmentation, which was probably also based on anthropometric measuring systems. Perhaps the most complex segmentation of the rosette can be found in the rose windows of the Basilica of Saint Clare and the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, which are presented separately.