The Evolution of the Knowledge of Geometry in Early Gothic Construction: The Development of the Sexpartite Vault in Europe

One of the most interesting chapters of European Gothic is the sexpartite vault. This cross-ribbed vault is reinforced in the center by an arch that splits the wall arch in two. The construction difficulties involved in building this type of vault explain its premature abandonment, yet despite its brief existence, the sexpartite vault was the great protagonist of the beginnings of Gothic architecture and important vaulting was built using this system.New measuring technologies have triggered a revolution in heritage documentation enabling studies to be undertaken that until now were inaccessible. Through a thorough survey to analyze the most important vaults in Western Europe, we were able to confirm that the geometry used for French vaults evolved quickly, making construction simpler. As the use of these vaults spread across the rest of Europe, two distinct areas of development emerged. This research now focuses on the knowledge of geometry that made the construction of the European sexpartite vault possible.