An arches that extend from the upper portion of a wall to a pier of great mass. Flying buttresses. Flying buttresses are architectural features used in Gothic cathedrals to support walls and allow for taller structures and larger windows.
Flying buttresses were architectural features used during the High and Late Middle Ages to support the walls of large buildings like cathedrals. They allowed builders to create taller, thinner walls with large stained glass windows, which let in more light and made the interiors of these buildings feel more heavenly and awe-inspiring. This architectural innovation represented human ingenuity and the desire to reach towards the divine, reflecting the period's deep religious faith. Today, the concept of using support creatively to achieve greater heights still matters, like in modern skyscrapers that use steel frames for strength and flexibility. When you look at the skyscrapers in city skylines today, they symbolize human ambition and innovation, much like flying buttresses did in the Middle Ages.
