The rose window
This two-part video looks at the rose window - one of the most beautiful aspects of Gothic architecture.
Developing from a simple round opening (oculus) in the Romanesque period, the rose window became a standard feature of the Gothic style, particularly in the great French cathedrals. The development of tracery enabled the rose to include sophisticated geometry - ranging from simple circles-within-circles and doily designs to the most complex curvilinear shapes.
The video also looks at rose windows and similar architectural motifs in Italy, Spain and Germany, all of which developed their own versions of the style.
Downloadable file (wmv format of both pats in one, 12 mb)