Flying buttresses were constructed of vertical masonry piers with arches curving out from them like fingers. The fingers pressed against remnant wall sections between the great windows. The function of buttresses was to absorb thrust from the main body of the church, a serious threat to the structure during high winds.
With time, systems tended to become less massive and more fanciful. At the Cathedral of Saint-Julien in Le Mans, buttresses came in clusters of three, interlocked in a Y shape when seen from above.
— From "The Gothic Revolution," July 1989, National Geographic magazine
See the cultural and architectural legacy of this Turkish sultan who shook the world of the 16th century as he raised the Ottoman Empire to the height of its glory.
Discover the allure of this World Heritage Site in Jordan, which is being put at risk by the throngs of tourists who flock to this ancient city of stone each year.
Travel to the Egypt of Ramses II, whose monuments stud the Nile in timeless testament to a civilization that endured for three millennia and continues to amaze the world today.
Get a glimpse of paradise with this gallery of photographs taken on assignment for the National Geographic magazine article "French Polynesia: Charting a New Course."
