Abstract
The Goths were a missionary force that emerged from Graeco-Roman civilization. They had effectively caused the death of the classical pagan world. The spiritual crusade of the Goths allowed the Catholic church to rise and establish itself across Western Europe. During the Renaissance, a new definition of the Gothic emerged, focused on mediaeval culture. By the 1530s, Giorgio Vasari was referring to ‘Gothic’ architecture to distinguish the mediaeval period from the classic. ‘The ascent to heaven’ describes Gothic style in art, architecture, and decoration during the 16th century. The spiritual meaning of architectural Gothic was in space, light, artistry, and craft. It is ironic that it led to a style associated with the darker side.
