Which landmark in Paris represents the Early Gothic period?

Which landmark in Paris represents the Early Gothic period?

• A. Old St. Peters
• B. Palace of Sargon II
• C. St. Denis
• D. Mezquita Mosque and Cathedral

Answer: (C)

The key idea is identifying where Early Gothic architecture first took shape in the Paris region. Saint-Denis, just outside Paris, was transformed in the 1140s under Abbot Suger, and this redesign introduced the features that define Early Gothic: pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and a move toward greater height and light through larger windows. This combination created a brighter, more vertical interior and set the standard for Gothic architecture in Île-de-France, making Saint-Denis the landmark that best represents the Early Gothic period in the Paris area. Other options don’t fit this context: Old St. Peters is in Rome and belongs to early Christian Romanesque/Byzantine traditions rather than Early Gothic; the Palace of Sargon II is in Mesopotamia and entirely outside the Gothic lineage; the Mezquita in Cordoba reflects Islamic and later regional influences, not Parisian Early Gothic architecture.

The key idea is identifying where Early Gothic architecture first took shape in the Paris region. Saint-Denis, just outside Paris, was transformed in the 1140s under Abbot Suger, and this redesign introduced the features that define Early Gothic: pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and a move toward greater height and light through larger windows. This combination created a brighter, more vertical interior and set the standard for Gothic architecture in Île-de-France, making Saint-Denis the landmark that best represents the Early Gothic period in the Paris area.

Other options don’t fit this context: Old St. Peters is in Rome and belongs to early Christian Romanesque/Byzantine traditions rather than Early Gothic; the Palace of Sargon II is in Mesopotamia and entirely outside the Gothic lineage; the Mezquita in Cordoba reflects Islamic and later regional influences, not Parisian Early Gothic architecture.