The construction of Gothic cathedrals was an ambitious, expensive, and technically demanding aspect of life in the Late Middle Ages. From the late 11th century until the Renaissancelargely in Western EuropeGothic cathedral construction required substantial funding, highly skilled workers, and engineering solutions for complex technical problems.
Completion of a new cathedral often took at least half a century, yet many took longer or were rebuilt after fires or other damage. The 11th to 13th century brought unprecedented population growth and prosperity to northern Europe, particularly to the large cities, and particularly to those cities on trading routes.
The frequent fires in old cathedrals were also a frequent reason for constructing a new building, as at Chartres CathedralRouen CathedralBourges Cathedraland numerous others. Wealthy parishioners were invited to give a percentage of their income or estate in exchange for the right to be buried under the floor of the cathedral.
In Pope Urban IV offered Papal indulgencesor the forgiveness of sins for one year, to wealthy donors who made large contributions. The sacred relics of saints kept by the cathedral were displayed to attract pilgrims, who were invited to make donations.
Sometimes the relics were taken in a procession to other towns to raise money. The guilds of the various professions in the town, such as the bakersfur merchants and drapersfrequently made donations, and in exchange small panels of the stained glass windows in the new cathedral windows illustrated their activities.
The key figure in the construction of a cathedral was the master builder or master mason, who was the architect in charge of all aspects of the construction. One example was Gautier de Varinfroy, master builder of Évreux Cathedral. His contract, signed in with the master of the cathedral and Chapter of Évreux, paid him fifty pounds a year.
He was required to live in Évreux, and to never be absent from the construction site for more than two months. Master masons were members of a particularly influential guild, the Corporation of Masons, the best-organized and most secretive of the medieval guilds.
Eudes de Montreuilthe master mason for Louis IX of Franceadvised him on all architectural matters, and accompanied the king on his disastrous Seventh Crusade. The skill of masonry was frequently passed from father to son. A famous family of cathedral-builders was that of Peter Parlerborn inwho worked on Prague Cathedraland was followed in his position by his son and grandson.
The Parlers' work influenced European cathedrals as far away as Spain. They also became wealthy. While the salary of an average mason or carpenter was the equivalent of twelve pounds a year, the master mason William Wynford received the equivalent of three thousand pounds a year.
The master mason was responsible for all aspects of the building site, including preparing the plans, selecting the materials, coordinating the work of the craftsmen, and paying the labourers. He also needed a substantial knowledge of Christian theologyas he had to consult regularly with the bishop and canons about the religious functions of the building.
The epitaph of the master mason Pierre de Montreuil of Notre-Dame de Paris described him appropriately as a "doctor of stones". The tomb Sökfrågor Hugues Libergiermaster mason of Reims Cathedralalso depicts him in the robes of a doctor of theology.