Which architectural feature transfers load by pushing from the outside to distant supports, commonly seen in Gothic architecture?

• A. Buttress
• B. Flying buttress
• C. Arch
• D. Pier

Answer: (B)

In Gothic architecture, managing the outward thrust from tall vaulted ceilings is key to keeping slender walls with large windows. A flying buttress does exactly that: an external, arched support that reaches from the wall to a distant second support (a pier or buttress) away from the wall. This bridge-like element transfers the horizontal push outward from the wall to the distant support, directing the load down into the ground. That external, spanning action is what lets walls stay thin and tall while supporting heavy vaults and expansive windows.

General buttresses sit against or near the wall but don’t span a gap to a distant support in the same explicit way. An arch carries load to its endpoints but doesn’t move thrust to a separate distant support from the wall. A pier is a vertical support that carries weight downward rather than redirecting outward thrust to a far-away anchor.