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How Gothic architecture became spooky

When conceived, the style was meant to be heavenly and transcendent—so how did it become the vision of a haunted house?

Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Robert Bork, a professor of art history at the University of Iowa and a specialist in the study of Gothic architecture, was working in his office when a student knocked on the door. Defined by arched windows, stained glass, turrets, and battlements, the residence is largely considered the first Gothic Revival building and contributed to the widespread re-interest in the historic aesthetic. Dr. Bork points out film series like Lord of the Rings, in which the good kingdom, Gondor, is represented using motifs from Roman and Romanesque architecture, featuring round arches and simple proportions.

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