Gotico

Gotico is the Italian term for Gothic, used to describe the medieval cultural and artistic movement and its derivative styles in architecture, sculpture, painting, literature, and music. In Italian scholarship, the term covers a broad period roughly from the 12th to the 16th century, and is also used for later revivalist styles that imitate earlier forms.

In architecture, the Gotico style is defined by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and large windows that admit light. It originated in 12th-century Île-de-France and spread across Western Europe, with Italian adaptations that blended with Romanesque and early Renaissance traditions.

In literature and film, the term gotico designates works with atmospheric suspense, supernatural or horror elements, and a sense of the uncanny. The Gothic novel began in the 18th century in Britain, with The Castle of Otranto (1764); in Italian, romanzo gotico refers to similar works and to the broader Gothic tradition, including later horror and macabre themes.

Today, gotico also names the Gothic subculture, including fashion, music, and visual art that emphasize dark aesthetics and melancholic themes. In Italian usage, Gotico is the neutral term for both historical Gothic topics and modern adaptations in culture, media, and design.