spitsboog

Spitsboog is a Dutch architectural term referring to a pointed arch, a hallmark of Gothic architecture. The word is a compound of spits (pointed) and boog (arch). In architectural history, restoration, and conservation, spitsboog describes arches with a sharp apex rather than a semicircular profile.

The pointed arch distributes structural thrust more efficiently than a rounded arch, enabling taller and more slender vaults and larger window openings. This functional advantage helped define the vertical emphasis and light-filled interiors typical of Gothic churches, cathedrals, and other medieval buildings. In Dutch-language sources, spitsboog is used to distinguish this profile from other arch shapes such as rounded or elliptical arches.

Variants associated with the pointed-arch family include lancet arches (tall and narrow) and ogival arches (ogive) with distinctive curvature. The particular proportions and curvature of a spitsboog influence interior light, acoustics, and the overall silhouette of a structure. While the term is most closely linked to Gothic contexts, pointed arches appear in various architectural traditions; in Dutch usage, spitsboog remains the standard label for this arch form.

In practice, the term appears in architectural descriptions, restoration guides, and scholarly writing about medieval buildings in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as in broader discussions of Gothic architecture in Northern Europe.

See also: Gothic architecture, pointed arch, lancet arch, ogive.