Floor Plan Large Gothic churches were built using a basilica floor plan, which was initially created by the ancient Romans as an administrative center and was adopted by early Christians under the Roman Empire. The basilica in Rome was a rectangular structure with a huge, open middle space known as the nave. It was used for public meetings and court cases. As time passed, the nave became more important than the central office, which later evolved into a bishop's throne room. In Christian churches, the nave is where the congregation gathers for worship. The term "Gothic" comes from the German word "Göttlich", which means "God-like". This adjective is used to describe any work of art or architecture that is based on religious themes and has many similarities with medieval European buildings. The Gothic style originated in Europe around 1220 and lasted until about 1550. During this period, many large churches were built with basilica floors plans. These churches had high ceilings and wide naves for the congregation to stand in during services. In addition to being open to the nave, Gothic cathedrals are also open to the air through large windows called transepts. These wings usually contain several smaller windows that let in light but also provide views of the sky above the church. Transepts are located on both sides of the nave and extend out from the main body of the building.