The use of the transverse arch, in which the arch structurally spans the space between a pillar and the wall instead of another pillar, allowed architects to use slimmer pillars instead of thick columns in arcades. This innovation was adopted by European architects and eventually used in many Gothic cathedrals. Coupled with the four-centered arch -- a low, slightly pointed arch shape that has a center of gravity below the crown of the pillars -- transverse arches allowed Islamic architects to cover large spaces and led to the development of the pointed arch.