Church architectural elements

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

[edit] Exteria

Apse A semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault at the east end More images...	Arcade A passage or walkway covered over by a succession of arches or vaults supported by columns	Architrave A moulded or ornamental band framing a rectangular opening. It is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns	Baptistery A separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font More images...
Bell tower A tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none More images...	Buttress An architectural structure built against (a counterfort) or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall More images...	Chapter house A building or room attached to a cathedral or monastery in which meetings are held More images...	Chevet Apses that are built as radiating chapels outside the choir aisle More images...
Church tower A tall tower, sometimes topped by a spire More images...	Cloister an enclosed space, commonly in the form of a green square with surrounding arcades, that forms the central part of a monastery More images...	Corbel A piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight More images...	Crossing tower The tower built above the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church More images...
Cupola A small, most-often dome-like structure, on top of a building More images...	Dome A structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere More images...	Facade The significant front of the church usually on the west front but can be on the side as well More images...	Flèche A spire or a lead-covered timber spire that are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small More images...
Flying buttress A type of buttress that are used to transmit the horizontal thrust of a vault across an intervening space More images...	Gargoyle A carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building More images...	Kitchen	Onion dome A bulbous shaped dome resembled the onion More images...
Portal An opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure More images...	Tympanum A semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance bounded by a lintel and arch More images...	Refectory A dining room, especially in monasteries

[edit] Interia

Aisle A space for walking with rows of seats on either side or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other	Altar A structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religious purposes More images...	Altarpiece An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar More images...	Ambulatory The covered passage around a cloister or a walkway around the apse More images...
Archivolt An ornamental molding or band following the curve of the underside of an arch More images...	Baldachin A canopy of state over an altar or throne More images...	Baptismal font An article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults. More images...	Bay A unit defined as the zone between the outside edges of an engaged column, pilaster, post, or vertical wall area More images...
Boss A a knob or protrusion of stone or wood. Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. More images...	Cathedra The chair or throne of a bishop. More images...	Chapel A place of worship sometimes attached to a large church and sometimes a stand-alone structure More images...	Chantry An institutional chapel on private land or within a greater church, where a priest would chant masses More images...
Choir The area usually in the western part of the chancel between the nave and the sanctuary (which houses the altar) More images...	Ciborium A canopy or covering supported by columns, freestanding in the sanctuary, that covers the altar More images...	Clerestory An upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church More images...	Clerestory An upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. More images...
Column An architectural support that may form part of a colonnade More images...	Confession A cabinet-like unit in a church used for conducting confession More images...	Crossing The junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church More images...	Crypt A stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a church usually used as a chapel or burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics More images...
Effigy A representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture More images...	Fan vault A form of vault used in the Perpendicular Gothic style, in which the ribs are all of the same curve and spaced equidistantly, in a manner resembling a fan. More images...	High altar The main altar of a church	Keystone A piece at the crown of a vault or arch which marks its apex, locking the other pieces into position. More images...
Labyrinth A single Eulerian path to the center sometimes laid on the floor of a large church More images...	Nave The central approach to the high altar More images...	Organ A major musical instrument in a church usually placed above entrance on the west side More images...	Parapet A wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof or structure
Pinacle An architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations More images...	Processional poles A long stick, often decorated at the top with statues of saints, used for carrying in religious processions. More images...	Pulpit A small elevated platform from which a member of the clergy delivers a sermon More images...	Pulpit altar A pulpit centrally located in the same position as the main altar More images...
Rood screen An ornate screen, constructed of wood, stone or wrought iron used for diving the chancel from the nave More images...	Rose window A circular window especially used in Gothic churches and divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery More images...	Sedilia The seats (often) on the south side of the chancel near the altar for the use of the officiating priests More images...	Side altar Secondary altars of a church
Solomonic column A helical column, characterized by a spiraling twisting shaft like a corkscrew. More images...	Stained glass window A window decorated with coloured glass More images...	Tabernacle A portable dwelling place for the divine presence More images...	en:TranseptTransept The area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building More images...
Triforium A shallow gallery of arches within the thickness of inner wall, which stands above the nave More images...	Vault An arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof More images...	Window An opening in a wall that allows the passage of light More images...

Church architectural elements

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

[edit] Exteria

[edit] Interia

Views

Personal tools

Search

Navigation

Participate

Toolbox