Glossary of Church Archictectural Terms
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The purpose of this page is to provide a glossary of terms — commonly, not-so-commonly, and sometimes incorrectly used — concerning church architecture and furnishings. The topic is vast and this glossary provides the merest glimpse into it; its content will focus on churches within the western or catholic Christian tradition and, to some extent, on the protestant churches within the catholic tradition. For a brief discussion of the origin and development of church architecture please refer to Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.
ABACUS The masonry block or slab fitted atop a capital, and situated between the capital and whatever architectural member lies above. Also known as an impost block. See diagram.
AISLE In architectural terms, aisle refers to the two parts of the main body of a basilica, which flank the nave, and which are located between the collonade or arcade and the outer wall of the building. In common modern usage aisle refers to the open space between any two ranks of pews, and therefore to the central west-east passageway through the nave.
ALTAR The altar is the holiest part of a church. In early Judaism (and its pagan antecedents) the altar was an outdoor fixture, a raised stone platform whereon sacrificial animals were burned as offerings to the Lord. We know from the Eucharistic frescoes of the catacombs in Rome that the earliest Christian altars were made of wood, and were identical in form with ordinary tables used in houses. Later on, when permanent church buildings became more widespread, the altar became a fixed item of furniture, either of stone or of wood, and more often than not set upon a raised step or platform. Following the Reformation the stone altars became rarer, sometimes housing an altar stone. Following the Reformation, in some Protestant churches wooden communion tables replaced the altar entirely. In other — mostly non-conformist — Protestant churches the communion rail may sometimes be referred to as the altar.
ALTARPIECE A framed painting or fresco of some sacred subject positioned behind an altar , or a group of statuary on an altar; also sometimes called a reredos. In the high middle ages Roman Catholic altarpieces often were taken to extremes of extravagance with the use of precious metals, enamelling, and gemstones.
ALTAR SCREEN See: Reredos .
ALTAR STONE The altar stone was a slab of carved stone, hollowed out to contain a relic or the Host and chalice, and consecrated by a bishop. These were used commonly in the early Christian period when church buildings were not yet extant and the altar stone could be brought into any room or place to be used for a worship service. Later on, when permanent church buildings became more widespread and the altar became a fixed item of furniture, altar stones were sometimes housed within a larger permanent altar.
APSE An apse is an alcove behind the altar, sometimes half-round as in ancient practice, sometimes square, but in both cases usually vaulted. This architectural feature is an inheritance from ancient times, when church buildings were often reused Roman public buildings that had such an alcove, or new buildings designed on the same basic model. See: basilica.
AMBO There is some dissension concerning the meaning of the word ambo, in the form of an argument between the "ambo-is-a-pulpit" camp and the "ambo-is-not-a-pulpit" camp. Ambo derives from a Hellenic Greek root word meaning "rim or ridge" which in modern Greek means "pulpit"; it does not derive from the Latin ambo meaning "both". In ecclesiastical usage ambo signifies the high place and is therefore effectively synonymous with the Latin root word for pulpit. The ambo originates with the bima (book stand or lectern) from which the Torah was read in the synagogue (in Yiddish it is called "shtender"), and is echoed in form by the minbar (pulpit) of the Muslim mosque. In all of these cases — ambo, pulpit, lectern, bima, shtender and minbar — the item in question is a speaker's stand. In churches built with a lecture-hall floor plan, there is generally one speaker's stand positioned in the centre at the front of the church and it is often known as the ambo, sometimes as the pulpit, from which both the lessons and the Gospels are read, and from which the sermon is delivered. See also: pulpit and lectern.
AMBULATORY The ambulatory is a covered passage behind the altar, linking it with chapels at the east end of the church. See: Chevet.
Anatomy of an Arch |
AMBRY / AUMBRY The ambry /aumbry is a niche in the interior of the chancel wall in large church, and is used for storing various articles used in the worship service. ANGLO-SAXON The Anglo-Saxon style of church architecture, churches built during the early years of the Dark Ages, had two basic styles. In the south, the Roman model had been introduced into Kent by St.Augustine, and was built with chambers on one or both sides of an aisle-less nave, and an apsidal chancel. In the north the influence of Celtic monasticism produced the simple design of a high nave with a rectangular chancel and no side chambers. In both cases Anglo-Saxon church windows were normally small and narrow, with half-round or triangular heads. The Anglo-Saxon church tower is a feature developed by the Saxons for the purpose of providing lookout posts and refuges during the Danish invasions, then retained as a tradition in church architecture. The Church of St. Laurence at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire is a good example of a church built in the Anglo-Saxon style. ARCADE A row of connected arches. ARCH An arch is a curved structural feature used to span an opening or recess in a wall, or the distance between two columns or piers. The wedge shaped blocks that make the arch keep one another in place and transform the vertical pressure caused by the weight of the structure above into lateral pressure within the wall or arcade. Arches come in a variety of styles: Roman, Gothic, and Moorish, to name only the most common. Other than its style, an arch is described in terms of the size of its rise and span. The principal parts of an arch are the keystone, the soffits, the springers, and the voussoirs. Some important related architectural elements of the arch are the arcade, the spandrel, and the tympanum. Arches may be blind, that is, an arch applied to a wall as a reinforcement or decoration, but not supporting an actual opening in the wall; intersecting, that is, crossing over each other so that one arch would span the first and third columns while the next arch spans the second and fourth columns; and relieving, that is, a larger arch enclosing a smaller arch for the purpose of reinforcing it. See diagram. ARCHIVOLT A band or moulding that surrrounds an arch. See diagram. |
BACKSTEINGOTIK = "baked stone" (brick) Gothic. See: Brick Gothic.
BALDACHINO A baldachino is a heavy canopy built over the altar — St Peter's in Rome provides a good example.
BAPTISTRY / BAPTISTERY Originally a separate building, later a room, alcove or area within the narthex or in another area adjacent to, but not part of, the nave, the baptistry contained the tank in which persons were immersed to be baptized, or the font from which the water for baptism was taken.
BAROQUE The final and extremely ornate stage in the evolution of the Renaissance style of church architecture. There are many regional variations of this style.
BARREL One of the elements which together may comprise the shaft of a column.
BARREL VAULT The barrel, tunnel, or Roman vault is the simplest form of a vault, consisting of continuous semicircular sections, and resembling half section of a pipe cut lengthwise.
BASE An modestly carved element fitted upon which a column, pier, or pillaster is supported. diagram.
Traditional Basilica Floor Plan |
BASILICA In pre-Christian Roman history a basilica was a large roofed public hall used for the transaction of business or legal affairs. Such buildings generally were supported by interior colonnades which divided the hall into aisles or arcades to one or both sides of the central hall, and had an apse at one or both ends fitted with a raised dais whereon the magistrates sat. The central aisle was wider and higher than the side aisles, and was lighted by sunlight coming through the clerestory windows. This is a general plan of architecture inherited by both the Latin and Greek churches as the Romanesque style, and forms the basis for the evolution of church architecture. BAY A bay is a vertical division of east-west axis of the church, usually marked by vertical shafts or supporting columns. BELL TOWER / BELFRY The bell tower is the tower where the church bells are installed (the bell chamber) and worked (the ringing chamber). The tower can be either attached to, or separate from the church building proper. It is sometimes called a campanile. See also Anglo-Saxon and the illustration. |
BOSS In Gothic architecture a boss or ceiling boss is a knob, often richly decorated or painted, projecting from the ceiling of a church where a group of supporting roof arches meet.
BRICK GOTHIC The Brick Gothic style of church architecture (called Backsteingotik in Germany and Poland) began in northern Germany, Scandinavia and northern Poland in areas where native stone was unavailable or unaffordable. It is a simplified or reduced style of Gothic architecture in which the buildings are built more or less using only bricks. Roskilde Domkirke in Denmark is a good early example of a cathedral built in the Brick Gothic style — it is, in fact, the exemplar which popularized the style. The churches at Nordrup and Uvelse, also in Denmark, provide fine examples of smaller churches in brick Gothic with other, differing stylistic influences. The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gdansk is the largest brick church in the world, and among the largest Brick Gothic buildings in Europe.
BUTTRESS A buttress is a projecting support or reinforcement built against a wall or tower. In Gothic church architecture the buttress was used extensively to support the lighter wall and columns used in this style. See also: Flying Buttress & and the illustration of the church tower.
CALVARY A shrine, carved in wood or stone, placed in a church or at a roadside — often at a crossroads — representing Christ upon the Cross of Crucifiction, or sometimes just the empty Cross of Crucifiction.
CAMPANILE The Italian word bor a bell tower, often borrowed into English usage.
CAPITAL An ornately carved element fitted atop a column, pier, or pillaster. See diagram.
CATHEDRA The cathedra is the bishop's throne within his cathedral. Located in the chancel, it is often centered behind the high altar in the apse.
CATHEDRAL Despite growing misuse of the term, a cathedral is not just a large church. The term refers to the function of a particular church, not to its size or architectural style. A cathedral serves as the chief church and ecclesiastical headquarters within the diocese of a bishop.
CHANCEL Within the historical church floor plan, the chancel is the front (eastern) part of the church, reserved to the clergy and those layman assisting in the conduct of the service. The chancel is usually elevated (traditionally three steps)above the nave. In lecture-hall-plan churches the sanctuary often includes both chancel and nave. In the historic floor plan chancel and sanctuary are often synonymous.
CHANCEL ARCH The chancel arch separates the chancel from the nave or crossing. See also: Rood Arch.
CHANCEL SCREEN The chancel screen divides the chancel and the nave or crossing. See also: Rood Screen.
CHANTRY A chantry is a small chapel originally used as a place where masses or prayers would be said for the soul of the rich person who had pre-paid the clergy to do so.
CHAPEL A chapel can be a separate church building rather smaller or less important than a parish church, a separately dedicated alcove with an altar within a large church or cathedral, or a room reserved for worship within a non-church building such as a hospital or private house. Regardless, chapels have the same role and functions as church buildings and are furnished in the same manner. Chapels are usually dedicated to special use, such as a memorial, regimental or guild chapel within a prominent church, or as in Roman Catholic cathedrals where there are commonly found votive chapels to specific saints. In monasteries there were often chapels reserved to specific users (visitors, women) or uses (chantry, mortuary). Historically, when a church was rebuilt in a larger and grander manner, the older building was often incorporated into the new and retained as a separate chapel. In Britain chapel may also be used by Anglicans to refer to a Roman Catholic or non-conformist church. See also: Free Chapel.
CHAPEL-OF-EASE A place of Christian worship, subordinate to or dependent on and distant from a parish church, provided for the convenience of parishioners who might not otherwise be able, by reason of distance, to attend divine service. Another use of such chapels was to provide ease to the church authorities, rather than to the parishioners, by providing a place in which to rusticate overly liberal clergymen without the scandal or strife of expelling them from communion with the wider church, and the consequent risk of them forming splinter sects. See: Chapel; see also, as an example, the Guyhirn Chapel of Ease.
CHAPTER HOUSE The chapter house is a special room or building where the governing body of a monastery or cathedral meet. The typical British chapter house is polygonal in plan with a central column supporting the roof.
CHEVET This is a style of construction creating an ambulatory and radiating chapels at the chancel arm of a church.
CHOIR The architectural choir is the area of the chancel in which the human choir (quire) sits/stands, and where services are sung. More generally, choir can mean the entire eastern arm of a church.
CLASSICAL The Classical or Neo-Classical styles of church architecture are characterized by adherence to the forms and ratios of classical Graeco-Roman architectural. St Martins-in-the-Fields, London is a good example of a major church built in the Neo-Classical style.
CLERESTORY The clerestory is a feature of the ancient Roman basilica inherited by church architecture, an upper story of a church where the walls rise above the aisle roof, with numerous window openings allowing extra light into the interior of the church.
COLUMN A vertical cylindrical support. Columns are usually structural but may be solely decorative. A column is composed of shaft or barrel fitted atop a base, and crowned by a capital. See diagram.
COMMUNION RAIL The communion rail is a railing at which communicants kneel to receive Holy Communion, and which in historical-plan churches separates either the apse from the remainder of the chancel, or chancel from the nave; or which in lecture-hall-plan churches separates the chancel or stage from the nave.
CONFESSIO The word confessio, was used originally to designate the burial place of a confessor or martyr of the faith, a place which was also known as a memoria or martyrion. Confessio came to have a variety of applications as an architectural term; it described: an altar erected over the grave, a crypt which contained the tomb, the high altar of the basilica erected over the confessio, and later on in the Middle Ages it was used as a descriptor for the basilica itself. In general usage the confessio is a niche for relics; it is located near the altar.
CONFESSIONAL In the Roman Catholic tradition, a paired booth within the nave, in which the parishioner and the priest sit privately and separately to make and hear confession.
CREEDENCE A creedence is a table, niche, or shelf located within the chancel and used for holding the elements of the Eucharist prior to consecration.
 Traditional Greek Church Floor Plan 
Traditional Latin Cruciform Church Floor Plan |
CROSSING The crossing is the area where the nave and transepts meet. CRUCIFORM PLAN A cruciform plan church is one which, when viewed in plan, has the appearance of a cross. Greek Orthodox churches most commonly take the form of a Greek cross — with all arms of equal length, while Latin-tradition cruciform churches most commonly use the form of the Latin cross — with the nave located in the long arm of the cross. At the Emperor Contantine's command the first cruciform churches were built at Rome and at Constantinople as basilicas with a transept. CRYPT That portion of the church undercroft, or the cellar level below the undercroft, used for the burial of the dead above ground. Also, a vaulted chamber beneath the chancel, made to house graves and relics of saints, often made very large to accommodate lucrative pilgrim traffic. DECORATED The Decorated style of church architecture is an early (circa 1250-1350) style of English Gothic architecture, developed from the Early English style and is analogous to the French Gothic Flamboyant style; it is characterized by the increased use of decoration. Exeter Cathedral is an excellent example of a cathedral built in the Decorated style. EARLY ENGLISH The Early English style of church architecture is the first stage (13th century) of the development of English Gothic architecture, following the Norman and Romanesque styles and predating the Perpendicular style; it is characterized by narrow pointed windows and pointed arches. Salisbury Cathedral is an excellent example of a cathedral built in the Early English style. ECCLESIA Among the many decorative features commonly found within Christian churches are symbols or allegories representing various persons or concepts. In earlier eras, the victorious Christian church was allegorized and personified as Ecclesia, a female figure crowned and holding a chalice to represent the kingship and sacrifice of Christ, our communion with him, and Christianity's victory over Judaism. Ecclesia was usually depicted in company with Synagoga. |
ENGAGED COLUMN A column which is built into the masonry of a wall, with about half of the diameter of the column projecting. Also known as an applied column. See diagram.
EVANGELISTS Among the many decorative features commonly found within Christian churches are symbols or allegories representing various persons or concepts. The four evangelist apostles, Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are often represented as an angel, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. See also Ecclesia and Synagoga.
FAN VAULT This is a complex and ornate type of vault consisting of fan-shaped half cones which meet at the centre of a vault.
FINIAL A finial is an ornamental top of a canopy, gable or church tower, often resembling a small spire.
FENESTELLA The fenestella is a niche in the chancel wall holding the piscina and possibly the creedence.
FONT A sacramental basin holding water for Holy Baptism, and mounted on a pedestal of wood or stone. See: Baptistry.
FLAMBOYANT The Flamboyant style of church architecture is a later style of French Gothic architecture, and is analogous to the English Gothic Decorated style; it is characterized by an increased use of decoration.
FLYING BUTTRESS A flying buttress is a buttress built from a separate column and usually forming an arch with the wall it supports. See also the illustration of the church tower.
FREE CHAPEL In English ecclesiastical law, a chapel founded by the authority of the Crown and not subject to the jurisdiction of the bishop.
GALILEE A porch at the western end of the nave used as a chapel for women or penitents. Sometimes Galilee refers to the entire western end of the nave. Compare: Narthex.
GARGOYLE A grotesque decoration on or in a church, or a water-spout for draining a church roof, in all cases carved into the shape of a demon, monster or human caricature. Also known as a grotesque.
GOTHIC The Gothic style of church architecture was prevalent in Western Europe in the 12th-16th centuries, succeeded by Renaissance architecture beginning in the 15th century, and revived beginning in England in the mid-18th century. The succession of changes in French Gothic architecture are sometimes designated "Early Gothic", "High Gothic", "Rayonnant", and "Late Gothic" or "Flamboyant". These divisions are not necessarily useful because Gothic cathedrals were built over several successive and overlapping periods, sometimes over centuries, with consequent changes in patron, architect, and whim. As a consequence it is often difficult if not impossible to declare one building as a member of one or another era of Gothic architecture. The designation of styles in English Gothic architecture follows the conventions given in the 18th century: "Early English", "Decorated" and "Perpendicular". Various revivals of the style have been popular, including the well-known Victorian Gothic.
Gothic architecture is characterized by soaring vertical lines within a structure built with an almost skeletal stone frame composed of cluster columns, flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, and pointed arches. Gothic buildings featured great expanses of stained-glass windows that admitted much more light than possible with older styles, sharply pointed spires, and intensive sculptural detail. To achieve this light verticality, flying buttresses were used to support the lighter walls, higher ceilings and slimmer columns. Amiens Cathedral is a stunning example of French Gothic architecture.
GOTHIC ARCH This is the classic pointed arch of European architecture. See diagram.
GREEK-CROSS PLAN See: Cruciform Plan.
GROIN VAULT A simple vault produced at the right angle intersection of two barrel vaults. The arches of groin vaults are normally round but may be pointed.
GROTESQUE See Gargoyle
HIGH ALTAR A cathedral or a large church may have several altars. The high altar is the main altar within the chancel. Other altars may be located elsewhere within the church, whether or not within separate chapels.
HIGH CROSS The High Cross is an inheritance from Dark Ages and medieval Christianity, at which time it was not part of a church building, but marked an outdoor venue for worship, a necessity when Christianity was young and there were few parish or village churches. In lieu of a church building, carved crosses were erected at sites where itinerant monks or priests could preach to the people. Often these crosses were erected at sites already regarded as sacred in pagan worship. Later, after Christianity had taken firm hold in the land, churches were built at the same spots.
The tallest High Cross in Britain is in the churchyard at Gosforth, Cumbria, another good example
can be seen at Ilkley, West Yorkshire.
Typical Chancel Layout - Historical-plan Church |
HISTORICAL FLOOR PLAN In the historical floor plan the congregation either stands or sits in straight rows of pews/benches within the nave and facing the chancel. As viewed by an observer seated among the congregants, there are two speaker’s stands, one on either side of the chancel, the pulpit on the side of the church sometimes called the "Gospel side", and the lectern on the side of the church sometimes known as the "epistle side". If a communion table is used it stands centered behind and between the pulpit and the lectern and in front of the altar, and it is fronted or surrounded by a communion rail. If a communion table is not used the communion rail separates the apse and the altar from the remainder of the chancel. The (human) choir may be located to one or both sides of the chancel, or behind the congregation in a gallery, but is most often not located in the direct sight of the congregation. The historical floor plan has seen many variations including, in some modern churches a semi-circular nave half surrounds the chancel which otherwise follows the historical plan. HORSESHOE ARCH See Moorish Arch. ICONOSTASIS In the Orthodox Church, a screen bearing arrayed icons and separating the nave from the chancel. See: Rood Screen. IMPOST BLOCK See abacus. KEYSTONE The topmost and central voussoir of an arch. See diagram. KNEELER In traditions where it is customary to kneel for prayer, there is generally a narrow padded bar at the base of pew in front of you, which is stowed to make ingress and egress easier, but can be hinged down or pulled out for kneeling by all of the persons seated in that pew. See also: Prie-Dieu. |
LATIN-CROSS PLAN See: Cruciform Plan.
LECTERN Churches with the historical floor plan have two speaker’s stands in the chancel. Viewed from the nave, the one the left is the lectern, at least this is so in the Lutheran tradition, in the Anglican tradition the lectern is on the right side of the chancel. The word lectern comes from the Old French lectrun, meaning a reading or singing desk, and originates with the bima (Hebrew, in Yiddish, "shtender" = "book stand") from which the Torah was read in synagogue. The lectern generally holds a large Bible and is used by lay readers for the Old Testament and epistle lessons, and, in some traditions, the Gospels.
In the Anglican tradition the lectern is often fashioned of brass in the shape of an eagle, representing Saint John the Apostle. See also: Ambo & pulpit.
Typical Sanctuary Layout |
LECTURE-HALL FLOOR PLAN In the lecture-hall floor plan the congregation sits in straight or curved rows of pews within the nave and facing the chancel. As viewed by an observer seated among the congregants, there is one ambo or speaker’s stand, centered in the front of the church and is used by all persons involved in the conduct of the service. In most cases there is a communion rail between the nave and the chancel. In some churches this rail is referred to as the altar. If a communion table is used it is located between the communion rail and the ambo. In some traditions the (human) choir is seated behind the ambo, facing and in full view of the congregation. The placement of the choir behind the ambo is part of the tradition of church-as-theatre most commonly found within the charismatic branches of some denominations. It is severely frowned upon by more traditional branches of the same denominations, who view such placement as a "public performance" and prefer to place their choirs out of sight, often in a gallery at the rear of the church. LIERNE See rib vault LINTEL A flat horizontal member which spans the space between two columns or other supports. See diagram. LONGITUDINAL RIDGE RIB See rib vault LYCH ( LICH ) GATE The lych gate is a roofed gate in the churchyard wall, under which the coffin is set down to await the clergyman. |
MARTYRION See: Confessio.
MEMORIA See: Confessio.
MISERICORD From the Latin misericordia = "mercy". A hinged bracket within the choir stall providing a support for the clergy during long church services.
MISSION STYLE The Mission or Spanish Colonial style of church architecture is form utilized by Spanish missionaries throughout the former Spanish Empire in the Americas. It is Romanesque in form and often built largely in adobe, with extensive use of smooth stucco wall finishes, and low-pitched teracotta tile or flat roofs. Mission churches were monastic in function, often serving not only as a church and mission residence, but also as a mission school and as a centre of Spanish colonial power. A revival of the style occurred in the USA circa 1915-1930. The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas is probably the most famous example of a church built in the Mission style.
MOORISH ARCH This style of arch is a Moorish or Islamic variation of the Roman arch. It too is semi-circular in shape, but closes in more at the bottom of the arch to form its distinctive and elegant horseshoe shape.
Elaborated Latin Cruciform Church Floor Plan |
NARTHEX In general usage narthex is the historical term for the entry at the western end of a church building, an exterior or interior porch giving entrance to, but not part of, the nave. Thus, while the narthex was a part of the church building, it was not considered to be part of the church proper. If inside the church it was separated from the nave by a screen or rail, the purpose of which was to allow persons inelligible for admittance to the church proper (women, catechumens, penitents, etcetera) to hear divine service. In some traditions the narthex contains the baptistry or baptismal font so that the unbaptized might partake of that sacrament before entering the nave, and that all congregants might be reminded of their baptism before gathering to worship. In other traditions the narthex is a women's, children's or strangers' porch or gallery. See: westwork. NAVE The area of the church, located between the narthex and the chancel, and flanked by the aisles, where the congregants gather for worship. |
NET VAULT A net vault is a type of vault with a complex system of supporting ribs which has the appearancea of a net. See diagram
NORMAN The Norman style of church architecture is the English version of the Romanesque style, developed by the Normans and employed in England following 1066; it is characterized by rounded arches and heavy pillars. The Priory Church of St. Peter at Dunstable, England is a good example of a priory church built in the Norman style. See also this discussion of "Anglo-Norman" church architecture.
ORATORY / ORATORIUM An earlier name applied to buildings now known as "churches". In current Roman Catholic technical usage, an oratory is a structure, other than a parish church, set aside by the church for prayer and for the celebration of the mass. Many seem to have their origin from confessio chapels . In the Roman Catholic organization church oratories are classed as public — which must have an entrance and exit from a public road; semipublic — which although erected within a private building are intended for the use of a community; and private — which can be erected only by permission of the pope. There is no specific architectural form for an oratory.
ORIENTATION Traditionally, western Christian churches are oriented, that is to say they are built upon the ground in such a manner that the central axis of the building was aligned from west to east with the chancel located in the eastern end of the building. This positioned the congregation so that they were facing (at least nominally) towards Jerusalem during prayer, and thus followed the traditional Jewish practice. This practice was originally adopted by Islam when Mohammed enjoined his followers to bow towards Jerusalem as they prayed, a direction later changed to Mecca. The exigencies of the layout of modern towns has now made orientation problematic and the nominally "east wall" — the wall behind the altar — of many a church does not face towards the east.
PARISH / PAROCHIAL CHURCH The chief church of a parish, having its own clergyman assigned to it.
PERPENDICULAR The Perpendicular style of church architecture is an English variation of Gothic architecture popularized in the 14th-15th centuries, and characterized by vertical tracery in large windows with regular horizontal divisions resulting in rows of panels. King's College Chapel, Cambridge University is an excellent example of a church built in the Perpendicular style.
PEW The early Christians stood for worship, and that is still the case in many eastern churches, and in many of the more ancient churches in Europe. However, even in the earliest congregations allowance was made for the aged and the infirm to sit. With the appearance of permanent church buildings this allowance evolved into the practice of providing benches for those who could not stand throughout the lengthy service. In late medieval Europe, as the service grew more elaborate and lengthy, benches, then backed benches or pews were introduced in order to boost attendance. The use of the pews was continued by almost all Protestant traditions, and has been adopted by many Orthodox churches.
PIER A vertical support, similar in function and design to the column, but generally square or rectangular in cross section. Certain massive circular piers used in medieval architecture are referred to as drum piers. Piers were more likely to be constructed of courses of masonry, rather than of single stones or a series of barrels. Compare Column.
PILLASTER A masonry support aping the form of an engaged column, but which is actually part the masonry of a wall, with about half of its cross section projecting. Compare Column.
PISCINA The piscina is a is a basin located in the fenestella and used for carrying away the water used for rinsing the chalice. The drain of the piscina leads directly into a sump within the earth beneath or beside the church, or into a container which is then emptied onto the earth. In no case may the drain connect to any part of a sewer system.
PRIE-DIEU The prie-dieu is a prayer desk which provides a place for a single person to kneel at prayer. The prie-dieu is fitted with a canted top board upon which the forearms might be rested while at prayer, a small bookshelf below the canted top board, and a kneeler. In traditions where it is usual to kneel at prayer prie-dieus might be positioned in the chancel, for the use of the clergyman and the lay reader.
PRAYER DESK See: Prie-Dieu
PULPIT Churches with the historical floor plan have two speaker’s stands in the chancel. Viewed from the nave, the one the right is the pulpit, at least this is so in the Lutheran tradition, in the Anglican tradition the pulpit is on the left side of the chancel. The pulpit originates with the bima (Hebrew, in Yiddish, "shtender" = "book stand") from which the Torah was read in synagogue. The word itself, pulpit, comes from the Latin pulpitum and means "platfrom" or "stage". The pulpit generally holds a large Bible and is used by the clergy for the reading of the Gospels and the delivery of the sermon. It may have a small flat canopy, the tester, installed above it. See also: Ambo & Lecture-hall floor plan.
RENAISSANCE The Renaissance style of church architecture began in 15th-century Florence as a monumental expression of the Humanist movement. It expressed a renewed emphasis on rational clarity of design arranged in simple mathematical proportions that was a conscious revival of classical Roman architecture. The style is characterized by classical columns, geometrical designs and hemispherical domes, standing in sharp contrast to the Gothic style, simply columns and symmetry as opposed to the stone work and irregular gabled facades which preceded the new style. In Italy, there are four recognizable phases of the Renaissance style: Early Renaissance, High Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque. In other countries these divisions are often clouded by regional exigencies. St Paul's Cathedral in London is an excellent example of an English cathedral built in the Renaissance style. Moscow's Cathedral of the Dormition and Munich's Michaelskirche represent some of the extreme regional variations of the style.
REREDOS A highly carved and painted wall or screen positioned behind an altar; sometimes called an altarpiece. Compare to the iconostasis in the Orthodox rite.
RETABLE A retable is a ledge on the wall behind, or a ledge attached to, the high altar, and used for the placement of ornaments.
RETRO-CHOIR The retro-choir is the area of the apse located immediately behind the high altar.
Major Elements of a Rib Vault |
RIB VAULT A type of vault with a relatively thin structure, set within and supported by a framework of arches known as ribs. The major supporting elements (arches) of a rib vault are:
RIDGE RIB See rib vault RISE The vertical distance between the springline and the keystone of an arch, or between the springline and boss of a vault. See diagram. ROMAN ARCH The earliest and simplest form of arch, describing a semi-circle curve. ROMANESQUE The Romanesque style of church architecture was the first international style of architecture to come about after the fall of the Roman Empire, and became prevalent in Europe circa 1050-1200. The Romanesque style was based on the basilica form, and the cruciform basilica, but incorporated a nave higher than the side aisles . The preferred medium of construction was stone masonry — wooden structural elements were rejected and the Roman craft of concrete had been lost by this time. Romanesque construction is characterized by massive vaulting and round arches dividing the nave into bays. Painted and carved decoration was applied in an attempt to make the interiors seem lighter. The English version of the Romanesque style is usually termed "Norman". The Duoma Modena in Modena, Italy is an fine example of a cathedral built in the Romanesque style. |
ROMAN VAULT See Barrel Vault.
ROOD The rood is an ornate Cross erected at the entry to the chancel. Roods often incorporated a Crucifiction scene with figures of the Virgin Mary on one side and St. John on the other. In post-Reformation England, the ornate rood scenes were condemned as idolatrous and effaced in a conscious effort to uproot the Roman cult of the Virgin Mary. It was often replaced with the Royal Arms in a visible reminder that the Crown, not the pope, was now the head of the Church of England.
ROOD ARCH The rood arch is the arch at the point separating the nave from the chancel. See also: Chancel Arch.
ROOD LOFT The rood loft is the gallery upon which the rood is supported.
ROOD SCREEN The rood screen is an ornate screen built beneath the rood loft. See also: Chancel Screen & Iconostasis.
SACRISTY The sacristy is the room or closet, usually located adjacent to the chancel, in which communion vessels, altar linens, and sacramental supplies are kept.
SANCTUARY The front or east end of the church from where the service is conducted; the chancel. The sanctuary is usually an elevated platform on which the altar stands, usually some number of steps above the floor of the nave. In churches with a lecture-hall floor plan, the term sanctuary is often used to mean both chancel and nave because the two are not architecturally separate.
The sanctuary is so-called both in ecclesiastical terms because it is ostensibly the house of God, and in secular legal terms because a fugitive from medieval justice could, upon entering the chancel, and so long as he remained within the precincts of the church, claim right of sanctuary from the civil authorities for a period of forty days, after which he must abjure the realm, surrender to the civil authorities, or flee once more. Contrary to modern works of fiction it was not necessary to cling to the altar cloth in order to claim and retain sanctuary.
SHAFT The vertical structural member which is the main support of a column or pier. The shaft is situated between the capital and the base and may be composed of one or more horizontal sections, but no more than one stone within any one horizontal section. Also known as a barrel. See diagram.
SHRINE A shrine is a building or a place that is dedicated to one particular type of devotion, or that is limited to commemorating an event or a person. Shrines may be located within a church building — often one that is built on the site of an historical event such as a martyrdom — or may be totally distinct from a church building.
SOFFIT The exposed underside of an architectural element, such as an arch, eave, moulding, etcetera. See diagram.
SPAN The horizontal distance between the pair of columns, piers, pillasters, etcetera, supporting an arch or vault.See diagram.
SPANDREL A spandrel is the more or less triangular area of wall situated between any two adjacent arches. See diagram.
SPANISH COLONIAL STYLE See: Mission Style.
Example Church Tower & Spire |
SPIRE The spire is the tapered conical or pyramidal structure atop a church tower. Spires come in an array of architectural styles. SPRINGER The bottommost pair of voussoirs, located directly above the springline. See diagram. SPRINGLINE The horizontal line below which the vertical support of an arch ends, and above which the sides of an arch or vault begin to curve inwards. See diagram. STAVE CHURCH The Stave style of church architecture was popular for the construction of mission churches in medieval Scandinavia beginning in the 10th century. The earliest examples are characterized by an all-wooden construction of vertical posts — an English example of this type of construction is Greensted Church, Essex, (founded circa 845) — a simple windowless nave constructed of vertical oak logs, tongue-and-grooved together without the use of nails. This relic is now enclosed within a modern brick exterior. In Norway, this simple method was developed much further, keeping the all-wood construction but often employing a post & beam frame and wondrously ornate woodwork. Further Information STALL Stalls are divisions within the choir, where clergy sits or stands during service. The stalls are often richly ornate and many of the more ancient are fitted with misericords to help the clergy stand more comfortably during services which were too long, too early, or both. STEEPLE The steeple is that portion of the tower which extends above the height of the church roof, and is usually surmounted by a spire. STAGE In certain western charismatic churches where worship is theatrical and the congregation functions largely as a paying audience, the chancel is enlarged to accommodate performances and referred to as a "stage", as in a theater. STOUP A feature of Roman Catholic churches, the stoup is a small basin or other container for Holy Water, located near the west door. A stoup may be either built into the wall or free-standing. |
SYNAGOGA Among the many decorative features commonly found within Christian churches are symbols or allegories representing various persons or concepts. In earlier eras, Judaism was allegorized and personified as Synagoga, a female figure blindfolded and holding the tablets of the laws given to Moses, representing Judaism's failure to accept the messiah, and Christianity's Old Testament inheritance. Other representations of Synagoga are pointedly antagonistic towards Judaism, depicting Synagoga as defeated and dejected, with broken tablets and/or a broken sceptre or staff, and a fallen crown. Synagoga was usually depicted in company with Ecclesia.
TESTER The tester is a small flat canopy installed above the pulpit in some churches.
TIERCERON See rib vault.
TRANSEPT The transept is the architectural feature that makes a church cruciform; it is nominally aligned north-south. The first cruciform churches were built at Rome and at Constantinople as basilicas with a transept. This floor plan both honoured the Christ and His Passion on the cross, and made extra space near the chancel to accommodate larger numbers of clergy as the simple rites of early Christianity became more elaborate with the new-found approval of the Emperor Constantine. See: Cruciform Plan.
TRAVERSE ARCH See rib vault
TRAVERSE RIB See rib vault
TRIFORIUM The triforium is a galleried arcade at the second floor level, even with the aisle roof, above the nave and below the clerestory. It is sometimes called a "blind-storey" as the triforium looks like a row of window frames but has no window openings.
TUNNEL VAULT See Barrel Vault.
TYMPANUM A tympanum is the triangular or semi-circular area of wall situated within the arc of an arched doorway above the lintel. Within the Romanesque and Gothic styles the tympanum was often richly decorated with sculpture. See diagram.
UNDERCROFT Undercroft is not a fancy term for the church cellar, it is an architectural term referring to ground floor of a fortified — or fortifiable — medieval stone building, such as a manor house or church. The entrance to the first floor of the building was on that floor by means of removable steps, and there was no communication between the first floor and the undercroft. Undercrofts were incorporated into Anglo-Saxon churches for the same reason that their church towers were originally built — to make the church more defensible should viking raiders suddenly show up. In ensuing centuries, what with the dearth of viking raiders, most undercrofts have disappeared into the landscape as the grade around the church building has been altered, making them, by default, into cellars — thus the habit of refrring to the church cellar as the undercroft. The crypt may be part of the undercroft or may be below it.
VAULT An arched roof or ceiling constructed of masonry on the same physical principles as an arch . Vaulrs mays be relatively simple, such as the barrel and groin vaults, or may be highly complex and ornate, such as the rib, net, and fan vaults. See diagram
VESTRY The vestry is the room, usually located adjacent to the chancel, in which the clergy and choir dress and the vestments are kept.
VOTIVE ALTAR An altar at the shrine of a saint, at which offerings are left as prayers or thanks for intercession. This practice is an inheritance from classical paganism where, for instance, a representation of an afflicted part of the body might be left as an offering imploring a cure. Such representations are still left at Orthodox shrines today.
VOUSSOIR Any one of the wedge shaped blocks used in building an arch. The topmost and central voussoir of an arch is known as the keystone. The bottommost pair of voussoirs are known as the springers. See diagram.
WESTWORK From the German westwerk, the westwork is an entrance area at the western end of church, usually composed of a ground floor entrance porch with an upper storey, and attached to a tower or flanked by a pair of towers. In many cases the westwork is wider in plan than the combined width of the nave and aisles. As an example see Roskilde Domkirke. Compare: narthex.