medieval art history

aisle

Open area of a church parallel to the nave and separated from it by columns orpiers.

altar

In the Roman Church, a table at which the celebration of the Eucharist takes place. It is placed in the most prominent place in the church, usually at the east end, in the choir or sanctuary, facing the main entrance to the church.

ambulatory

A semicircular or polygonal aisle. Usually an ambulatory leads around the east end of the choir; separating the choir from apses or chapels.

applied/engaged column

A column which is attached to a wall so that only half of the form projects from the wall.

apse

A vaulted extension or projection, usually from a choir or chapel andgenerally circular or polygonal in shape.

arcade

A series of arches supported by columns or piers.

archivolts

Bands or mouldings (moldings, Am.) surrrounding an arched opening.

barrel/tunnel vault

The simplest form of a vault, consisting of acontinuous surface of semicircular or pointed sections. It resembles a barrel or tunnelwhich has been cut in half lengthwise.

bas-relief/low-relief

Sculpture in which the carved forms project onlyslightly from the background.

battlement/crenellation

A parapet with alternating openings(embrasures) and raised sections (merlons), used here on castle towers for defensepurposes.

bay

A unit of interior space in a building, marked off by architectural divisions.

blind arcade

A row of decorative arches applied to a wall.

boss

A projecting stone at the intersection of the ribs of a vault, often the keystoneand frequently carved.

centrally planned building

A building in which the sides are of equallength and in which the main space is symmetrical when bisected laterally andlongitudinally. A centrally-planned building may be square, circular, or polygonal.The most important feature of a centrally-planned building is the open space at thecenter of the building, developed around a vertical axis.

choir

The area of the church between a transept and main apse. It is the area wherethe service is sung and clergy may stand, and the main or high altar is located. Insome churches there is no choir, while in others, the choir is quite large andsurrounded by an ambulatory.

clerestory

An upper story of a building with windows above adjacent roofs.

cloister

Part of a monastery; a quadrangle surrounded by covered passages. Itconnects the domestic parts of the monastery with the church. Usually located on thesouth side of the church.

colonnade

A row of columns which support horizontal members, called anarchitrave, rather than arches.

composite pier

Atype of pier that is composed not of a single member but hasshafts, half-columns, or pilaster strips attached to it.

cross section

A diagram showing a building as if it had been cut at right anglesto the ground plan.

crossing

Area of a church where the at nave, choir, and transept intersect.

diagonal ribs

The moldings which mark the diagonals in a rib vault.

diaper

A pattern formed by small, repeated geometrical motifs set adjacent to oneanother, used to decorate stone surfaces in architecture and as a background toilluminations in manuscripts, wall painting or panel painting.

donjon/keep

A freestanding defense tower in a castle complex.

drum

A cylindrical wall which supports a dome.

fan vault

A vault which consists of fan-shaped half cones which usually meet atthe center of a vault.

figurated/historiated capital

A capital which is decorated with figures ofanimals, birds, or humans, used either alone or combined with foliage. The figuresneed not have any meaning, although they may be symbolic or part of a narrative

sequence. Historiated capitals were most commonly used in the Romanesque from thelate eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries.

finnial

An ornament at the tip of a pinnacle, spire or other tapering verticalarchitectural element.

gallery/tribune

An upper story over theaisle which opens onto the nave orchoir. It corresponds in length and width to the dimensions of the aisle below it.

groin vault

A vault produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel(tunnel) vaults. Sometimes the arches of groin vaults may be pointed instead of round.

jamb

A vertical element of a doorway or window frame.

keystone

The voussoir at the top of an arch; in vaulting it occurs at theintersection of the ribs of a rib vault. It is important structurally since it marks theapex of the vault.

lintel

A flat horizontal beam which spans the space between two supports.

mandorla

An almond-shaped motif in which Christ sits; sometimes used also forthe Virgin.

narthex

low projection at the western end of a church, like a porch. Althoughnarthex is sometimes used synonymously with westwork, a narthex is usually moreopen and often has only one story in contrast to the more closed westwork with a largeopen chamber on the upper level.

nave

The central longitudinal space of a bascilican church. It is usually flanked onits lond sides by aislas which are separated from the nave by columns or piers. Inmany churches, the lay congregation stand in the nave to attend religious services.

pier

An upright support, generally square, rectangular, or composite. In medievalarchitecture there are massive circular supports called drum piers.

pilaster

A true pilaster is a rectangular element of vertical masonry which projectsonly slightly from the wall and has both a capital and a base.

quatrefoil

An ornamental form which has four lobes or foils. It may resemble afour-petaled flower.

rose window

A circular window composed of patterned tracery arranged inpetal-like formation.

shaft

The structural member which serves as the main support of a column or pier.The shaft is between the capital and the base.

spandrel

The roughly triangular wall space between two adjacent arches.

transept

A rectangular area which cuts across the main axis of a basilica-typebuilding and projects beyond it. The transept gives a basilica the shape of a Latincross and usually serves to separate the main area of the building from an apse at theend.

transverse arch

Supporting arch which runs across the vault from side to side,dividing the bays. it usually projects down from the surface of the vault.

transverse rib

The projecting bands which mark the transverse arches of a ribvault.

triforium

A narrow passage in the thickness of thewall with arches opening onto the nave. It may occur at the level of the clerestorywindows, or it may be located as a separate level below the clerestory. It may itselfhave an outer wall of glass rather than stone.

trumeau

Vertical architectural member between the leaves of a doorway.Trumeaus were often highly decorated.

tympanum

(plural, tympana): The basically semicircular area enclosed by thearch above the lintel of an arched entranceway. This area is often decorated withsculpture in the Romanesque and Gothic periods.

voussoir

One of the wedge-shaped stones used in constructing an arch.

westwork

(from German Westwerk): An entrance area at the west end of a churchwith upper chamber and usually with a tower or towers. It is normally broader thanthe width of the nave and aisles. Westwork is sometimes used synonymously withnarthex.