Church floorplan/ architecture

Aisle

The lateral space running parallel to the nave, allowing movement and access to chapels or altars without disturbing the main area.

Nave

The central part of a church or cathedral, extending from the entrance to the choir, usually flanked by aisles.

Buttress

A structure built against a wall to provide support, often seen in Gothic cathedrals to counteract lateral forces.

Piers

Vertical supports that can take the form of columns, often wider and more substantial, supporting arches and vaults.

Pointed Arch

An arch with a pointed top, a defining characteristic of Gothic architecture, allowing for taller structures and more light.

Triforium

A shallow gallery located above the nave and below the clerestory, often decorated with arcades of arches.

Pinnacle

A decorative element typically placed on top of a flying buttress or spire, serving both an aesthetic purpose and helping to stabilize the structure.

Flying Buttress

A support structure that transfers the weight of the roof and upper walls away from the main building and onto a separate support.

Clerestory

A row of windows located high in the nave, above the triforium, allowing natural light into the church interior.

Ribbed Vaulting

A structural element in Gothic architecture consisting of intersecting arch forms that create a framework for the ceiling.