Parts of a Church

Apse

A semicircular or polygonal projection of a building with a semicircular dome, especially on the east end of a church.

Tribune

The bishop's throne, occupying a recess or apse in an early christian church.

Bema

A transverse open space separating the nave and the apse of an early christian church, developing into the transept of later cruciform churches.

Sanctuary

A sacred or holy place, as that part of a church in which the principal altar is placed.

Altar

The table in a Christian Church upon which the Eucharist, the sacrament celebrating Christ's last supper, is celebrated. Also called communion table

Baldachin

An ornamental canopy of stone or marble permanently placed over the altar in a church.

Nave

The principal or central part or church, extending from the narthex to the choir or chancel and usually flanked by aisles.

Aisles

Any of the longitudinal divisions of a church, separated from the nave by a row of columns or piers.

Narthex

The portico before the nave of an early Christian or Byzantine church, appropriated to penitents

Ambulatory

The covered walk of an atrium or cloister

Atrium

The forecourt of an early Christian church, flanked or surrounded by porticoes.

Basilica

An early christian church, characterized by a long, rectangular plan, a high colonnaded nave lit by a clerestory and covered by a timbered gable roof, two or four lower side aisles, a semicircular apse at the end, a narthex, and often features, such as an atrium, a bema, and small semicircular apses terminating the aisles.

Baptistery

A part of a church or a separate building in which baptism is administered.

Bema

The sanctuary space surrounding the altar of an eastern church.

Exedra

A large apsidal extension of the interior volume of a church.

Transept

The major transverse part of a cruciform church, crossing the main axis at a right angle between the nave and choir.

Crossing

The intersection of the nave and transept in a cruciform church

Westwork

The monumental western front a romanesque church, treated as a tower or towers containing a low entrance hall below and a chapel open to the nave above.

Tympanum

The space between the arch and the horizontal head of a door or window below, often decorated with sculpture.

Trumeau

A column supporting the tympanum of a doorway at its center.

Tabernacle

A canopled recess for a religious image or icon

Arcade

A series of arches supported by piers or columns.

Gallery

A roofed promenade, esp. One extending inside or outside along the exterior wall of a building.

Loft

A gallery or upper level in a church or hall.

Blind arcade

A series of arches superimposed on a wall for decoration. Also called arcature.

Choir

The part of a church occupied by the singers of a choir, usually part of the chancel.

Ambulatory

An aisle encircling the end of the choir or chancel of the church.

Chevet

The rounded east end of a Gothic cathedral, including the apse and the ambulatory

Triforium

An arcaded story in a church, between the nave arches and clerestory and corresponding to the space between the vaulting and the roof of an aisle.

Crypt

An underground chamber or vault used as a burial place especially one beneath the main floor of the church