Cologne Cathedral, Germany, bearing the tallest paired spires in the world.

Salisbury Cathedral from the east. 1220-1380. An essay in Early English Gothic with the tallest spire in England.

Coutances Cathedral, the spectacular Gothic interior, looking toward the crossing and chancel.Pouhier 2005

Cathedral of Leon

A cathedral is a church, usually Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox, housing the seat of a bishop. The word cathedral takes its name from the word cathedra, or Bishop's Throne (In Latin: ecclesia cathedralis). The term is often (sometimes improperly) used to refer to a church of great size. Download high resolution version (480x640, 98 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 98 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, official name: ) is one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany and has been Colognes most famous landmark since its completion in the late 19th century. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1352x1120, 349 KB) Salisbury Cathedral in the early morning light. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1352x1120, 349 KB) Salisbury Cathedral in the early morning light. ... Salisbury Cathedral in the early morning light. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x1136, 486 KB) Summary FR : Vue intérieure de la cathédrale de Coutances, Manche, France EN : Interior view of Coutances cathedral, department of Manche, France Author : -- Eric Pouhier Date : November 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x1136, 486 KB) Summary FR : Vue intérieure de la cathédrale de Coutances, Manche, France EN : Interior view of Coutances cathedral, department of Manche, France Author : -- Eric Pouhier Date : November 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this... Coutances Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in the French town of Coutances. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (516x688, 97 KB) Cathedral of León. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (516x688, 97 KB) Cathedral of León. ... A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... It has been suggested that Ecclesia (Church) be merged into this article or section. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... This article is about a title or office in religious bodies. ... A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... The cathedra of the Pope in the apse of St. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

The church that has the function of cathedral is not of necessity a large building. It might be as small as Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. But frequently, the cathedral, along with some of the abbey churches, was the largest building in any region.^[1] A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... Christ Church Cathedral spire. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This following is a List of largest buildings in the world by usable space (volume), mass and area. ...

There were a number of reasons for this:

• The cathedral was created to the Glory of God. It was seen as appropriate that it should be as grand and as beautiful as wealth and skill could make it.^[2]
• As the seat of a Bishop, the Cathedral was the location for certain liturgical rites, such as the Ordination of Priests, which brought together large numbers of clergy and people.
• It functioned as an ecclesiastical and social meeting-place for many people, not just those of the town in which it stood, but also, on occasions, for the entire region.
• The cathedral often had its origins in a monastic foundation and was a place of worship for members of a holy order who said the mass privately at a number of small chapels within the cathedral.
• The cathedral often became a place of worship and burial for wealthy local patrons. These patrons often endowed the cathedrals with money for successive enlargements and building programs.

The role of bishop as administrator of local clergy came into being in the 1st century.^[3]It was two hundred years before the first cathedral building was constructed in Rome. With the legalising of Christianity in 313 CE by the Emperor Constantine I, churches were built rapidly. Five very large churches were founded in Rome and, though much altered or rebuilt, still exist today, including the Cathedral of Rome which is San Giovanni in Laterano and also the better-known St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.^[4] A place of worship is a building or other locations where religious persons may worship their deity, regularly or not. ... Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Late Baroque façade of the Basilica, completed, after a competition for the design, by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 St. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ...

The form which cathedrals took was largely dependent upon their ritual function as the seat of a bishop. Cathedrals are places where, in common with other Christian churches, the Eucharist is celebrated, the Bible is read, the Order of Service is said or sung, prayers are offered and sermons are preached. But in a cathedral, in general, these things are done with a greater amount of elaboration, pageantry and procession than in lesser churches. This elaboration is particularly present during important liturgical rites performed by a Bishop, such as Confirmation and Ordination. A cathedral is often the site of rituals associated with local or national Government, the Bishops performing the tasks of all sorts from the induction of a mayor to the coronation of a monarch. Some of these tasks are apparent in the form and fittings of particular cathedrals.^[2] Confirmation can refer to: Confirmation (sacrament) Confirmation (epistemology) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Ordination is the process in which clergy become authorized by their religious denomination and/or seminary to perform religious rituals and ceremonies. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... The coronation of Empress Farah, of Iran in 1967. ...

Cathedrals are also traditionally places of pilgrimage, to which people travel from afar to celebrate certain important feast days or to visit the shrine associated with a particular saint. An extended eastern end is often found at cathedrals where the remains of a saint are interred behind the High Altar.^[5] This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as that saints day. ...

As cathedrals were constructed throughout the Roman Empire and then throughout the world, their manner of building was dependent upon local materials and local techniques. Different styles of architecture developed and their fashion spread, carried by the establishment of monastic orders, by the posting of bishops from one region to another and by the travelling of master stonemasons who served as architects.^[6] The styles of the great church buildings are successively known as Early Christian, Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, various Revival styles of the late 18th to early 20th centuries and Modern.^[7] Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire. ... Architectural style is a way of classifying architecture largely by morphological characteristics - in terms of form, techniques, materials, etc. ... The art and craft of the stonemason has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures and sculpture using stone and other raw materials from the earth. ... The Good Shepherd: Early Christian catacomb art Early Christian art and architecture is the art produced by Christians or under Christian patronage from about the year 200 to about the year 500. ... Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Interior of Cologne Cathedral Gothic architecture is a style of architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, which flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. ... Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio, Rome, 1502, by Bramante. ... Baroque architecture, starting in the early 17th century in Italy, took the humanist Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. ... Manchester Town Hall is an example of Victorian architecture found in Manchester, UK. The Carson Mansion is an example of a Victorian home in Eureka, California, USA The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural styles predominantly in the Victorian era. ... Le Corbusiers Villa Savoye, a well known example of modern architecture Modern architecture,not to be confused with contemporary architecture, is a term given to a number of building styles with similar characteristics, primarily the simplification of form and the elimination of ornament, that first arose around 1900. ...

Overlaid on each of the academic styles are the regional characteristics. Some of these characteristics are so typical of a particular country or region that they appear, regardless of style, in the architecture of cathedrals designed many centuries apart.^[7]

Note

• The term basilica is used in two ways — firstly as "basilica" to describe a Ancient Roman court of law and place of meeting, secondly as "Basilica" to designate a Catholic church (which may or may not be a cathedral) but which has special ritual function and has been awarded the title by the Pope.
• The term "Minster" (or Munster) is applied to some churches and cathedrals of monastic origin. In some cases abbey churches have become cathedrals, particularly in England and Germany at the time of the Reformation. Some cathedrals have always been associated with houses of clerics.
• Because this article primarily concerns architectural form, five non-episcopal ancient churches, the architecture of which is part of the cathedral oeuvre, are discussed here among the cathedrals. They are The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome; The Church of San Vitale, Ravenna; St Mark's Basilica, Venice; Westminster Abbey, London and St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

St. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope of Rome... In English usage a Minster is a grand type of church; the term may be extended to apply to a cathedral, such as York Minster. ... Bold textTHIS IS THE PAGE THAT A.S. REALLY NEEDS!! THIS IS NOW MARKED!!! ] ps i like A.O. This article is about an abbey as a Christian monastic community. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Saint Mary Major, in Italian, Santa Maria Maggiore, is one of the five great ancient basilicas of Rome, Italy. ... For the Basilica di San Marco in Rome, see Basilica di San Marco (Rome). ... The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral (and indeed often mistaken for one), in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... Interior view, with the nave of the Cattedra in the back St. ...

Origins and development of the cathedral building

Plan of old St Peter's, showing atrium (courtyard), narthex (vestibule), central nave with double aisles, a bema for the clergy extending into a transept, and an exedra or semi-circular apse.

The cathedral building grew out of a number of features of the Ancient Roman period- Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1199x743, 24 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cathedral architecture of Western Europe ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1199x743, 24 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cathedral architecture of Western Europe ...

• The house church
• The atrium
• The basilica
• The bema
• The mausoleum - centrally-planned building
• The cruciform ground plan - Latin or Greek cross

From house church to church

The first very large Christian churches were built in Rome and have their origins in the early 4th century, when the Emperor Constantine first legalised Christianity. Several of Rome's largest churches, notably Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni in Laterano, have their foundation in the 4th century. It is San Giovanni (St John's) and not the more famous St. Peter's Basilica which is the cathedral church of Rome. St Peter's is also of 4th century foundation, though nothing of that appears above the ground.^[8] Saint Mary Major, in Italian, Santa Maria Maggiore, is one of the five great ancient basilicas of Rome, Italy. ... Late Baroque façade of the Basilica, completed, after a competition for the design, by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 St. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ...

San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome. The cloister, an arcaded courtyard decorated by the Cosmati family.

Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano ... Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano ... Late Baroque façade of the Basilica, completed, after a competition for the design, by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 St. ...

Atrium

The early Christian communities of Rome worshipped secretly in private houses. Eventually churches were built on the sites of many of these houses and still exist today. The churches bore little resemblance to the houses that preceded them, but they drew on one feature, the atrium, or courtyard with a colonnade surrounding it. Most of these atriums have disappeared. A fine example remains at the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome. We see the descendants of these atria in the large square cloisters that can be found beside many cathedrals, and in the huge colonnaded squares or piazzi at the Basilicas of St Peter's in Rome and St Mark's in Venice and the Camposanto (Field of Saints) at the Cathedral of Pisa. In Anatomy, atrium refers to a structure of the heart. ... Enormous colonnade of the Kazan Cathedral in St Petersburg. ... The Basilica of San Clemente is a complex of buildings in Rome, Italy centered around a 12th century Roman Catholic church dedicated to Pope Clement I. The site is notable as being an archeological record of Roman architectural, political and religious history from the early Christian era to the Middle... Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A Cloister is part of cathedrals and abbeys architecture. ... Giuseppe Piazzi. ...

Basilica

Cathedral of San Giovanni in Laterano. Basilical plan terminates in an apse. Nave transformed by Borromini, 17th century.

Early church architecture did not draw its form from Roman temples, as the latter were not places for massed gatherings. They did not usually have large internal spaces where a worshipping congregation could meet. It was the Roman basilica, used for meetings, markets and courts of law that provided a model for the large Christian church and that gave its name to the Christian basilica. Both Roman basilicas and Roman bath houses had at their core a large vaulted building with a high roof, braced on either side by a series of lower chambers or a wide arcaded passage. An important feature of the Roman basilica was that at either end it had a projecting exedra, or apse, a semicircular space roofed with a half-dome. This was where the magistrates sat to hold court. It passed into the church architecture of the Roman world and was adapted in different ways as a feature of cathedral architecture.^[8] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (890x667, 161 KB) from de:wiki with these data: Beschreibung: Das Bild zeigt den Innenraum der Lateransbasilika in Rom. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (890x667, 161 KB) from de:wiki with these data: Beschreibung: Das Bild zeigt den Innenraum der Lateransbasilika in Rom. ... Late Baroque façade of the Basilica, completed, after a competition for the design, by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 St. ... Francesco Borromini (Bissone near Lugano, Switzerland, September 25, 1599 – August 3, 1667 in Rome) was a Baroque architect, and active in Rome alongside the more prolific papal architect, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. ... St. ... St. ... The basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, built in the tepidarium of the baths The church of San Bernardo alle Terme recycled an old circular tower at the southwestern corner of the perimeter wall of the baths, one of four towers defining its grounds. ... An exedra adopted by James Cameron for a neoclassical interior space, at the Hermitage In architecture an exedra is a semicircular recess, often crowned by a half-dome, which is usually set into a buildings facade. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ...

The earliest large churches, such as the Cathedral of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome, consisted of a single-ended basilica with one aspidal end and a courtyard, or atrium, at the other end. As Christian liturgy developed, processions became part of the proceedings. The processional door was that which led from the furthest end of the building, while the door most used by the public might be that central to one side of the building, as in a basilica of law. This is often the case in many cathedrals and churches.^[9] Late Baroque façade of the Basilica, completed, after a competition for the design, by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 St. ... A liturgy is the customary public worship of a religious group, according to their particular traditions. ...

Bema

As numbers of clergy increased, so did the space that they occupied. The small apse which contained the altar, or table upon which the sacramental bread and wine was laid in the rite of Holy Communion, was not sufficient for a large number of clergy to worship. A raised dais called a bema formed part of many large basilican churches. In the case of St. Peter's Basilica and San Paolo fuori le Mura (St Paul's outside the Walls) in Rome, this bema extended laterally beyond the main meeting hall, forming two arms so that the building took on the shape of a T with a projecting apse. From this beginning, the plan of the church developed into the so-called Latin Cross which is the shape of most Western Cathedrals and large churches. The arms of the cross are called the transept.^[9] The Eucharist is either the Christian sacrament of consecrated bread and wine or the ritual surrounding it. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ... St. ... The traditional form of the Christian cross, known as the Latin cross The Christian cross is a familiar religious symbol of most Christianity. ...

Mausoleum of Santa Costanza in Rome, a circular chapel built by Constantine in the 4th century.

Image File history File links Santa_Costanza_-_vista_dalla_basilica_costantiniana. ... Image File history File links Santa_Costanza_-_vista_dalla_basilica_costantiniana. ... View of the mausoleum of Santa Costanza from the Constantinian cemetery basilica. ...

Mausoleum

One of the influences on church architecture was the mausoleum. The mausoleum of a noble Roman was a square or circular domed structure which housed a sarcophagus. The Emperor Constantine built for his daughter Costanza a mausoleum which has a circular central space surrounded by a lower ambulatory or passageway separated by a colonnade. Santa Costanza's burial place became a place of worship as well as a tomb. It is one of the earliest church buildings that was centrally, rather than longitudinally planned. There was another significant place of worship in Rome that was also circular, the vast Pantheon, with its numerous statue-filled niches. This too was to become a Christian church and lend its style to the development of Cathedral architecture.^[4][8] Religious architecture is the style and requirements followed for building religious buildings. ... St. ... Stone sarcophagus of Pharaoh Merenptah Detail of a stone sarcophagus in the Istanbul Archeological Museum showing a hunting scene Anthropoid sarcophagus discovered at Cádiz A sarcophagus is a stone container for a coffin or body. ... Constantine. ... View of the mausoleum of Santa Costanza from the Constantinian cemetery basilica. ... Facade of the Pantheon The Pantheon (Latin Pantheon[1], from Greek Πάνθεον Pantheon, meaning Temple of all the Gods) is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome. ...

Plan of the Renaissance St Peter's Basilica, showing elements of both central and longitudinal plan.

Image File history File links StPetersplan_OttoLeuger1904. ... Image File history File links StPetersplan_OttoLeuger1904. ...

Latin Cross and Greek Cross

While the churches of Western Europe favoured the longitudinal plan of the so-called Latin cross, the churches of Byzantium favoured the centrally-planned Greek cross surmounted by a dome and with several apses. The greatest of all such buildings is the church of the Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul. These buildings were to later play a part in the development of cathedral architecture in Western Europe.^[7]
The traditional form of the Christian cross, known as the Latin cross The Christian cross is a familiar religious symbol of most Christianity. ... Byzantium (Greek: Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city, which, according to legend, was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas or Byzantas (Βύζας or Βύζαντας in Greek). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ...

Section references: Banister Fletcher,^[7] Andre Grabar.^[8]

Architectural forms common to most Cathedrals

Note- Because of the diversity in the individual building history of the cathedrals of Western Europe, this list is a generalised one and not all the characteristics pertain to every building. This list is compiled from Banister Fletcher.^[7] The Gillette Factory on the Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex. ...

Plan of Peterborough Cathedral, 12th century, with later elaboration of both east and west ends.

Image File history File links PeterPlanDehio. ... Image File history File links PeterPlanDehio. ... Peterborough Cathedral Plan Peterborough Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, and is very unusual amongst mediæval cathedrals in Britain because of its triple front (dominated by the statues of the three saints) and overall asymmetrical appearance. ...

Plan

Most cathedrals have a cruciform groundplan with a nave crossed by a transept. The transept may be as strongly projecting as at York Minster or not project beyond the aisles as at Amiens. This cladogram shows the relationship among various insect groups. ... Links to full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are also found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... Cathedral ground plan. ... York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and is situated in the city of York in Northern England. ... Amiens is a city and commune in the north of France, 120 km north of Paris. ...

Axis

The axis is generally east/west with external emphasis upon the west front and internal emphasis upon the eastern end. Not every church or cathedral maintains a strict east/west axis, but even in those that do not, the terms East End and West Front are used. A coordinate axis is one of a set of vectors that defines a coordinate system. ...

Vertical emphasis

There is generally a prominent external feature that rises upwards. It may be a dome, a central tower, two western towers or towers at both ends as at Speyer Cathedral. The towers may be finished with pinnacles or spires or a small dome. This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ...

West front of Wells Cathedral showing twin towers and gallery of statues.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 529 KB) Front ouest de la cathédrale de Wells, Somerset, Angleterre. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 529 KB) Front ouest de la cathédrale de Wells, Somerset, Angleterre. ... The west front, completed c. ...

West front

The west front is the most ornate part of the exterior with the processional doors, often three in number, and often richly decorated with sculpture, marble or stone tracery. The facade often has a large window, sometimes a rose window or an impressive sculptural group as its central feature. There are frequently twin towers framing the facade.

Nave

The majority of cathedrals have a high wide nave with a lower aisle separated by an arcade on either side. Occasionally the aisles are as high as the nave, forming a hallenkirche. Many cathedrals have two aisles on either side. Notre Dame de Paris has two aisles and a row of chapels. Links to full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are also found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... In a modern church an aisle is a row down the middle of the church with a set of pews on each side. ... The Cleveland Arcade in downtown Cleveland (late 1960s) An arcade is a passage or walkway covered over by a succession of arches or vaults supported by columns, or else it is a covered passage fronted by a series of arches. ... Notre Dame de Paris: Western Facade For the novel by Victor Hugo, see The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ...

Transept

The transept is the arms of the cathedral. In English cathedrals of monastic foundation there are often two transepts. The place where the nave and transept meet is called the crossing and is often surmounted by a small spire called a fleche, a dome or, particularly in England, a large tower, with or without a spire. Cathedral floor plan (crossing is shaded) A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, refers to the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church. ...

East end

Main article: Cathedral Architecture - Development of the Eastern End in England and France

The east end is the part of the building which shows the greatest diversity of architectural form. At the eastern end, internally, lies the sanctuary where the altar of the cathedral is located. The interior of Coutances Cathedral, photography by Eric Pouhier The larger medieval churches of France and England, the cathedrals and abbeys, have much in common architecturally, an east/west orientation, an external emphasis on the west front and its doors, long arcaded interiors, high vaulted roofs and windows filled with...

East end of Bayeux Cathedral showing its high apse and ambulatory, and ornate central tower.

• Italy and German Romanesque- A rounded end. It may be a lower apse projecting from a higher square end, usual in Italian and German Romanesque. In Italian Gothic there is a high apsidal end, without ambulatory.
• France, Spain, and German Gothic- The eastern end is long and extends into a high vaulted apsidal end. The eastern aisles are continued around this apse, making a lower passage or ambulatory. There may be a group of projecting, radiating chapels called a chevet.
• England- The eastern ends show enormous diversity. Several, such as Norwich Cathedral have maintained the apsidal end with ambulatory. Many have projecting chapels of a great variety of forms, sometimes three in number. No English Cathedral prior to the 19th century has a fully developed chevet. In the some, notably Lincoln Cathedral, the east end presents a square, cliff-like form while in most this severity is broken by a projecting Lady Chapel. There are also examples of the lower aisle continuing around the square east end.

Section references:Banister Fletcher,^[7] Wim Swaan,^[2] Larousse.^[10] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 306 KB) Cathedral of Bayeux, outside / Personal picture taken by user Urban, February 2005 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cathedral architecture of Western Europe Metadata... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 306 KB) Cathedral of Bayeux, outside / Personal picture taken by user Urban, February 2005 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cathedral architecture of Western Europe Metadata... Bayeux (pronounced ) is a small town and commune in the Calvados département, in Normandy, northwestern France. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ... Norwich Cathedral: Spire and south transcept. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ... Lincoln Cathedral shares with Durham the most spectacular placing of any of the British cathedrals. ... The chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and attached to churches of large size. ...

See also: Cathedral diagram Amiens floorplan: massive piers support the west end towers; transepts are abbreviated; seven radiating chapels form the chevet reached from the ambulatory This article discusses cathedral diagrams. ...

Internal features

Nave and aisles of Florence Cathedral

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (820x510, 172 KB) Image from ja. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (820x510, 172 KB) Image from ja. ...

Nave and aisles

The main body of the building, making the longer arm of the cross, where worshippers congregate, is called the nave. The term is from the Latin word for ship. The cathedral is symbolically a ship bearing the people of God through the storms of life. In addition, the high wooden roof of a large church is similarly constructed to the hull of a ship.^[11] Links to full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are also found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... A hull is the body or frame of a ship or boat. ...

The nave is braced on either side by lower aisles, separated from the main space by a row of piers or columns. The aisles facilitate the movement of people, even when the nave is full of worshippers. They also strengthen the structure by buttressing the inner walls that carry the high roof, which in the case of many cathedrals, is made of stone.

The pulpit in the nave of St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, with a magnificently carved narrative in wood

. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 357 KB) Brussels Cathedral interior, picture by User:Ellywa File links The following pages link to this file: St. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 357 KB) Brussels Cathedral interior, picture by User:Ellywa File links The following pages link to this file: St. ... St. ...

Font, lectern and pulpit

Towards the western end of the nave stands the font, or water basin at which the rite of Baptism is performed. It is placed towards the door because the Baptism signifies entry into the community of the church. Standing to the front of the nave is a lectern from which the Holy Scripture is read. In many churches this takes the form of an eagle which supports the book on its outstretched wings and is the symbol of John the Evangelist. The third significant furnishing of the nave is the pulpit or rostrum from which the sermon is preached and the biblical readings are expounded. The pulpit might be of marble or wood, and may be a simple structure or represent a highly elaborate carved sermon. It is often decorated with the winged figures of a man, a lion, a bull and an eagle, representing the Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.^[12] Baptism in early Christian art. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Names of John. ... A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. ... For other uses of Ambo, see Ambo, Ethiopia, Kom Ombo, ambulance Ambo (band). ...

The choir stalls and sanctuary of Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England.

Download high resolution version (1500x1122, 434 KB) The choir stalls of Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England. ... Download high resolution version (1500x1122, 434 KB) The choir stalls of Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England. ...

Quire

The second main division of a cathedral is the area where the services take place and the Holy Office is sung, often by a choir of men and boys. This area of the cathedral is called the Choir or Quire. It may be separated from the nave by a highly decorated screen of wood or stone upon which sits the organ. It often has finely carved and decorated wooden seats called the stalls. The bishop's throne or cathedra is usually located in this space. Holy Office can refer to: the Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, now called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - the historical Inquisition another word for the Mass (liturgy) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The choir stalls in the quire of Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England A quire is the area of a church where the choir sits, also known as the choir. ... The cathedra of the Pope in the apse of St. ...

The High Altar of siena Cathedral, Italy, polychrome marble with bronze ciborium and candelabra.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 559 KB) High Altar by Baldassarre Peruzzi (1506); Duomo; Siena, Italy Bronze ciborium by Lorenzo di Pietro (1472) Bronze angels holding candelabra : upper pair by Domenico Beccafumi; lower pair: by Francesco di Giorgio Martini Own photo - photo made on 11... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 559 KB) High Altar by Baldassarre Peruzzi (1506); Duomo; Siena, Italy Bronze ciborium by Lorenzo di Pietro (1472) Bronze angels holding candelabra : upper pair by Domenico Beccafumi; lower pair: by Francesco di Giorgio Martini Own photo - photo made on 11...

Sanctuary

Beyond the choir for the consecration. 'Sanctuary' means 'Holy Place'. The word has passed into modern English with an altered meaning because a criminal who could gain access to this area without capture was thereby given the sanctuary of the church.

Presbytery and chapels

In many cathedrals there is a further area beyond the sanctuary which is called the Presbytery. This is where the priests or monks could make their private devotions. Often there are many additional chapels located towards the eastern end of the cathedral. The chief among these is the Lady Chapel which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In English cathedrals of monastic foundation, there is often a second transept containing chapels.^[13] A presbytery can be - * the residence of one or more presbyters, priests, or religious elders; - * an area of a church or cathedral reserved for priests; - * the collective college of priests in a diocese, archdiocese, or prelature; - * the local unit in the polity of a Presbyterian church, consisting of presbyters (i. ... The chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and attached to churches of large size. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept...

Conveying the Word

Main article: Poor Man's Bible

Regardless of the architectural style, cathedrals were in general designed to make an impression upon the populace. They were designed to awe, to teach and to inspire. To these ends they have certain features, which are also common to many abbeys and parish churches. The decoration of a cathedral often followed a scheme which worked progressively from the exterior to the interior and the west to the east. The term Poor Mans Bible has come into use in modern times to describe works of art within churches and cathedrals which either individually or collectively have been created to illustrate the teachings of the Bible for a largely illiterate population. ...

Christ in Majesty at Autun, rare in having been signed by its creator,Gislebertus.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (820x1031, 158 KB) Summary Main portal of Cathedral of Saint Lazare at Autun, France; sculpture by Gislebertus. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (820x1031, 158 KB) Summary Main portal of Cathedral of Saint Lazare at Autun, France; sculpture by Gislebertus. ... Autun is a town in the Saône-et-Loire département in Burgundy, France, and has a history which dates back to Roman times. ... Gislebertus (flourished in the 12th century), was a French Romanesque sculptor, whose decoration (about 1125-1135) of the Cathedral of Saint Lazare at Autun, France-consisting of numerous doorways, tympanums, and capitals-represents some of the most original work of the period. ...

Doorways of Christ in Majesty

In Romanesque and Gothic Cathedrals there is often a depiction of Christ in Majesty above the central door. There are many famous examples in France, including those at Chartres and Angers. Another subject was the Last Judgement and the weighing of souls. A fine Romanesque depiction is that at Autun. The message here is to repent because the hour of the Lord's coming is close at hand. A recurring motif associated with this is The Ten Virgins. Around the doors, in niches or arcades, or attached to the shafts surrounding the door are often found statues of the faithful, both biblical and saints of the church. Chartres is a town and commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Eure-et-Loir département. ... Maison dAdam, House of Adam, the oldest house of Angers. ... Image:Michelangelo - Fresco of the Last Judgment. ... Autun is a town in the Saône-et-Loire département in Burgundy, France, and has a history which dates back to Roman times. ... Three foolish virgins showing their sorrow at Magdeburg cathedral Three wise virgins showing their joy at Magdeburg cathedral Virgins at Notre Dame de Strasbourg The Ten Virgins is a Parable told by Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 25:1-13). ...

Several of the English Cathedrals had vast sculpture galleries across the west end. These include Lincoln, Salisbury, Wells and Exeter. Many of these have been destroyed or mutilated or have weathered beyond recognition.^[10][14] Lincoln Cathedral shares with Durham the most spectacular placing of any of the British cathedrals. ... Salisbury Cathedral in the early morning light. ... The west front, completed c. ... The west front. ...

Poor Man's Bible

Poor Man's Bible window at Canterbury.

For those people who were unable to read or who could not afford to own a Bible, the stories were illustrated around the cathedral, often linking stories of the Gospels with those of the Old Testament, the Acts of the Apostles and sometimes the lives of Saints, creating a Poor Man's Bible. Stories were frequently paired to show how one prefigured the other, eg a depiction of the Crucifixion would be paired with a scene of Moses raising a bronze serpent on a pole, the Deposition into the tomb would be accompanied by a scene of Joseph being thrown down the well and the Resurrection would be paired with Jonah being regurgitated by the whale. The stories might be illustrated in mosaic, painted murals, sculptured panels or stained glass. They might be found around the walls, across the ceilings or on a screen surrounding the choir or sanctuary. Famous examples in stained glass exist at Canterbury and Chartres Cathedrals.^[15] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1390x1195, 733 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cathedral architecture of Western Europe Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1390x1195, 733 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cathedral architecture of Western Europe Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. ... The term Poor Mans Bible has come into use in modern times to describe works of art within churches and cathedrals which either individually or collectively have been created to illustrate the teachings of the Bible for a largely illiterate population. ... Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, where the condemned was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead. ... Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... Deposition is a word used in many fields to describe different processes: In law, deposition is the taking of testimony outside of court. ... Look up Resurrection in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Prophet Jonah, as depicted by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel Jonah (יוֹנָה Dove, Tiberian Hebrew , Standard Hebrew Yona, Arabic يونس Yunus, or يونان Yunaan, Latin Ionas) was a prophet in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament) and Muslim Quran who was swallowed by a great fish. ...

Main article: Poor Man's Bible

The term Poor Mans Bible has come into use in modern times to describe works of art within churches and cathedrals which either individually or collectively have been created to illustrate the teachings of the Bible for a largely illiterate population. ...

Signs and Seasons

Part of the decorative scheme is often a depiction of God as the Almighty Creator of the universe. As well as showing the Days of Creation, there is often representation of God's order, with everything in its appointed time and place. To this end are shown the Cycle of the Year with its twelve months depicted by the Signs of the Zodiac and the Labours of the Months. This subject is particularly well suited to rose windows.^[2][10] It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... The term Labours of the Months refers to cycles seen in Medieval and early Renaissance art depicting in twelve scenes the rural activities that commonly took place in the months of the year. ... The rose window in Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England, at the western end of the nave. ...

A Gargoyle of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Notre Dame de Paris: Western Facade For the novel by Victor Hugo, see The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ...

Gryphons, gargoyles, beasts and cherubs

Cathedrals are decorated with a wide variety of creatures and characters, many of which have no obvious link to Christianity. Often the creature was seen to represent some particular vice or virtue or was believed to have a certain characteristic which could serve as a warning or as an example to the Christian believer. One such motif is that of the pelican. It was believed that a pelican was prepared to peck its own breast in order to feed its hungry young. Thus, the pelican became a symbol for the love of Christ for the Church.^[10] Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Christ is the English of the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ...

Creatures such as hares, geese, monkeys, foxes, lions, camels, gryphons, unicorns, bees, and storks abound in the decorative carvings of capitals, wall arcading, ceiling bosses and the wooden fittings of cathedrals. Some, like the Gargoyles of Notre Dame, are well known to many. Others, like the Blemyah and Green Man of Ripon Cathedral in England, lurk underneath the folding seats or misericords of the Quire.^[2][16] Roman griffon, Turkey This article is on the animal. ... This article is about the mythical creature. ... Genera Mycteria Anastomus Ciconia Ephippiorhynchus Jabiru Leptoptilos The storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills. ... A gargoyle adorning the Dornoch Cathedral in Dornoch, Scotland. ... The Green Man is a symbol of uncertain origin and meaning, commonly employed as a decorative architectural device in the British Isles and many parts of continental Europe. ... The west front of Ripon minster The interior of the cathedral The East end Ripon Cathedral in Ripon was founded in 672, when it is believed to have been the second stone building erected in the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria. ...

Holy Rood at Bad Doberan Cathedral, Germany

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (960x1280, 392 KB) Bad Doberan - Kreuz im Bad Doberaner Münster (Christusseite) Bad Doberan - Crucifix in Bad Doberan Cathedral Source: Photo taken by my own (ABrocke) on May 11th 2003 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (960x1280, 392 KB) Bad Doberan - Kreuz im Bad Doberaner Münster (Christusseite) Bad Doberan - Crucifix in Bad Doberan Cathedral Source: Photo taken by my own (ABrocke) on May 11th 2003 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to...

The Rood

The Rood, from the Old Saxon roda, was a large crucifix placed conspicuously in the church or cathedral, often suspended in the Quire or standing on a screen separating either the Quire or the sanctuary from the rest of the church. The suspended roods could either be painted or carved of wood. In England where rood screens have often survived without the rood itself, it was general for the crucifix to have accompanying figures of Mary the Mother of Christ and either John the Evangelist or John the Baptist carrying a banner bearing the inscription "Behold, the Lamb of God". In Italy roods were created by some of the most famous painters and sculptors- Giotto, Brunelleschi and Donatello. A rood is an old English ( Anglo-Saxon) unit equal to quarter an acre, i. ... Old Saxon, also known as Old Low German, is a Germanic language. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Names of John. ... For the hip-hop producer with the same name, see John the Baptist (producer). ... Brass Agnus Dei from altar-front in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville, Kentucky Lamb of God (Latin: Agnus Dei) is one of the titles given to Jesus in the New Testament and consequently in the Christian tradition. ... There are several things that have been named Giotto: Giotto di Bondone an Italian painter. ... Filippo Brunelleschi, 1377 - 1446, was the first great Florentine architect of the Italian Renaissance. ... Statue of Habacuc (popularly known as Zuccone) for the Giottos Bell Tower. ...

The Ghent Altarpiece of the Adoration of the Lamb by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, 1432, is a polyptych, made of many panels.

Hubert van Eyck, The Ghent Altarpiece “The Adoration of the Lamb”, painted 1432. ... Hubert van Eyck, The Ghent Altarpiece “The Adoration of the Lamb”, painted 1432. ... Van Eyck is the name of a family of Flemish painters. ...

The altar

The culmination of the decorative scheme in a cathedral is associated with the East End, the Sanctuary and High Altar. The message conveyed is always that of Salvation through