Romanesque Art and Architecture Flashcards
Relic
A sacred object, often the physical remains of a saint or religious figure, or an object associated with them, venerated by believers.
Cathedral
A large church that serves as the central place of worship in a diocese, typically where a bishop presides.
Reliquary
A container or shrine designed to hold and display relics, often ornately decorated.
Pilgrimage
A journey made by believers to sacred place for religious purposes, often to visit a relic or a holy site.
Buttressing
A structural support projecting from a wall to reinforce it, common in medieval architecture.
Arcade
A series of arches supported by columns or piers, often found in churches and other large buildings.
Pier
A vertical support, often square or rectangular, that supports arches, vaults, or other architectural elements.
Column
A cylindrical vertical support that can be freestanding or part of a series often topped with a capital.
Rounded arch
An arch that forms a semicircle, characteristic of Romanesque architecture.
Nave
The central, longitudinal space of a church, is typically flanked by aisles and leading to an altar.
Aisle
A side passage in a church, running parallel to the nave and separated by columns or piers.
Crossing
The space where the nave, chancel, and transepts intersect in a cruciform church plan.
Apse
A semicircular or polygonal recess at the eastern end of a church, often housing the altar.
Ambulatory
A walkway around the apse and choir of a church, often allowing access to radiating chapels.
Radiating Chapel
Small chapels projecting from the curve of the apse in a church, often containing altars or relics.
