Glossary
Clerestory: Windowed area of the church above the side aisles and above the wall of the central part of the nave
Mullion: The vertical dividing bar of a rose or lancet window.
Triforium: Space or passage above the nave arcade, below the clerestory, and extending over the ceiling or vaults of the side aisle. A blind triforium does not contain a passageway and blind arches are placed in front of the wall such as at Amiens. A false triforium has arcades which open to the roof. A pierced triforium contains windows in the outer walls of the passageway.
Arcade: An arch or a series of arches supported by piers or columns.
Pier: A masonry support between openings such as arcades. Typically slender, the pier has a rectangular, polygonal, or round cross-section, but does not taper and often has no capital. The pier may also have a base as well as an impost. A compound pier is a pier with two or more members or support elements.
Arch: Curved masonry construction that spans an opening such as a portal or window. Pointed arches were a feature of the Gothic era, that evolved from the round Romanesque arches.
Balustrade: A railing with symmetrical supports.
Colonnades: A series of columns supporting either arches or an entablature, and usually one side of a roof. These were common architectural features of Early Roman churches.
Colonettes: Small, thin columns, often used for decoration or to support an arcade.
Column: Slender vertical support having either a cylindrical or polygonal shaft, and which always has a base and a capital.
Gallery: Covered corridor in an upper story overlooking the nave. A traverse gallery crosses both sides of the church and a tribune gallery is the elevated part of a gallery which contains seats.