TERMINOLOGY FOR PLANS

These terms are linked to the Glossary Pages in http://www.pitt.edu/~medart.

Plans and types of plan
plan (also called ground plan or floor plan)

central plan

greek cross plan

longitudinal plan

latin cross plan

Some functions of the central plan
baptistry

chapter house

(also look out for the central plan used for tombs, palace chapels, castles)

Parts of Plans, particularly longitudinal plans
Note the use of the points of the compass (east, west, north, south) to refer to the sides of longitudinal church buildings.  This is done because generally the altar is placed at the east end, pointing to Jerusalem.  The entrance is normally at the west end, leading directly to the altar.  In relation to this west-east axis, the left side is the north side and the right side is the south side.

east end

choir

chapel: a small space in a church, or an entire small church, containing an altar; usually apsidal in shape, or containing an apse

apse

ambulatory

crypt

confessio

crossing

transept

nave

aisle

bay

pier

column

west end

westwork

narthex

atrium
 
 
  Return to Syllabus