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Gothic cathedralclick to hear

The architectural style of the medieval cathedral (12th century to the Renaissance) is characterized mainly by its ribbed, ogival vaults.
Gothic cathedral Lady chapel choir apsidiole pillar arcade crossing buttress side chapel abutment pinnacle flying buttress tower belfry transept spire

Lady chapel click to hear

Chapel located beyond the walls at the back of the cathedral, in the axis of the nave.

choir click to hear

Area just beyond the transept where the clergy stand during the liturgy.

apsidiole click to hear

Small lateral chapel arranged in a semicircle behind the choir surrounding the apse.

pillar click to hear

Column designed to support a masonry structure.

arcade click to hear

Passageway created by resting an arch on two posts.

crossing click to hear

Area located at the crossing of the transept and the nave of the cathedral.

buttress click to hear

Masonry structure that supports a load-bearing wall.

side chapel click to hear

Chapel adjacent to the nave.

abutment click to hear

Masonry structure on which a flying buttress rests to transfer the weight of the vault.

pinnacle click to hear

Pyramidal or conical crown on an abutment.

flying buttress click to hear

Masonry structure in the shape of a partial arch; it supports a wall by transferring the pressure of the vaults onto an abutment.

tower click to hear

Elevated construction harboring the bell tower.

belfry click to hear

Small steeplelike ornament in the shape of a pyramid; it is found on the corners of the transept or on each side of the façade.

transept spire click to hear

Tapering part in the shape of a pyramid that surmounts the tower located at the transept crossing.