What is a transept used for?

What is a transept used for?

The transept of a church separates the nave from the sanctuary, apse, choir, chevet, presbytery, or chancel. The transepts cross the nave at the crossing, which belongs equally to the main nave axis and to the transept.

What is transept and nave?

transept, the area of a cruciform church lying at right angles to the principal axis. ... The nave of a church with a cruciform plan usually extends toward the west from the crossing, the choir and sanctuary toward the east.

Why was the transept added?

Architecture of the Early Christian Church Between the nave and the apse, they added a transept, which ran perpendicular to the nave. Peter's followed the plan of the Roman basilica and added a transept (labeled "Bema" in this diagram) to give the church a cruciform shape.

What is the naive of a church?

nave, central and principal part of a Christian church, extending from the entrance (the narthex) to the transepts (transverse aisle crossing the nave in front of the sanctuary in a cruciform church) or, in the absence of transepts, to the chancel (area around the altar).

What is ambulatory in art?

ambulatory: A semicircular or polygonal aisle. Often an ambulatory leads around the east end of the choir; separating the choir from apses or chapels. See also aisle, apse, choir, east end, hemicycle.

What is the crossing of a church?

A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church.

What is a south transept?

transept A rectangular area which cuts across the main axis of a basilica-type building and projects beyond it. The transept gives a basilica the shape of a Latin cross and usually serves to separate the main area of the building from an apse at the end.

What is in the nave?

The nave (/neɪv/) is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel.

What is the room behind the altar called?

vestry sacristy, also called vestry, in architecture, room in a Christian church in which vestments and sacred objects used in the services are stored and in which the clergy and sometimes the altar boys and the choir members put on their robes.

Why do churches have transept?

transept A rectangular area which cuts across the main axis of a basilica-type building and projects beyond it. The transept gives a basilica the shape of a Latin cross and usually serves to separate the main area of the building from an apse at the end.

What is the meaning of transtransept?

• transept - structure forming the transverse part of a cruciform church; crosses the nave at right angles. church building, church - a place for public (especially Christian) worship; "the church was empty".

What is the meaning of the word transept?

• dictionary thesaurus. noun. tran·​sept | \\ˈtran(t)-ˌsept \\. : the part of a cruciform church that crosses at right angles to the greatest length between the nave and the apse or choir also : either of the projecting ends of a transept.

How are the arms of the transepts designated?

• The arms of the transept are then designated by direction, as north transept and south transept. They may have aisles or not and are generally about the same width as the nave. There is disagreement over the origin of the transept.

What is the difference between transept and crossing?

• Transept. Transept, the area of a cruciform church lying at right angles to the principal axis. The bay at which the transept intersects the main body of the church is called the crossing. The transept itself is sometimes simply called the cross. The nave of a church with a cruciform plan usually extends toward the west from the crossing,...