In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latinabsis 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greekἀψίςapsis 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an exedra. In Byzantine, Romanesque, and GothicChristianchurch (including cathedral and abbey) architecture, the term is applied to a semi-circular or polygonal termination of the main building at the liturgical east end (where the altar is), regardless of the shape of the roof, which may be flat, sloping, domed, or hemispherical. Smaller apses are found elsewhere, especially in shrines.[1]
An apse is a semicircular recess, often covered with a hemispherical vault. Commonly, the apse of a church, cathedral or basilica is the semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir or sanctuary, or sometimes at the end of an aisle.
The domed apse became a standard part of the church plan in the early Christian era.[2]
Related featuresedit
In the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition, the south apse is known as the diaconicon and the north apse as the prothesis. Various ecclesiastical features of which the apse may form part are drawn together here.
The chancel (or sanctuary), directly to the east beyond the choir, contains the high altar, where there is one (compare communion table). This area is reserved for the clergy, and was therefore formerly called the "presbytery", from Greekpresbuteros, "elder",[citation needed] or in older and Catholic usage "priest".[3]
Semi-circular choirs, first developed in the East, which came into use in France in 470.[4] By the onset of the 13th century, they had been augmented with radiating apse chapels outside the choir aisle, the entire structure of apse, choir and radiating chapels coming to be known as the chevet (French, "headpiece").[5]
apse, this, article, about, architectural, feature, astronomical, term, apsis, other, uses, disambiguation, acronym, disambiguation, architecture, apse, plural, apses, from, latin, absis, arch, vault, from, ancient, greek, ἀψίς, apsis, arch, sometimes, written. This article is about the architectural feature For the astronomical term see apsis For other uses see Apse disambiguation For the acronym APS see APS disambiguation In architecture an apse plural apses from Latin absis arch vault from Ancient Greek ἀpsis apsis arch sometimes written apsis plural apsides is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi dome also known as an exedra In Byzantine Romanesque and Gothic Christian church including cathedral and abbey architecture the term is applied to a semi circular or polygonal termination of the main building at the liturgical east end where the altar is regardless of the shape of the roof which may be flat sloping domed or hemispherical Smaller apses are found elsewhere especially in shrines 1 Typical early Christian Byzantine apse with a hemispherical semi dome in the Basilica of Sant Apollinare in ClasseTypical floor plan of a cathedral with the apse shaded Contents 1 Definition 2 History 3 Related features 3 1 Chancel 3 2 Chevet apse chapels 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDefinition editAn apse is a semicircular recess often covered with a hemispherical vault Commonly the apse of a church cathedral or basilica is the semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir or sanctuary or sometimes at the end of an aisle Smaller apses are sometimes built in other parts of the church especially for reliquaries or shrines of saints citation needed History editThe domed apse became a standard part of the church plan in the early Christian era 2 Related features editIn the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition the south apse is known as the diaconicon and the north apse as the prothesis Various ecclesiastical features of which the apse may form part are drawn together here Chancel edit Main article Chancel The chancel or sanctuary directly to the east beyond the choir contains the high altar where there is one compare communion table This area is reserved for the clergy and was therefore formerly called the presbytery from Greek presbuteros elder citation needed or in older and Catholic usage priest 3 Chevet apse chapels edit Chevet redirects here For the parish in England see Chevet West Yorkshire See also Apse chapel Semi circular choirs first developed in the East which came into use in France in 470 4 By the onset of the 13th century they had been augmented with radiating apse chapels outside the choir aisle the entire structure of apse choir and radiating chapels coming to be known as the chevet French headpiece 5 Gallery edit nbsp Triple apse of Basilica di Santa Giulia northern Italy nbsp East end of the abbey church of Saint Ouen showing the chevet Rouen Seine Maritime France nbsp A chevet apse vault Toulouse France nbsp Apsed chancel of St Mary s Church West Dean Wiltshire England nbsp The decorated apse of the Cathedral of Monreale Sicily nbsp The apse of Manila Cathedral Philippines nbsp The apse of St Martin church in Busskirch community Jona SwitzerlandSee also editAmbulatory Architectural development of the eastern end of cathedrals in England and France Byzantine architecture Cathedral architecture Church architecture Narthex Niche ScarsellaReferences edit Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Floor Plan NationalShrine com Archived from the original on 9 August 2017 Retrieved 27 August 2016 Apse Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 10 July 2012 Where in the New Testament are Priests Mentioned Catholic Answers Catholic Answers Retrieved 1 September 2018 Moss Henry The Birth of the Middle Ages 395 814 Clarendon Press 1935 Chevet Encyclopaedia Britannica Joseph Nechvatal Immersive Excess in the Apse of Lascaux Technonoetic Arts 3 no 3 2005 External links edit nbsp Look up apse in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apses Spiers Richard Phene 1911 Apse In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 2 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 231 232 This has a detailed description of examples in the early church Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Apse amp oldid 1173948119, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
