What is the difference between nave and apse?

What is the difference between nave and apse?

As nouns the difference between nave and apse is that nave is (human) hand while apse is (architecture) a semicircular projection from a building, especially the rounded east end of a church that contains the altar.

What are the nave and the narthex?

In context|architecture|lang=en terms the difference between nave and narthex. is that nave is (architecture) the middle or body of a church, extending from the transepts to the principal entrances while narthex is (architecture) a western vestibule leading to the nave in some (especially orthodox) christian churches.

What part of a church is the apse?

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. In church architecture it is generally the name given to where the altar is placed or where the clergy are seated.

What are the areas of a church called?

The names for the parts of the church are in red after each number.

• Narthex.
• Façade towers.
• Nave.
• Aisles.
• Transept.
• Crossing.
• Altar.
• Apse.

What do you mean by apse?

apse, in architecture, a semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir, chancel, or aisle of a secular or ecclesiastical building. First used in pre-Christian Roman architecture, the apse often functioned as an enlarged niche to hold the statue of a deity in a temple.

Where is the apse?

The apse is generally placed at the head of the cross, located at the end of the building opposite to the main doors. In many cases, the apse and altar are located on the eastern end of the church.

What is narthex vestibule?

As nouns the difference between vestibule and narthex is that vestibule is (architecture) a passage, hall or room, such as a lobby, between the outer door and the interior of a building while narthex is (architecture) a western vestibule leading to the nave in some (especially orthodox) christian churches.

What is the narthex used for?

The narthex is an enclosed porch or meeting area just inside the Western entrance of a Christian church. It was a designated in the early Christian era, probably between the third and fourth century, for those who were not allowed to enter the main worship area, the nave, but who still wanted to hear the sermon.

What happens in an apse?

Why does the apse face east?

The Apostolic Constitutions, a work of Eastern Christianity written between 375 and 380 AD, gave it as a rule that churches should have the sanctuary (with apse and sacristies) at the east end, to enable Christians to pray eastward in church as in private or in small groups.

What is a narthex in a church?

narthex, long, narrow, enclosed porch, usually colonnaded or arcaded, crossing the entire width of a church at its entrance.

Why is the nave called the narthex?

Some traditions still call this area the narthex as it represents the point of entry into the church, even if everyone is admitted to the nave itself. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the esonarthex and exonarthex had, and still have, distinct liturgical functions.

Where is the narthex in a church located?

Narthex: The entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave. Nave: The primary area of public observance of the Mass. It is generally the largest space, and located between the narthex and sanctuary. Radiating Chapels: Located around the Apse of the church, accessible from the Ambulatory.

What are the two parts of the narthex?

In early Christian churches the narthex was often divided into two distinct parts: an esonarthex (inner narthex), between the west wall and the body of the church proper, separated from the nave and aisles by a wall, arcade, colonnade, screen, or rail, and an external closed space, the exonarthex (outer narthex),…

What is the nave used for in a church?

Used for burial or as a chapel. Facade: The outside of the church, where the main doors are located. In traditional medieval design, this faced the west and is called the West End. Narthex: The entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave. Nave: The primary area of public observance of the Mass.