Sunday, June 28, 2020 –
Today we are going up, up, up! We are going to start building the inside of our minor Basilica; the vertical cross-section (AKA the vertical layout), if you will. It will just be the basic sections of the vertical layout. You will have to tune in at a later date for the fancy-fancy stuff!
Anyhow, we are going to talk about the main arcade, the triforium arcade, the triforium gallery, the clerestory, and the vault.
Main Arcade: this is a series of arches (on top of columns, of course) that separate the nave from the side aisles.
Triforium Arcade: the triforium is the section above the side aisles. The triforium arcade is a series of arches that separate the triforium gallery from the main nave.
Triforium Gallery: sometimes just called the gallery, this is an upper level (sometimes with seating) above the side aisles. It **can** be on the same level as the clerestory windows, or it can be below them. It really depends on how tall we want our building to go. For example, the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal, Canada has two triforium galleries, one on top of the other. The second “floor” is on the same level as their clerestory windows.
Clerestory: this is the very upper part of the Church, just shy of the vaulted ceiling. It contains a series of windows designed to let light into the central parts of the building: nave, choir, and transepts.
Vault: this is the ceiling. Gothic architecture has all sorts of types of vaults, but basically if you look up and see the ceiling of a big, Gothic Cathedral, then you are looking at the vault.
Okay, that was a little lighter for today, but gives you the basics of the interior cross-section of a Gothic Cathedral. Tomorrow we will cover the exterior cross-section, again…just the basics.
Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, have mercy on us!
