*Basilica(derived from Greek, Basilikè Stoá, Royal Stoa, the tribunal chamber of a king),

was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of
a Roman town. Public basilicas begin to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century
BC.
Basilicas were also used for religious purposes. The remains of a large subterranean
Neopythagorean basilica dating from the first century were found near the Porta
Maggiore in Rome in 1915; the stuccoes on the interior vaulting have survived, though
their exact interpretation remains a matter for debate. The ground-plan of Christian
basilicas in the 4th century was similar to that of this Neopythagorean basilica, which had
three naves, and an apse.
After the Roman Empire became officially Christian, the term came by extension
specifically to refer to a large and important church that has been given special
ceremonial rites by the Pope. Thus the word retains two senses today, one architectural
and the other ecclesiastical.

-nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave"
(Medieval Latin navis, "ship") was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting.[1]
The nave of a church, whether Romanesque, Gothic or Classical, extends from the entry -
which may have a separate vestibule, the narthex — to the chancel and is flanked by
lower aisles[2] separated from the nave by an arcade. If the aisles are high and of a width
comparable to the central nave, the structure is sometimes said to have three naves.
-side aisles: is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on either side or with
rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other. Aisles can be seen in airplanes, certain
types of buildings such as churches, Cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parliaments
and legislatures, courtrooms, theatres, and in certain types of passenger vehicles.
-apse(Greek αψις (apsis), then Latin absis: "arch, vault"; sometimes written apsis; plural
apses) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome. In
Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral and church 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.
-cleresory windows (pronounced /ˈklɪәrstɔri/; lit. clear storey, also clearstory,
clearstorey, or overstorey) is an architectural term denoting an upper level of a Roman
basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above
the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. The purpose of the
clerestory is to give light to the inner space of a large building
*-campanile Italian pronunciation: [kampaˈniːle], English
pronunciation: /ˌkæmpәˈniːliː/) is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" (from the word
campana, meaning "bell"). The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a
larger building (usually a church or a civil administration building) or free-standing,
although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.
st appolinaire en classe
hagia Sophia from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, "Holy Wisdom"; Latin: Sancta Sophia or
Sancta Sapientia) is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a
museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served
as the cathedral of Constantinople except between 1204 and 1261, when it was the
cathedral of the Latin empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1934,
when it was secularized; it was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.[1]
*byzantine/Byzantium was the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the
capital of Constantinople, and ruled by emperors in direct succession to the ancient
Roman emperors. It was called the Roman Empire, and also Romania (Greek: Ῥωµανία,
Rhōmanía), by its inhabitants and its neighbours. As the distinction between "Roman
Empire" and "Byzantine Empire" is purely a modern convention, it is not possible to
assign a date of separation, but an important point is the Emperor Constantine I's transfer
in 324 of the capital from Nicomedia (in Anatolia) to Byzantium on the Bosphorus,
which became Constantinople (alternatively "New Rome").[n 1]

mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. Muslims often refer to the mosque
by its Arabic name, masjid, Arabic: ‫ﻡﺱﺝﺩ‬‎ — Arabic pronunciation: [ˈmæsdʒɪd] (pl.
masājid, Arabic: ‫ﻡﺱﺍﺝﺩ‬‎ — [mæˈsæːdʒɪd]). The word "mosque" in English refers to all
types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship, although there is a distinction in Arabic
between the smaller, privately owned mosque and the larger, "collective" mosque
(Arabic: ‫ﺝﺍﻡﻉ ﻡﺱﺝﺩ‬‎, masjid jāmi‘), which has more community and social aspects.
ka’aba (Arabic: ‫ ﺍﻝﻙﻉﺏﺓ‬al-Kaʿbah, IPA: [ˈkɑʕbɐ]: "Cube")[1] is a cube-shaped building
in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam.[2] The building predates
Islam, and, according to Islamic tradition, the first building at the site was built by
Abraham. The building has a mosque built around it, the Masjid al-Haram. All Muslims
around the world face the Kaaba during prayers, no matter where they are.
elephant clock was a medieval Muslim invention by al-Jazari (1136–1206), consisting of
a weight powered water clock in the form of an elephant. The various elements of the
clock are in the housing on top of the elephant. They were designed to move and make a
sound each half hour.
A modern full-size working reproduction can be found as a centrepiece in the Ibn Battuta
Mall, a shopping mall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Another working reproduction
can be seen outside the Musée d'Horlogerie du Locle, Château des Monts, in Le Locle,
Switzerland.
In addition to its mechanical innovations, the clock itself is seen as an early example of
multiculturalism represented in technology. The elephant represents the Indian and
African cultures, the dragon represents Chinese culture, the phoenix represents ancient
Egyptian culture, the water work represents ancient Greek culture, and the turban
represents Islamic culture.[2]

horseshoe arch also called the Moorish arch and the Keyhole arch, is the emblematic
arch of Islamic architecture. They were formerly constructed in Visigothic Spain.
Horseshoe arches can take rounded, pointed or lobed form.
Horseshoe arches are known from pre-Islamic Syria where the form was used in the
fourth century CE in the Baptistery of Mar Ya'qub at Nisibin.[1] However, it was in Spain
and North Africa that horseshoe arches developed their characteristic form. The Visigoths
used them as one of their main architectural features, and the form was taken and
developed by the Ummayyads who accentuated the curvature of the horseshoe. This can
be seen at a large scale in their major work, the Great Mosque of Cordoba.[2] The
horsehoe form spread all over the Calliphate-influenced areas, and was adopted by the
next Arabs kingdoms of the Peninsula, the Taifa kingdoms, as well as by the Almoravids,
Almohads and the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, although also lobed, round, pointed and
multifoilde arches were used at that time. The proximity to Islamic culture of Mozarabs
made them adopt the horseshoe arch in their architecture and illuminated manuscripts.
Horseshoe arches were also used in the Mosque of Uqba, in Kairouan and, in a slightly
pointed form, in the Mosque of Muhammad ibn Khairun, Tunisia. [2] Mudejar style,
developed from the 12th to the 17th centuries, continued the tradition of horseshoe arches
in the Iberian Peninsula which had been started in the 7th century by the Visigoths.
In addition to their use across the Islamic world, horseshoe arches became popular in
Western countries at the time of the Moorish Revival. They were widely used in Moorish
revival synagogues.

colored voussoirs
tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches, mystics, Buddhist novices and
monks, and some Hindu temples of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics, devotees, or
holy people as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem.

*poryieres is a hanging placed over a door or over the doorless entrance to a room. Its
name is derived from the French word for door, porte . From Asia it came to Europe at a
remote date. It is known to have been in use in Europe in the 4th century[citation needed], and
was probably introduced much earlier. Like so many other domestic plenishings, it
reached England by way of France, where it appears to have been originally called rideau
de Porte (literally, "door curtain").
Common in wealthier households during the Victorian era, it is still occasionally used
either as an ornament or as a means of mitigating drafts. It is usually of some heavy
material, such as velvet, brocade, or plush, and is often fixed upon a brass arm, moving in
a socket with the opening and closing of the door.
In Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone with the Wind, the protagonist Scarlett O'Hara makes
a new dress from her mother's green velvet portieres (the scene was famously parodied
on The Carol Burnett Show when Carol Burnett, playing the role of Scarlett, wore not
only the fabric but the curtain rod as well).
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a
publication now in the public domain.

*repousse (French pronunciation: [ʀәpuse] ( listen)) or repoussage [ʀәpusaʒ] (

listen) is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is ornamented or shaped
by hammering from the reverse side. There are few techniques that offer such diversity of
expression while still being relatively economical. Chasing is the opposite technique to
repoussé, and the two are used in conjunction to create a finished piece. It is also known
as embossing.
While repoussé is used to work on the reverse of the metal to form a raised design on the
front, chasing is used to refine the design on the front of the work by sinking the metal.
The term chasing is derived from the noun "chase", which refers to a groove, furrow,
channel or indentation. The adjectival form is "chased work".
The techniques of repoussé and chasing utilise the plasticity of metal, forming shapes by
degrees. There is no loss of metal in the process, as it is stretched locally and the surface
remains continuous. The process is relatively slow, but a maximum of form is achieved,
with one continuous surface of sheet metal of essentially the same thickness. Direct
contact of the tools used is usually visible in the result, a condition not always apparent in
other techniques, where all evidence of the working method is eliminated.

*jesus (c. 5 BC/BCE – c. 30 AD/CE),[3] also known as Jesus Christ or simply Jesus, is
the central figure of Christianity, which views him as the Messiah foretold in the Old
Testament, with most Christian denominations believing him to be the Son of God and
God incarnate who was raised from the dead.[6] Islam considers Jesus a prophet and also
the Messiah.[7] Several other religions revere him in some way. He is one of the most
influential figures in human history.
Christ The word is often misunderstood to be the surname of Jesus due to the numerous
mentions of Jesus Christ in the Christian Bible. The word is in fact used as a title, hence
its common reciprocal use Christ Jesus, meaning "Jesus The Anointed One", or "Jesus
The Messiah". Followers of Jesus became known as Christians because they believed that
Jesus was the Christ, or Messiah, prophesied about in the Tanakh (which Christians term
the Old Testament). The majority of Jews reject this claim and are still waiting for Christ
to come (see Jewish Messiah). Most Christians now wait for the Second Coming of
Christ when they believe he will fulfill the rest of the Messianic prophecy.
The area of Christian theology focusing on the identity, life, teachings and works of
Jesus, is known as Christology

Christian pronounced /ˈkrɪs.tʃәn/ ( listen), /ˈkrɪs.ti.әn/) is a person who adheres to

Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus
of Nazareth, who they believe is the Messiah (the Christ in Greek-derived terminology)
prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.[1][2] Most Christians
believe in the doctrine of the Trinity ("tri-unity"), a description of God as Father, as Son,
and as Holy Spirit.
The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to describe anything associated with
Christianity, or in a proverbial sense "all that is noble, and good, and Christ-like."[3]

St. paul also called Saint Paul, Paul the Apostle, or the Apostle Paul, (Ancient
Greek: Σαούλ (Saul), Σαῦλος (Saulos), and Παῦλος (Paulos); Latin: Paulus or Paullus;
Hebrew: ‫התרסי שאול‬‎ Šaʾul HaTarsi (Saul of Tarsus)[3] (c. 5 - c. 67),[2] was a Jew[4] who
called himself the "Apostle to the Gentiles". According to the Acts of the Apostles, his
conversion to Christianity took place in a profound life-changing experience on the road
to Damascus. Together with Simon Peter and James the Just, he is among the most
notable of early Christian missionaries.[5]

Gospels (from Old English, gōd spell "good news") is a writing that describes the life of
Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical gospels: the Gospel of
Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between
AD 65 and 110. They appear to have been originally untitled; they were quoted
anonymously in the first half of the second century (i.e. 100–150) but the names by
which they are currently known appear suddenly around the year 180.[1] The term
"Gospel" refers also to the message itself of the four Gospels or of the whole New
Testament. See the separate article here.
Catacombs are ancient, human-made underground passageways or final resting place of
refugees or subterranean cemeteries composed thereof.[1] Many are under cities and have
served during historic times as a refuge for safety during wars[citation needed] or as a meeting
place for cults.[2][3] The first burial galleries to be referred to as catacombs lie beneath San
Sebastiano fuori le mura, in Rome. The derivation of the word itself is disputed and it
remains unclear if it ultimately derives from the cemetery itself or from the locality in
which it is found. There is no doubt however that the San Sebastiano catacombs are the
first to be referred to as such.[citation needed]
The word now refers to any network of caves, castles, grottos, or subterranean galleries
that were used in medieval times as refuges during wars, as worship places, or for burial
of the dead.

*Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Byzantine
Catholic Christians) Saint Constantine (pronounced /ˈkɒnstәntaɪn/ or /ˈkɒnstәntiːn/),
was Roman emperor from 306, and the sole holder of that office from 324 until his death
in 337. Best known for being the first Christian Roman emperor,[notes 1] Constantine
reversed the persecutions of his predecessor, Diocletian, and issued (with his co-emperor
Licinius) the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance throughout the
empire. The Byzantine liturgical calendar, observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church and
Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine rite, lists both Constantine and his mother
Helena as saints. Although he is not included in the Latin Church's list of saints, which
does recognize several other Constantines as saints, he is revered under the title "The
Great" for his contributions to Christianity.
Constantine also transformed the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium into a new imperial
residence, Constantinople, which would remain the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire
for over one thousand years.

*chi rho is one of the earliest forms of christogram, and is used by Christians. It is
formed by superimposing the first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word Christ (
Greek : "Χριστός" ), chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce the monogram ☧. The
Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to mark, in the margin, a
particularly valuable or relevant passage; the combined letters Chi and Rho standing for
chrēston, meaning "good."[1][2]
Although not technically a cross, the Chi Rho invokes the crucifixion of Jesus as well as
symbolizing his status as the Christ[citation needed]. There is early evidence of the Chi Rho
symbol on Christian Rings of the third century[citation needed].

alpha and omega comes from the phrase "I am the alpha and the omega" (Koiné Greek:
τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω), an appellation of Jesus[1] in the Book of Revelation (verses 1:8, 21:6, and
22:13).
In the Book of Revelation, it reads “I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.”[2].
The first part of this phrase (“I am the Alpha and Omega”) is first found in Chapter 1
verse 8, and is found in every manuscript of Revelation that has 1v8. Several later
manuscripts repeat “I am the Alpha and Omega” in 1v11 too, but it does not receive
support here from most of the oldest manuscripts, including the Alexandrine, Sinaitic,
and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus. It is, therefore, omitted in some modern translations.
Scholar Robert Young stated, with regards to “I am the Alpha and Omega” in 1v11, that
the “oldest MSS. omit” it.[3]

Canonical is an adjective derived from canon. Canon comes from the Greek word kanon,
"rule" (perhaps originally from kanna "reed", cognate to cane), and is used in various
meanings.
Basic, canonic, canonical: reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible
without loss of generality, e.g., "a basic story line"; "a canonical syllable pattern."

council of nicea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia

(present-day İznik in Turkey) by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in A.D. 325. The
Council was historically significant as the first effort to attain consensus in the church
through an assembly representing all of Christendom.[2]
Its main accomplishments were discussion and settlement of the Christological issue of
the relationship of Jesus to God the Father; the construction of the first part of the Nicene
Creed; settling the calculation of the date of Easter; and promulgation of early canon
law.[3][4]

*heretic does not believe what the church council says.

orthodox: believes the Christian way.
arians: s the theological teaching of Arius (ca. AD 250–336), a Christian presbyter from
Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity ('God the
Father', 'God the Son' and 'God the Holy Spirit') and the precise nature of the Son of God.
Deemed a heretic by the First Council of Nicaea of 325, Arius was later exonerated in
335 at the First Synod of Tyre[1], and then pronounced a heretic again after his death at
the First Council of Constantinople of 381.[2] The Roman Emperors Constantius II (337-
361) and Valens (364-378) were Arians or Semi-Arians. The Arian concept of Christ is
that the Son of God did not always exist, but was created by - and is therefore distinct
from and inferior to - God the Father.[3]

dome of the rock (Arabic: ‫ﺍﻝﺹﺥﺭﺓ ﻕﺏﺓ ﻡﺱﺝﺩ‬‎, translit.: Masjid Qubbat As-Sakhrah,
Hebrew: ‫הסלע כיפת‬‎, translit.: Kipat Hasela) is an Islamic shrine and major landmark
located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It was completed in 691-692, making it the
oldest existing Islamic building in the world.[1] The site's significance stems from the
religious beliefs regarding the rock, known as the Foundation Stone, at its heart.

*muhammed ibn ‘Abdullāh (Arabic: ‫ ;ﷴ‬Transliteration: Muḥammad;[2]

pronounced [mʊˈħæmmæd] ( listen); also spelled Muhammed or Mohammed)[3][4][5]
(ca. 570/571 Mecca[َ‫] ﻡَﻙَﺓ‬/[ ْ‫ – ] ﻡَﻙَﻩ‬June 8, 632),[6] is the founder of the religion of
Islam [ ْ‫ ] ﺇِﺱْﻝﺍﻡ‬and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of God (Arabic:
‫ﺍﻝﻝﻩ‬‎ Allāh), the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets and by most Muslims
the last prophet as taught by the Qur'an 33:40–40. Muslims thus unlike the critics
consider him the restorer of an uncorrupted original monotheistic faith (islām) of Adam,
Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and other prophets.[7][8][9] He was also active as a diplomat,
merchant, philosopher, orator, legislator, reformer, military general, and, according to
Muslim belief, an agent of divine action.[10]
Qu’ran (pronounced [qurˈʔaːn]; Arabic: ‎ al-qur’ān, literally “the recitation”)
[1]
is the central religious verbal text of Islam, also sometimes transliterated as Quran,
Qur’ān, Koran, Al-Coran or Al-Qur’ān. Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the verbal
book of divine guidance and direction for mankind, and consider the original Arabic
verbal text to be the final revelation of God.[2][3][4][5]
Hegira (‫ )ﻩِﺝْﺭَﺓ‬is the migration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers to
the city of Medina in 622 (Common Era). Alternate spellings of this Arabic word in the
Latin alphabet are Hijrah, or Hegira in Latin.
*campanile (Italian pronunciation: [kampaˈniːle], English
pronunciation: /ˌkæmpәˈniːliː/) is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" (from the word
campana, meaning "bell"). The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a
larger building (usually a church or a civil administration building) or free-standing,
although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.
The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Other notable
examples include St Mark's Campanile in St Mark's Square, Venice.
Modern campaniles often contain carillons, a musical instrument traditionally composed
of at least 23 large bells which are sounded by cables, chains, or cords connected to a
keyboard. These can be found at some college and university campuses. In modern
construction, rather than using heavy bells the sound may be produced by the striking of
small metal rods whose vibrations are amplified electronically and sounded through
loudspeakers.
The tallest free-standing campanile in the world is the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial
Clock Tower, located at the University of Birmingham, UK.[1] although its actual height
is the subject of some confusion. The university lists it as 110 metres (361 ft) tall,[2]
whereas other sources state that it is 100 metres (328 ft) tall, which would correspond to
approximately 110 yards.[1][3]
*Cushioned capitals: Design
of
capitals
in
medieval
Europe
usually
stemmed
from

Roman
sources.
Cubiform,
or
cushion,
capitals,
square
on
top
and
rounded
at
the

bottom,
served
as
transitional
forms
between
the
angular
springing
of
the
arches

and
the
round
columns
supporting
them.
Grotesque
animals,
birds,
and
other

figurative
motifs
characterize
capitals
of
the
Romanesque
period.
At
the
beginning

of
the
Gothic...