Architectural elements

thumb|300px|An orchestra conductor stands on a podium so he can both see and be seen by the musicians

anteroom (antechamber) or small foyer leading into a larger space

thumb|200px|A peripteros surrounded by a Peristasis (architecture)|peristasis

thumb|upright=2.0

architectural structure sited to take advantage of a fine or scenic view

thumb|250px|Before the Burj Khalifa, the [[Taipei 101 had the former tallest spire in the world.]] thumb|360x360px|The Burj Khalifa holds the record of the tallest spire in the world, with the height of thumb|360x360px|The Chrysler Building was the world-first skyscraper with a spire thumb|Spire of Salisbury Cathedral (completed 1320) (, with tower and spire)

thumb |An ab anbar (water reservoir) with windcatchers (openings near the top of the towers) in the central desert city of [[Yazd, Iran]] thumb |Aghazadeh Mansion in Abarkooh, [[Iran, has an elaborate 18-m windtower with two levels of openings, plus some smaller windtowers.]]

300px|thumb|Archivolts on the South Portal of the Chartres Cathedral|Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, [[Chartres, France.]] An archivolt (or voussure) is an ornamental moulding or band following the curve on the underside of an arch.

partition between the chancel and nave found in medieval church architecture

ramping arch from the top of a wall to support a higher pier

thumb|250px| Festoon of the Panthéon, Paris, by [[Jacques-Germain Soufflot and Jean-Baptiste Rondelet, 1758–1790]]

thumb|upright=1.3|Muqarnas as seen from below in the iwan entrance to the Shah Mosque in [[Isfahan, Iran (17th century)]] thumb|upright=1.3|Muqarnas dome in the Sala de Dos Hermanas at the Alhambra in [[Granada, Spain (14th century)]] Muqarnas (), also known in Iberian architecture as Mocárabe (from ), is a form of three-dimensional decoration in Islamic architecture in which rows or tiers of niche-like elements are projected over others below. It is an archetypal form of Islamic architecture, integral to the vernacular of Islamic buildings, and typically featured in domes and vaults, as well

thumb|right|200px|Temple layout with cella highlighted in gray

circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall

thumb|A schematic image of three types of cantilever. The top example has a full moment connection (like a horizontal flagpole bolted to the side of a building). The middle example is created by an extension of a simple supported beam (such as the way a Springboard|diving board is anchored and extends over the edge of a swimming pool). The bottom example is created by adding a [[Robin boundary condition to the beam element, which essentially adds an elastic spring to the end board. The top and bottom example may be considered structurally equivalent, depending on the effective stiffness of the

thumb|250px|A ceremonial cornerstone from 1907, at the side of a building in Lasówka, Poland A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.

thumb|right|260px|Pinnacles, studded with Crocket|crockets, on [[King's College Chapel, Cambridge.]]

upper part of a construction, placed above an entablature or cornice

thumb|upright=2|Reproduction antefixes with anthemion|anthemia, Athens

type of roof

thumb|250px|Squinches supporting a dome in Odzun Basilica, Armenia, early 8th century

recessed area open from a larger room but enclosed by architectural elements

sill of a door

thumb|upright=1.2|Dome upon tholobate of the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Harrisburg

space defined by the vertical piers, in a building

thumb|upright|Eaves overhang, shown here with a bracket system of modillions

thumb|Central columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall in the [[Temple of Karnak, Egypt]]

thumb|300px|A modern handrail made of metal

thumb|right|Coffering on the ceiling of the Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon ([[Rome)]] thumb|right|Coffered ceiling with carved human heads at Wawel Castle ([[Kraków)]]

thumb|Classical shrine from Marsala|Lilybaeum, with sign of [[Baal Hammon, signs of Tanit and caduceus]] In ancient Roman religion, an ' (: ') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns and typically framing a statue. The early Christian ones sometimes contained funeral urns. are also represented in art as a form of ornamentation.

thumb|A Romanesque architecture|Romanesque triforium gallery, Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, Lisbon thumb|Interior elevation view of a Gothic cathedral, with triforium highlighted

thumb|upright|Interior elevation of a Gothic cathedral, with clerestory highlighted thumb|The church of St. Nicholas' Church (Stralsund)|St Nicholas, Stralsund in Germany – the clerestory is the level between the two green roofs, reinforced here by [[flying buttresses]]

thumb|right|Close-up of the Pyramidion of Amenemhat III at Dahshur. [[Egyptian Museum, Cairo]]A pyramidion (plural: pyramidia) is the capstone of an Egyptian pyramid or the upper section of an obelisk. Speakers of the Ancient Egyptian language referred to pyramidia as benbenet and associated the pyramid as a whole with the sacred benben stone.

thumb|A patio outside of a home in the Netherlands

thumb|280px|The Jerash nymphaeum

outer non-structural walls of a building

arch-like construction method

thumb|class=skin-invert-image| thumb|Books placed on an interior window sill or stool

frame for a painted or engraved design

thumb| Lesenes and Lombard band (mini-arches), Old St. Martin, [[Kaarst]] A lesene, also called a pilaster strip, is an architectural term for a narrow, low-relief vertical pillar on a wall. It resembles a pilaster, but does not have a base or capital. It is typical in Lombardic and Rijnlandish architectural building styles.

architectural element

type of long, narrow room

thumb|upright|Westwork of Corvey Abbey A westwork (), forepart, avant-corps or avancorpo is the monumental, west-facing entrance section ("west front") of a Carolingian, Ottonian, or Romanesque church. The exterior consists of multiple stories between two towers. The interior includes an entrance vestibule, a chapel, and a series of galleries overlooking the nave. A westwork is usually broader than the width of the nave and aisles. It is sometimes used synonymously with narthex. The structural purpose of the massive westwork is to resolve the horizontal thrust of the east-to-west arcades of th

in architecture, a projecting block resting on top of a column or embedded in a wall

thumb|Eternal Flame Falls in New York has an eternal flame inside a small grotto behind the falls thumb|Grutas de García in [[Nuevo León, Mexico]]

secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building

distance between supports of an arch, bridge, etc.

strip of material used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration

planted area on the top covering of a building

grid of slits in a barrier, that allows passage of fluids but blocks large objects

architectural element

type of window

structural framework of timbers

masonry technique of texturing

special exit for use during emergencies

architectural element, fortification feature

thumb|right|300px|Closeup of dentils, above a Corinthian order capital, Town Hall, [[Westport, Connecticut, U.S.]] thumb|right|250px|Long view of same

300px|thumb|Sondani, two [[Dvarapalas, circa 525 CE.]] 300px|thumb|right|One of two pairs of dvarapala, 9th century Buddhist temple of Plaosan, [[Java, Indonesia.]]

thumb|Exedra of Pamphilidas, Acropolis of Lindos, Rhodes, Greece thumb|right|The foundations and partial floor of a late Roman villa. The floored part is the exedra. The rest of the floor has deteriorated and is missing, with only parts of the [[hypocaust columns remaining. Hot air circulated through the hypocaust to heat the house.]] An exedra (: exedras or exedrae) is a semicircular architectural recess or platform, sometimes crowned by a semi-dome, and either set into a building's façade or free-standing. The original Greek word ('a seat out of doors') was applied to a room that opened onto

thumb|Electric light bulbs in the shape of candle flames