Skip to content
cornerstone
EntityQ1133673· pop 34· linked from 1,716 articles

cornerstone

Sign in to save

Also known as foundation stone

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.

~11 min read

Encyclopedic overview

9 sections
Contents
  • History
  • Freemasonry
  • Contemporary usage
  • Ecclesiastical
  • Western Roman Catholic Churches
  • Eastern Churches
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

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.

Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or replica, set in a prominent location on the outside of a building, with an inscription on the stone indicating the construction dates of the building and the names of architect, builder, and other significant individuals. The rite of laying a cornerstone is an important cultural component of eastern architecture and metaphorically in sacred architecture generally.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “cornerstone” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (12)