Arcades, grandes (great arcades ©)

The translation in the title is followed by this sign ©; this means that it has been "invented" by me.

Grandes arcades are the arcades separating the nef (nave) from the bas-côtés (aisles).
The picture shows the grandes arcades on the left and right hand side of the nave of the Saint-Martin in Chapaize.
See also grandes arcades (synonym).

Saint-Martin - Chapaize

Arcature (gallery ©)

The translation in the title is followed by this sign ©; this means that it has been "invented" by me.

Arcatures can be aveugles (blind) as well as ajourées (ajoure) or ouvertes (open), such as this claire-voie (window gallery) in 25 Rue de la République in Cluny.
Arcatures are often small and decorative.

25 Rue de la République - Cluny

Arc-boutant (flying buttress)

Flying buttresses are, as far as I am concerned, better known in gothique (Gothic) than in roman (Romanesque) architecture.
But that may be due to my own ignorance.
By lack of better examples, in the picture two flying buttresses (one behind the other) of the Notre-Dame in Cluny.
Flying buttresses transfer the horizontal forces from the superstructure to a pile or culée (buttress) at the end of the arch.
See also pile and culée.

Notre-Dame - Cluny

Architrave (architrave)

Because I associate the word architrave more easily with Greek or Roman temples than with roman (Romanesque) churches, I have added this particular Wikipedia picture.
The parts, also used in Romanesque architecture are:

A - colonne (column)
B - chapiteau (capital)
C - abaque (abacus)
D - architrave (architrave)

This is an architrave of the Doric order.

Architrave - Wikipedia

Archivolte (archivolt)

This archivolt, the outmost arc (arch) in the picture is situated above the tympan (tympanum) of the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Montceaux-l'Etoile.

Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul - Montceaux-l'Etoile.

Arête (groin vault)

A crossing of two voûtes en berceau (barrel vaults) of equal height.
An arête (in general a sharp edge) is the cutting line of two barrel vaults crossing each other perpendicular.
The sketch from Wikipedia hardly needs any more explanation.
In the picture a groin vault in the Saint-Philibert in Tournus.
See also voûte d'arête (synonym) and voûte en berceau.

Arête - Wikipedia

Saint-Philibert - Tournus

Arête de poisson (herringbone bond)

More often this herringbone pattern is referred to as opus spicatum. It is a stone bond in the shape of a herringbone, and found in carolingien (Carolingian) and préroman (Pre-Romanesque) buildings. This bond is abundantly present in the walls of the Saint-Laurent in Tournus.
There is some confusion about this term in French Wikipedia. They distinguish "appareil en épi de blé" = stone bond in the shape of ears of wheat (opus spicatum) and "arête de poisson". The difference is that in case of arête de poisson the joint between the herringbones forms a straight line, while in opus spicatum it follows a zigzag line.
The picture shows the only remainig bit of wall of the original Sainte-Marie in Bonnay.
See also opus spicatum.

Sainte-Marie - Bonnay

Assise (course)

A horizontal layer of stones or bricks.
See also appareil.

La Tour Ronde - Cluny

Astragale (astragal)

The ring between the top of a colonne (column) and the underside of the corbeille (capital head) is called astragal.
According to Wikipedia the astragal is normally a part of the chapiteau (capital), whilst in classical antiquity it was a part of the column.

Sacré-Cœur - Paray-le-Monial

Autel (altar)

Table or table-like construction used by the priest amongst others whilst celebrating mass.
An altar is normally to be found in the chœur (choir) or in a chapelle (chapel).
This very simple altar is to be found in the chapelle castrale (castle chapel) of the castle of Berzé-le-Châtel.

Chapelle castrale - Berzé-le-Châtel

Avant-corps (protruding front ©)

The translation in the title is followed by this sign ©; this means that it has been "invented" by me.

An avant-corps is the protruding part of the façade (facade) of a church.
The protruding part around the door of the Saint-Valérien in Tournus is the avant-corps.

Saint-Valérien - Tournus

Avant-nef (narthex)

The covered vestibule of a church.
The avant-nef gives access to the nef (nave) and is located at the outmost west side of the church.
The grey part in plan (Wikipedia) is the avant-nef.
The picture shows the peculiar avant-nef of the Saint-Philibert in Tournus; it was taken from under the avant-nef, at the entrance to the church, looking in the direction of the chœur (choir).
See also galilée (synonym) and narthex (synonym).

Avant-nef - Wikipedia

Saint-Philibert - Tournus

Aveugle (blind)

Aveugle is used as opposed to ouvert (open) or ajouré (ajoure).
These blind arcatures are to be found on walls of Canterbury Cathedral.
See arcature.

Canterbury Cathedral

Baie (wall opening)

Door or window opening in a wall.
The picture shows the clocher (bell tower) of the Notre-Dame in Lys (Chissey-lès-Mâcon).

Notre-Dame - Lys (Chissey-lès-Mâcon)

Baie géminée (twin opening)

The most common examples of these baies géminées are the twin openings in bell towers.
The picture shows the clocher (bell tower) of the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Taizé.

Sainte-Marie-Madeleine - Taizé

Bandeau (cornice)

An ornamental cornice, protruding, but not much, from the plane it is attached to.
This bandeau, supported from corbeaux (corbels), can be found on the wall of the chœur (choir) in the Saint-Bonnet in Saint-Bonnet-de-Cray.

Saint-Bonnet - Saint-Bonnet-de-Cray

Bande lombarde (Lombard band)

A wall decoration of pilastres (pilasters) or lésènes (lesenes) not protruding much from the wall, connected at the top by a series of small arcs (arches).
The name comes from the migrant artisans and builders who brought this decoration over from their homeland Lombardy.
A simple form can be seen in the picture shown at baie géminée (twin opening); the picture below shows the very decorative effect obtained on the façade (facade) of the Saint-Philibert in Tournus.

Saint-Philibert - Tournus

Baptistère (baptistery)

A baptistery is an isolated part of a church containing the baptismal font.
It is obviously used for christenings.
A world famous baptistery can be found in Pisa (Italy), next to the church.
The first picture shows the baptistery Saint-Jean in Poitiers (Vienne 86), the second one the interior of the baptistery in Venasque (Vaucluse 84).

Baptistère Saint-Jean - Poitiers (86)

Baptistère - Venasque (84)

Barlong (rectangular)

Rectangular, with an area that is wider than it is long.
The clocher (bell tower) of the Saint-Symphorien in Vérizet (Viré) clearly has a barlong plan.

Saint-Symphorien - Vérizet

Bas-côté (aisle)

The aisles are often lower than the nef (nave).
In plan (Wikipedia) the aisles are shown in grey.
In the picture the southern aisle of the Saint-Martin in Chapaize.
See also collatéral (synonym).

Bas-côté - Wikipedia

Saint-Martin - Chapaize