CHURCH. Theprincipal type of a complete church, as an architectural structure, is a cathe dral. Almost every cathedral is varied in plan, although the leading features, the nave and choir, are found in almost all. The plan usually consists of a galitee, or chapel, at the principal entrance ; the nave, or main body of the church ; the side aisles, which do not rise so high as the nave, and are placed on each side of the nave, sometimes with chapels, at other times without, between the openings formed by the windows; the choir, or place for the ceremonies of the church ; the transept, or division at right angles to the end of the nave next the choir, which projects on each side, and forms a cross on the plan. Some cathe, drals have a double transept, and the tran septs have often aisles. At the end of the choir is the high altar, behind which is occa sionally a lady chapel, or chapel to the Virgin. The choir end of a cathedral is sometimes ter minated by an apsis or semicircular end. Along the sides of the choir are ranged richly carved seats, ornamented with arches, pin nacles, and tracery, carved in oak. The bishop's seat, richer than the others and raised above them, is on one side, at the eastern end. The choir has also side aisles. Cloisters and a chapter-house are usually attached to English cathedrals. The minor parts of a cathedral are the muniment room, the library, the consistory court, the vestries of the dean and chapter, minstrels' chapels, a font, and a minstrels' gallery. Beneath the
body of the cathedral there is usually a crypt, or low basement, supported on arches spring ing from thick columns, as in Canterbury Ca thedral and others. At the point of intersec tion of the transept with the nave there is • usually a tower, sometimes surmounted by a . spire. The nave of a Gothic cathedral is sup , ported by clustered columns, arched from one . to the other, over which there is usually a row of small arches forming a gallery, which is called the triforium, and above are windows called clere-story windows. The chapter ' house and cloister are large and important features in many of our cathedrals. The finest chapter-heuses in England are of a polygonal form, and have in some cases a co lumn, or clutter of columns, in the centre, to support the vaulted roof. The cloisturcs are rectangular inclosures, with a richly orna mented and arched gallery running round the sides. Such are the leading features of the cathedrals and large churches of Europe, The numerous cathedrals of France, Italy, and Germany present beautiful specimens of ar chitecture, not only in the Gothic style, but also in the Italian style. St. Peter's at Rome is the largest cathedral in Europe. Vienna and Strasburg have the highest spires ; the former is 465 feet, the latter 156 feet high.