NARTHEX

In early Christian architecture the Narthex was a portion of the church at the west end, separated from the nave by a low wall or screen and reserved for the catechumens, energumens, and penitents who were not admitted amongst the congregation. The narthex was of two kinds, exterior and interior: the former consisted of an open atrium arcade continued across the front of the church; in the latter, the aisle and gallery were returned across the nave. The outer narthex was sometimes used as a hall of judgment and for other secular purposes, and, after the sixth century, as a place of burial, while the inner narthex sometimes called the matroneum, was used, probably for certain persons of rank or distinction, rather than as a women's gallery.

Picture taken from : http://blog.beliefnet.com/stuffchristianculturelikes/2010/04/149-calling-the-lobby-the-narthex.html

Acknowledgement: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10704b.htm

CLERESTORY

Clerestory is  term now restricted to the windows in an aisled nave, or to the range of wall in which the high windows are set but was formerly applied to any window or traceried opening in a church, e.g. in an aisle, tower, cloister, or screen, but . Sometimes these windows are very small, being mere quatrefoils or spherical triangles. However, is larger churches they are important features both of beauty and utility. The clerestory is especially used in churches where the division into nave and side aisles permits the introduction of light into the body of the church from above the aisle roofs.

CARLISLE CATHEDRAL
Picture taken from: www.varsitythreadsusa.com 

Acknowledgement: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04049a.htm

TRANSEPT

The Transept is a  rectangular space inserted between the apse and nave in the early Christian basilica. It sprang from the need of procuring sufficient space for the increased number of clergy and for the proper celebration of the service. The bay at which the transept intersects the main body of the church is called the crossing. The transept itself is sometimes simply called the cross.The length of the rectangle either equals the entire breadth of the nave, , or it exceeds this breadth more or less, so that the transept extends beyond the walls of the nave. The transept generally terminates towards the north and south in a straight line.

Picture taken from: http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/transept.htm

Acknowledgement: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15018a.htm
                              http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/602515/transept

NAVE

The Nave is the central and principal part of a Christian church, extending from the entrance (the narthex) to the transepts (transverse aisle crossing the nave in front of the sanctuary in a cruciform church) or, in the absence of transepts, to the chancel (area around the altar). The nave is that part of a church set apart for the laity, as distinguished from the chancel, choir, and presbytery, which are reserved for the choir and clergy. The separation of the two areas may be effected by screens or parapets, called cancelli. The term nave derives from the Latin navis, meaning “ship,” and it has been suggested that it may have been chosen to designate the main body of the building because the ship had been adopted as a symbol of the church.

Picture taken from : http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/nave.htm

Acknowledgement: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/406945/nave

CHANCEL

The Chancel is that part of a church which contains the choir and is often at the eastern end. The name derives from the Latin word for “lattice,” describing the screen that during some eras of church history divided the chancel from the nave and crossing. The word today is often interchangeable with choir or sanctuary.

THE CHURCH OF ST. ANDREWS, CLEWER 
Picture taken from : http://www.standrewsclewer.org.uk/?page_id=86

Acknowledgement: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/105298/chancel

CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

Architecture can be defined as the art or science of designing, making and building buildings. Church architecture can be said to be the art of making churches for the worship of Christians. Church architecture is a complex discipline and consists building of the aisle, apse, altar, belfry, buttress, chancel, chapel, gallery, nave, pew, pulpit, spandrels, vault among the other structures

Picture taken from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metz_Cathedral

Acknowledgement: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/architecture

.                             http://www.norwich-churches.org/Glossary/glossary.shtm

BASILICA

A  Basilica is a public building of ancient Rome having a central nave with an apse at one or both ends and two side aisles formed by rows of columns, which was used as a courtroom or assembly hall. It is also a Christian church building of a similar design, having a nave with a semicircular apse, two or four side aisles, a narthex, and a clerestory.

ISTVAN BASILICA
Picture taken from : http://www.bestourism.com/medias/dfp/2757

Acknowledgement: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/basilica