cruciform

(adjective)

Having the shape of a cross.

Related Terms

Examples of cruciform in the following topics:

  • Architecture of the Early Christian Church

    • This addition gave the building a cruciform shape to memorialize the Crucifixion.
    • Peter's followed the plan of the Roman basilica and added a transept (labeled "Bema" in this diagram) to give the church a cruciform shape.

  • Neolithic Monuments

    • A common layout is the cruciform passage grave, characterized by a cross-shaped structure.
    • Located in close proximity to similar sites such as Newgrange, Knowth consists of one large cruciform passage tomb, and 17 smaller satellite tombs, estimated to date between 2500 and 2000 BCE.

  • Architecture

    • Some feature porticos (projecting chambers) to the west or to the north and south, creating a cruciform plan.

  • The Chavín Civilization

    • The Old Temple featured the Lanzón, which was housed in a central cruciform chamber in a labyrinth of underground passages.

  • Architecture in the Early Byzantine Empire

    • Like the original church, Justinian's replacement had a cruciform plan and and was surmounted by five domes: one above each arm of the cross and one above the central bay where the arms intersected.

  • Gothic Cathedrals

    • Most Gothic churches have the Latin cross (or "cruciform") plan, with a long nave making the body of the church.

  • Architecture of Aksun and Lalibela

    • The Western Group includes Biete Giyorgis, a cruciform structure, said to be the most finely executed and best preserved church.

  • Cistercian Architecture

    • Cistercian churches were most often built on a cruciform layout, with a short presbytery to meet the liturgical needs of the brethren, small chapels in the transepts for private prayer, and an aisle-edged nave that was divided roughly in the middle by a screen to separate the monks from the lay brothers.

  • Architecture of Hindu Temples

    • The temple is a square with a number of graduated projections in the middle of each side, giving a cruciform shape with a number of re-entrant angles on each side.

  • Norman Architecture

    • The cruciform churches often have deep chancels and a square crossing tower, which have remained a feature of English ecclesiastical architecture.