pillar

(noun)

A large post, often used as supporting architecture.

Related Terms

Examples of pillar in the following topics:

  • Sculpture in the Vijayanagar Empire

    • Vijayanagar sculpture can most commonly be seen in the reliefs, pillars, and monolithic statues of temples.
    • Temple pillars often have engravings of charging horses or hippogryphs (yali)—horses standing on hind legs with their fore legs lifted and riders on their backs.
    • The horses on some pillars stand seven to eight feet tall.
    • On the other side of the pillar are often carvings from Hindu mythology.

  • Nayak Architecture

    • Among the main characteristics are the long corridors; the carved hundred-pillared and thousand-pillared mandapas (outdoor temple halls or porches); and the high, multi-storied gopurams (towers adorning the entrance of a temple), richly decorated with brightly-painted stone and stucco statues of animals, gods, and demons.
    • The temple has ten ornate gopurams and a hall with 985 pillars, each of which is a sculpture in the Dravidian style.
    • Each pillar in these Nayak, many-pillared temple halls is carved in the shape of a god, goddess, or mythical beasts such as the griffin.

  • Maurya Dynasty

    • He is famous for ordering that his edicts be carved into stones and caves around the empire and, later, for ordering that his edicts be carved into large sandstone pillars topped with statues of lions, known as the Pillars of Ashoka.
    • These pillars, often exquisitely decorated, are the most widespread example of Mauryan architecture that exists today, with more than 40 spread throughout the Indian subcontinent.
    • The most widespread example of Mauryan architecture that exists today are the Pillars of Ashoka, often exquisitely decorated, with more than 40 spread throughout the Indian subcontinent.
    • Describe the Barabar Caves, the Pillars of Ashoka, and other examples of architecture and art of the Maurya dynasty.

  • Architecture in the Vijayanagar Empire

    • Vijayanagar temples are surrounded by strong enclosures and characterized by ornate pillared kalyanamandapa (marriage halls); tall rayagopurams (carved monumental towers at the entrance of the temple) built of wood, brick, and stucco in the Chola style; and adorned with life-sized figures of gods and goddesses.
    • Vijayanagar temples are also known for their carved pillars, which depict charging horses, figures from Hindu mythology, and yali (hippogriphs).
    • Pillars and beams were made of wood and the roofs of brick and lime concrete.
    • Pillars of Vijayanagar temples are often engraved with images of yali, or hippogriffs.

  • Architecture of the Han Dynasty

    • Remains of Han Dynasty architecture include ruins of brick and rammed earth walls, rammed earth platforms, and funerary stone pillar-gates.
    • Architecture from the Han Dynasty that has survived until today include ruins of brick and rammed earth walls (including above-ground city walls and underground tomb walls), rammed earth platforms for terraced altars and halls, funerary stone or brick pillar-gates, and scattered ceramic roof tiles that once adorned timber halls.
    • Thatched or tiled roofs were supported by wooden pillars, since the addition of brick, rammed earth, or mud walls of these halls did not actually support the roof.
    • A stone-carved pillar-gate, or que (闕), 6 m (20 ft) in total height, located at the tomb of Gao Yi in Ya'an, Sichuan province, was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 CE).

  • Chinese Influences in Vietnamese Art

    • The One Pillar Pagoda, for example, was built in 1049 and is widely regarded as one of Vietnam's most iconic Buddhist temples.
    • In front of the Great Gate are four tall pillars, and on either side of the pillars are two stelae, or stone tablets commanding horsemen to dismount.

  • Architecture under the Merovingians

    • For instance, the Baptistry at Saint-Leonce of Fréjus, highlights the influence of Syrian technique on Merovingian architecture, evidenced by its octagonal shape and a covered cupola on pillars.
    • The Baptistry at the cathedral at Saint-Léonce of Fréjus reflects the Syrian and Armenian influences on early Merovingian architecture (demonstrated by the cupola on pillars).

  • Shoin Rooms

    • The asymmetry of the tokonoma and chigaidana pair, as well as the squared pillars, differentiated the shoin design from the contemporary Chinese design of the time, which preferred symmetric pairs of furniture and round pillars.

  • Prague

    • The building features a double-nave, common in medieval architecture, as well as six 5-partite vault compartments supported by octagonal pillars.
    • Paler added unique ornamentation, and innovative, almost sculptural, vaults and pillars to the Cathedral.

  • Jain Architecture

    • Among its most remarkable features are the rang manda, a grand hall supported by twelve pillars and surmounted by a breathtaking central dome, and the navchowki, a collection of nine rectangular ceilings, also richly carved.
    • The pillars in the main hall are carved into the likenesses of women playing musical instruments and the sixteen vidyadevis, or goddesses of knowledge; each holds a symbol representing her individual branch of learning.