What is the main central part of a church or basilica?

In a basilican church (see basilica), which has side aisles, nave refers only to the central aisle. 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.



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The word basilica is derived from a Greek term meaning “royal court”—from which the king exercised his reign. In the Catholic world, a basilica is a church building that has been recognized and accorded special privileges by the pope.

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A basilica is simply an important church building designated by the pope because it carries special spiritual, historical, and/or architectural significance. Basilica is the highest permanent designation for a church building, and once a church is named a basilica, it cannot lose its basilica status.

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Although their form was variable, basilicas often contained interior colonnades that divided the space, giving aisles or arcaded spaces on one or both sides, with an apse at one end (or less often at each end), where the magistrates sat, often on a slightly raised dais.

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Basilicas are typically rectangular buildings with a central nave flanked by two or more longitudinal aisles, with the roof at two levels, being higher in the centre over the nave to admit a clerestory and lower over the side-aisles.

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1. : an oblong building ending in a semicircular apse used in ancient Rome especially for a court of justice and place of public assembly. 2. : an early Christian church building consisting of nave and aisles with clerestory and a large high transept from which an apse projects.

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Some of the key architectural features of a cathedral are the narthex (main entrance area), the nave (main aisle leading to the front of the cathedral), and the apse (location of the altar).

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The word basilica is derived from a Greek term meaning “royal house.” In the Catholic world, a basilica is a church building that has been accorded special privileges by the pope. There are two kinds of basilicas. The world's four major, or papal, basilicas are St. John Lateran, St.

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To clarify: a cathedral is any church that is the “seat” of a bishop. There is one cathedral per diocese. A basilica is any church named highly important by the pope based on its historical or cultural importance, its art or beauty, its signi?cance in the liturgical life of the Church or a variety of these attributes.

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There are two types of basilicas – Major Basilicas and Minor Basilicas. First among the Major Basilicas is the Lateran Basilica of Saint John, which is the Pontifical Cathedral of the Holy Father as the Bishop of Rome.

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As for basilicas, there are two types: basilicas major and basilicas minor. The basilicas major are the four personal churches of the pope and are in and around Rome: the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, St. Peter's Basilica, the Basilica of St.

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