What is a sanctuary in a church?
A sanctuary (from the Latin sanctus, holy) is the space around the high altar in a church: the holiest part of the building. It usually lies in the eastern part of the choir and is also called the presbytery. Traditionally, this area was reserved for the clergy and separated from the space for the congregation. In a broader sense, sanctuary also means a shrine or place of pilgrimage.
Features in the building
- Raised: the sanctuary often lies one or more steps higher than the nave, so that the altar is visible.
- Separated: by an altar rail, a choir screen or a rood screen. In older churches you can still see the foundations or remains of such a screen.
- More richly finished: floors of natural stone or patterned tiles, vaults with paintings and the finest stained glass windows are often found here.
- Termination: the sanctuary often ends in a semicircular or polygonal apse.
Relevance in building practice
In building practice, the term matters mainly in:
- Restoration and conversion: when a church is given a new use, the sanctuary is often the part with the greatest heritage value. Think of tombstones in the floor, altar arrangements and screens. In the Netherlands, for a listed national monument (rijksmonument), the environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning) determines which interventions are allowed.
- Building archaeology: differences in floor level, floor material and traces of foundations tell you where the sanctuary was and how it has changed.
- Drawing and describing churches: in plans and descriptions, the choir, the sanctuary and the apse are named as separate parts.
Related terms
- Altar
- Altar rail
- Parts of a church
- Crossing (architecture)
- Crypt
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