# What is a column base?
**In architecture, the base is the lowest part of a column or pillar, forming the transition between the shaft and the stylobate (platform) or floor.** The base distributes the weight of the column over a larger area and provides an architectural accent.
## Forms
The shape of the base varies by classical order:
– **Attic base** — the most common form, consisting of two torus mouldings (convex rings) with a scotia (concave ring) between them. Used in the Ionic and Corinthian orders.
– **Ionic base** — similar to the Attic, often with additional mouldings
– **Tuscan base** — simpler than the Attic, with one torus on a plinth
– **Doric order** — in the Greek variant has no base; the column stands directly on the stylobate
## Application
Column bases appear in all buildings with columns in classical style:
– Churches and government buildings in neoclassical style
– Historic facades with pilasters
– Monumental entrances and porticos
– Modern interpretations of classical architecture
In contemporary construction, the term ‘baseplate’ is used for the bottom of a steel column.
## Related terms
– Column
– Order
– Pilaster
– Capital
– Pedestal
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