What is a triumphal arch?
A triumphal arch is a monumental, free-standing gateway with one or more openings, built to celebrate a victory or honour an important person. In church architecture the term is also used for the large arch separating the nave from the chancel, more commonly called the chancel arch in English.
The Roman triumphal arch
The triumphal arch is a Roman invention. It consists of massive piers carrying a round arch, often framed by columns, topped by an attic storey bearing an inscription. Relief sculpture shows the victory being commemorated. Well-known examples in Rome:
- Arch of Titus: erected shortly after AD 81 in memory of Emperor Titus and the capture of Jerusalem in AD 70. A single opening.
- Arch of Septimius Severus: dedicated in AD 203 in the Roman Forum, with three openings.
- Arch of Constantine: dedicated in AD 315 after the victory at the Milvian Bridge (312). It partly reuses reliefs from older monuments.
Later periods revived the type. The Arc de Triomphe in Paris was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 and completed in 1836; since 1921 it has sheltered the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The chancel arch
In early Christian, Romanesque and Gothic churches, the arch at the junction of nave and chancel is also known as the triumphal arch, a reference to the triumph of Christ. A large crucifix, the rood or triumphal cross, was often placed in or beneath it.
Practical tips
- Read the layout: a single opening is the simple type; three openings (one large, two small) is the grander type.
- Do not confuse it with a city gate: a triumphal arch stands free and has no defensive role.
- In church repair work the chancel arch is often structurally important; cracks in it should be assessed by a specialist.
Related terms
- Roman architecture
- Round arch
- Chancel
- Nave
- Keystone
- Archivolt
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