In classical architecture the entablature is the horizontal part that rests on top of the columns or pilasters. It forms the uppermost of the three main parts of an order and itself consists of three layers: the architrave at the bottom, the frieze in the middle and the cornice at the top. This is the architrave/frieze/cornice build-up; together they crown the facade or the row of columns.
The three parts
- Architrave — the lowest, load-bearing beam that lies directly on the capitals of the columns
- Frieze — the middle band, often decorated with relief, triglyphs or a continuous band
- Cornice — the topmost, projecting moulding that finishes the whole and keeps water off the facade
Application
The entablature belongs to the classical orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian) and recurs in styles based on them, such as the Renaissance, classicism and neoclassicism. You find it on temples, town halls, churches and mansions. The proportions between architrave, frieze and cornice follow fixed rules that differ per order; in restoration it is precisely those proportions and the moulding work that are decisive.
Related terms
- Architrave
- Frieze
- Cornice
- Order
- Column
- Capital
- Dutch classicism
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