A transverse arch (or girth arch) is an arch set across the length of a vault on its underside, which separates the successive vault bays and reinforces the vault. The arch projects as a thickened band beneath the vault.
Application
Transverse arches occur mainly in church architecture with barrel and rib vaults:
- Division — they mark the boundary between two bays and give rhythm to a vaulted space.
- Reinforcement — as thickened ribs they take part of the vault forces and lead them to the piers or wall pillars.
- Building sequence — when a vault was built, the transverse arches were often made first, after which the lighter vault fields were filled in between.
The transverse arch rests on piers, corbels or wall arches and connects to the shafts (half-columns) along the wall. Together with the diagonal ribs it forms the load-bearing skeleton of a Gothic vault, allowing the actual vault surfaces to remain thin and light.
Related terms
- Vault
- Arch
- Rib vault
- Pier
- Gothic
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