The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the , or in a church without transepts, to the chancel.[Cram, Ralph Adams. Nave. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. Accessed 13 July 2018] Either way, the nave is distinct from the area reserved for the choir and clergy.
Description
The nave extends from the entry—which may have a separate vestibule (the
narthex)—to the chancel and may be flanked by lower side-aisles
separated from the nave by an arcade. If the aisles are high and of a width comparable to the central nave, the structure is sometimes said to have three naves. It provides the central approach to the high
altar.
Etymology
The term
nave is from navis, the
Latin word for
ship, an early Christian symbol of the
Christian Church as a whole, with a possible connection to the "Ship of St. Peter" or the Ark of Noah.
The term may also have been suggested by the keel shape of the vaulting of a church. In many
Nordic countries and
Baltic states countries a model ship is commonly found hanging in the nave of a church,
and in some languages the same word means both 'nave' and 'ship', as for instance Danish skib]], Swedish skepp]], Dutch schip]] or Spanish nave.
History
The earliest churches were built when builders were familiar with the form of the Roman
basilica, a public building for business transactions. It had a wide central area, with aisles separated by columns, and with windows near the ceiling. Old St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is an early church which had this form. It was built in the 4th century on the orders of Roman emperor
Constantine I, and replaced in the 16th century.
The nave, the main body of the building, is the section set apart for the laity, while the chancel is reserved for the clergy. In medieval churches the nave was separated from the chancel by the rood screen; these, being elaborately decorated, were notable features in European churches from the 14th to the mid-16th century.
Medieval naves were divided into bays, the repetition of form giving an effect of great length; and the vertical element of the nave was emphasized. During the Renaissance, in place of dramatic effects there were more balanced proportions.
By the 1300s, the maintenance and decoration of the nave of parish churches was the responsibility of the parishioners; the clergy were responsible for keeping the chancel in repair.
Record-holders
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Longest nave in the world is in Spain: Basílica de la Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos, total; divided via added partition to not exceed that of St. Peter's in Rome
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Longest nave in Denmark: Aarhus Cathedral,
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Longest nave in England: Winchester Cathedral,
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Longest nave in Ireland: St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, , externally
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Longest nave in France: Bourges Cathedral, , including choir where a crossing would be if there were transepts
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Longest nave in Germany: Cologne Cathedral, , including two bays between the towers
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Longest nave in Italy: St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, , in four bays
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Longest cathedral nave in Spain: Seville, , in five bays
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Longest nave in the United States: Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City, United States (Episcopal),
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Highest vaulted nave: Beauvais Cathedral, France, , but only one bay of the nave was actually built; however, choir and transepts were completed to the same height.
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Highest completed nave: St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City,
See also
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Abbey, with architectural discussion and ground plans
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Cathedral architecture
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Cathedral diagram
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List of highest church naves
