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Identifying feature

Rib vault

A vault built on a framework of crossing stone arches, called ribs, with thin stone panels filling the spaces between them. It is a defining feature of Gothic churches and cathedrals.

a sign of these styles

Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal: an example of Manueline Manueline c. 1490–1540 Late Gothic stonework with twisted columns, carved ropes, armillary spheres and shells around portals and windows.

often seen with

Arcade A row of arches carried on columns or piers (thick square supports), often forming a covered walkway along a… Buttress A mass of stone or brick built against an outside wall to resist the outward push, called thrust, of the roof. Carved stone relief Figures or patterns carved into stone so they project from a flat background, called low relief when shallow… Crenellation A parapet, or low wall along a roof edge, with raised blocks called merlons alternating with gaps called… Organic ornament Decoration based on plant forms such as vines, leaves and flowers, often with curving lines. Tracery window A window divided by vertical stone bars called mullions, which branch at the top into curved stonework… Turret A small round or many-sided tower attached to the corner or wall of a building, often topped by a…