tympanum

Flat portion of the portal above the door and between the orders.
portal
Ornamental architectural feature of a faade containing one or several doors.
pier
Pillar dividing the portal in two and supporting the lintels.
pier
Masonry pillar supporting the orders.
splay
Recessed side of the portal that widens from its inside to its outside edge.
lintel
Horizontal section of the door frame that fills the opening above a door or portal.

order
Each of the receding arches that form a vault over a portal.
trefoil
Ornamental motif comprised of three lobes.
gable
Triangular decorative element with molded edges, located above the portal.
flying buttress
Masonry structure in the shape of a partial arch; it supports a wall by transferring the pressure of the vaults onto an
abutment.
belfry
Small steeplelike ornament in the shape of a pyramid; it is found on the corners of the transept or on each side of the
faade.
spire
Tapering part in the shape of a pyramid that surmounts the belfry.
gallery
Covered passage along the cathedrals faade, decorated with statues.

stained glass
Translucent decorative work comprised of an assemblage of glass pieces, usually colored, that fills a bay.
tracery
Stone framework adorning the inside of a bay.
rose window
Large circular bay composed of decorative tracery and stained glass; it is also called a rosette.
bell tower
Tower with bays in which the bells are hung.
louver-board
Inclined slat located in the bell tower bay; it projects the sound of the bells downward.