Lady chapel

Lady chapel
a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, attached to a church, and generally behind the high altar at the extremity of the apse.
[1400-50; late ME (oure) lady chapell]

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      chapel attached to a church and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. As the development of the chevet, or radiating system of apse chapels, progressed during the 12th and 13th centuries, custom began to dictate that the chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin be given the most important position, directly behind the high altar. The Lady chapel was frequently made larger than other chapels in the church.

      No standard usage in building Lady chapels ever developed, however. In some French cathedrals they were emphasized (Reims; Le Mans; Amiens), whereas in others no distinction was made between them and other chapels (Notre-Dame, Paris; Bourges). In England, where the common plan of a square east end lent itself to the elaboration of the Lady chapel, it was more consistently emphasized, but there was considerable variation in location. In Spain and Italy the finest examples are late Gothic and Renaissance.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lady chapel — Lady La dy (l[=a] d[y^]), n.; pl. {Ladies} (l[=a] d[i^]z). [OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS. hl[=ae]fdige, hl[=ae]fdie; AS. hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to E. dairy. See {Loaf}, and cf. {Lord}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A woman who… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lady chapel — n. [< Our Lady (or Lady s) Chapel] a chapel, as in a cathedral or parish church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary …   English World dictionary

  • Lady chapel — ► NOUN ▪ a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary in a church or cathedral …   English terms dictionary

  • Lady-chapel — (spr. lēdĭ tschäppel), eine in der gotischen Architektur Englands übliche, der Jungfrau Maria gewidmete Kapelle, die, an das Chor von Kathedralen angebaut, in der Hauptachse der Gebäude liegt. Man nennt sie auch Scheitelkapelle …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Lady Chapel —   [ leɪdi tʃæpl], englisch für Marienkapelle, v. a. an südwestenglischen Kathedralen; meist ein rechteckiges, dem Ostchor angefügtes Bauwerk …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Lady chapel — The Lady Chapel at the Guildford Cathedral, UK A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral …   Wikipedia

  • Lady Chapel — Eine Lady Chapel oder Marienkapelle ist eine der Maria geweihte und deutlich nach außen vorstehende – und daher im Grundriss auch deutlich zu erkennende – Scheitelkapelle am Ostende einer englischen Kathedrale. Traditionellerweise ist eine Lady… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • lady chapel — noun a small chapel in a church; dedicated to the Virgin Mary • Hypernyms: ↑chapel • Part Holonyms: ↑church, ↑church building …   Useful english dictionary

  • lady chapel — noun Usage: often capitalized L&C Date: 15th century a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Lady chapel — A chapel in either a church or *cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. They are often found east of the high altar …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

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