Vaulting Facts for Kids

Vaulting can mean a few different things, but it often refers to a special type of arched ceiling or roof found in buildings. These ceilings are strong and beautiful, and they have been used for thousands of years in churches, cathedrals, and other important structures.

Vaulting also refers to a sport called Pole vault, where athletes use a long, flexible pole to jump over a high bar. Another meaning is Off-site data protection, which is about keeping computer data safe in a different location.

What is a Vault in Architecture?
- How Do Vaults Work?
- Types of Vaults You Might See
Famous Vaulted Buildings
Images for kids
See also

What is a Vault in Architecture?

In architecture, a vault is like a curved roof or ceiling. It's built using a series of arches that are joined together. Imagine taking many arches and lining them up to create a long, tunnel-like shape; that's a simple vault.

Vaults are very strong because their curved shape helps to spread the weight of the roof downwards and outwards. This makes them great for covering large spaces without needing many columns in the middle.

How Do Vaults Work?

Vaults work by directing the forces of the roof down to the walls or supporting columns. Instead of pushing straight down like a flat roof, the curved shape of a vault pushes forces outwards. Builders need to make sure the walls are strong enough to handle these outward pushes, or they might add special supports called buttresses.

Types of Vaults You Might See

There are many different kinds of vaults, each with its own unique look and way of being built. Here are some common types:

Barrel Vaults: Simple and Strong

A barrel vault is the simplest type. It looks like a long tunnel or a barrel cut in half lengthwise. It's basically a series of arches placed one after another. This type of vault was used a lot by the ancient Romans.

Groin Vaults: Crossing Arches

A groin vault is made when two barrel vaults cross each other at right angles. Where they meet, they form lines called "groins." This type of vault creates a more open space below and allows for windows on the sides.

Rib Vaults: Strong and Decorative

Rib vaults are a key feature of Gothic architecture, which was popular in the Middle Ages. They have a framework of stone ribs that look like bones. These ribs support the panels of the vault, making the structure lighter and allowing for taller buildings and bigger windows.

Fan Vaults: Beautiful and Complex

Fan vaults are a very decorative type of vault, mostly found in England during the late Gothic period. The ribs spread out from the supports like the ribs of a fan, creating a beautiful, intricate pattern. Bath Abbey has famous fan vaulting.

Famous Vaulted Buildings

Many famous buildings around the world feature impressive vaults.

Hagia Sophia: An Ancient Wonder

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, is an amazing example of ancient vaulting. Built in the 6th century, it has a massive central dome supported by a complex system of vaults and half-domes. It was originally a church, then a mosque, and now a museum.

Gothic Cathedrals: Reaching for the Sky

Many grand Gothic cathedrals in Europe, like Reims Cathedral in France and Salisbury Cathedral in England, show off incredible rib vaults. These vaults helped builders create very tall and majestic spaces, making people feel closer to the heavens.

Modern Vaults: New Materials

Even today, architects use vaults, sometimes with modern materials like concrete. The Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia, for example, has huge concrete vaults that were built in pieces and then lifted into place.

Images for kids

Interior elevation view of a Gothic cathedral, with rib-vaulted roof highlighted
In a pitched-brick vault the bricks lean (are pitched) against an existing wall.
St Paul's Cathedral Choir looking east, London
Top of the rib-vaulted ceiling over the nave of Salisbury Cathedral
Vaults and dome of the Gol Gumbaz
Neobyzantine vaults in Saint Sava. The vaults, 37.7 m high and 24 m wide are designed as concrete boxes. They were prefabricated and lifted with chains to their shown positions.
Gothic rib vault ceiling of the Saint-Séverin church in Paris
Assyrian bas-relief from Nimrud showing domed structures in the background
A groin vault viewed from the underside, showing the arris or 'groin'
Plan of a groin vault from above showing resultant outward thrust
The rib vault of Reims Cathedral, France
Rib vault of church Sint-Niklaaskerk in Ghent, Belgium
Rib-vault ceiling, with Lierne ribs, of the Liebfrauenkirche, Mühlacker 1482
Fan vaulting over the nave at Bath Abbey, Bath, England
Section through the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
Neo-Byzantine vaults in portal of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris
The dome of the Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus
Nave of Lisbon Cathedral with a barrel vaulted soffit. Note the absence of clerestory windows, all of the light being provided by the rose window at one end of the vault.