Here's a website that has a labeled picture and layout image.

The layout of a church or a cathedral can be similar or identical, its rank within the Catholic Church will depend if the area were it is constructed requires a church or a cathedral. Obviously any of the mentioned are not the same as a Basilica like St. Peter's in the Vatican. . Please bare in mind that the more money that is available will mark the richness of the edification and the amount of side altars it will have. Enclosed is a link where you will find a description of the layout for any of the afore mentioned except a Basilica: . http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3420505 . Regards.

Hey Marguerite.. Most Cathedrals have a few things in common, First, most are built in the Gothic style. This was as much for function as it was for beauty. Cathedrals were of the first big buildings to get away from the "Roman" arch and use the "Gothic" or pointed arch. This was because the Pointed arch transferred the forces more downward instead of outward as did the Roman, or rounded arch. This allowed for higher buildings and wider spans. In going higher it was necessary to counteract the outward pressures. This was done with buttressing and "Flying" buttresses. Another innovation was the use of "ribbed" roofing structures which used Pillars as support, opening up the space between the pillars for light.As you go up through the exterior walls you would have the "Nave" and "Aisle" on the ground floor, the "Gallery" or "Tribune", above that you would have the "Triforium", and then the "clerestory". These would be supported by the "Pier Buttress" blocking the Aisle wall. Flying Buttresses for the Nave, Gallery and Clerestory walls. A "Pinnacle" was added the the top of the Buttress for added weight. The floor plans of most Cathedrals are laid out in a Cross shape. The top of the 'cross' would br the "Chancel" with the "Ambulatory" running along the top flanked by the "Chapels. The "Transept" would be the cross section. Under that would be the "Bay" and "Nave". The bottom would be the 'Narthex" and entry... That is about all I can remember for Cathedrals right now....Great question!!

1) "Parts of a cathedral include: altar, sanctuary, holy of holies, sacristy, sacrarium, holy table, baptistery, chapel, chancel, apse, choir, nave, aisle, transept, crypt, pew, seat, pulpit, confessional." Source and further information: http://www.yourdictionary.com/cathedral 2) "Christianist cathedrals and churches are usually built to have a floor-plan shaped like a cross. The head of the cross is generally oriented towards the East, towards Jerusalem. Thus the transept, running north and south, is the cross-bar of this cross. The foot of the cross, at the west end, accommodates the spectacular portals of the main entrance . (Some cathedrals are five-aisle - for example, Bourges. This will probably be discussed on the page about Bourges Cathedral.) Transept: Going across the main body of the cathedral, with north and south arms, sometimes with side doors. Narthex: A vestibule, found in some earlier churches. Side aisles: these can sometimes be doubled. Nave: the space between four pillars is called a bay or a transverse section. The vaulting went diagonally across between the piers of each bay. [Nave is the French word for ship or vessel] Chancel: also named the choir, from the French name for the chancel: choeur. The chancel includes the high altar at the eastern end. Ambulatory: walking area outside the chancel." Source and further information: http://www.abelard.org/france/cathedral-construction.php#naming_interior 3) Further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_diagram http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_architecture_of_Western_Europe http://www.btinternet.com/~timeref/cathpart.htm http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hart205/Cathedrals/Plan/plan.html

The cathedral is always the bishops church. 5/9/26