A groin vault, also called a cross vault, is formed by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults, producing a ceiling with four curved triangular sections that meet along diagonal edges called groins. By concentrating the vault's downward and outward thrust onto its four corner piers rather than along continuous side walls, a groin vault allows larger window openings to be cut into the walls beneath it than a plain barrel vault, which needs continuous support along its full length, easily allows. Roman builders used groin vaults extensively in large public buildings such as baths and basilicas, and the form was revived and further developed in Romanesque church architecture.
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A groin vault or groined vault is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. The word "groin" refers to the edge between the intersecting vaults. Sometimes the arches of groin vaults are pointed instead of round. In comparison with a barrel vault, a groin vault provides good economies of material and labor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a groin vault and a rib vault?
A groin vault is formed by the plain intersection of two barrel vaults at right angles, with the curved surfaces meeting directly along diagonal edges called groins. A rib vault is a groin vault reinforced with a framework of projecting stone arches, the ribs, built along those same diagonal and transverse lines, which were typically raised first as a stone skeleton and then filled in with lighter masonry panels called webs. Because the ribs carry much of the structural load, a rib vault lets builders cover wider spans, raise vaults higher and open larger windows than a plain groin vault, and it became one of the defining structural techniques of Gothic cathedral construction.
Where was the first groin vault in Europe actually built?
Not in Rome. It was built at Delphi by King Attalos I of Pergamon, sometime between 241 and 197 BC.
Not in Rome. The earliest groin vault built in Europe is credited to King Attalos I of Pergamon at Delphi, constructed sometime between 241 and 197 BC, before the Romans went on to develop the form widely across their own architecture, including at the Baths of Caracalla. The design fell out of use after Rome's decline and was revived during the Carolingian and Romanesque periods, before Gothic builders largely replaced it with the rib vault.
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