![Arch illustration](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Arch_illustration.svg)
An arch is a vertical curved
structure
A structure is an arrangement and organization of interrelated elements in a material object or system, or the object or system so organized. Material structures include man-made objects such as buildings and machines and natural objects such as ...
that
spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an
arch dam
An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in plan. The arch dam is designed so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, causing the arch to straighten slightly and strengthen ...
, the
hydrostatic pressure
Fluid statics or hydrostatics is the branch of fluid mechanics that studies the condition of the equilibrium of a floating body and submerged body "fluids at hydrostatic equilibrium and the pressure in a fluid, or exerted by a fluid, on an imme ...
against it.
Arches may be synonymous with
vaults, but a vault may be distinguished as a continuous arch forming a roof. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
n brick architecture, and their systematic use started with the
ancient Romans
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom ...
, who were
the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.
Basic concepts
![Gozo fortified tower, windmills, aqueduct 16](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Gozo_fortified_tower%2C_windmills%2C_aqueduct_16.jpg)
An arch is a pure compression form. It can span a large area by resolving forces into
compressive stress
In long, slender structural elements — such as columns or truss bars — an increase of compressive force ''F'' leads to structural failure due to buckling at lower stress than the compressive strength.
Compressive stress has stress units (f ...
es, and thereby eliminating
tensile stress
In continuum mechanics, stress is a physical quantity. It is a quantity that describes the magnitude of forces that cause deformation. Stress is defined as ''force per unit area''. When an object is pulled apart by a force it will cause elonga ...
es. This is sometimes denominated "arch action". As the forces in the arch are transferred to its base, the arch pushes outward at its base, denominated "thrust". As the rise, i. e. height, of the arch decreases the outward thrust increases. In order to preserve arch action and prevent collapse of the arch, the thrust must be restrained, either by internal ties or external bracing, such as
abutments
An abutment is the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam supporting its superstructure. Single-span bridges have abutments at each end which provide vertical and lateral support for the span, as well as acting as retaining walls ...
.
Fixed versus hinged arches
![Rossgrabenbruecke 01 09](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Rossgrabenbruecke_01_09.jpg)
The most common kinds of true arch are the fixed arch, the two-hinged arch, and the three-hinged arch.
The fixed arch is most often used in reinforced concrete bridges and tunnels, which have short spans. Because it is subject to additional internal stress from thermal expansion and contraction, this kind of arch is considered
statically indeterminate
In statics and structural mechanics, a structure is statically indeterminate when the static equilibrium equations force and moment equilibrium conditions are insufficient for determining the internal forces and reactions on that structure.
Mat ...
.
The two-hinge
d arch is most often used to bridge long spans.
This kind of arch has pinned connections at its base. Unlike that of the fixed arch, the pinned base can rotate, thus allowing the structure to move freely and compensate for the
thermal expansion
Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change its shape, area, volume, and density in response to a change in temperature, usually not including phase transitions.
Temperature is a monotonic function of the average molecular kinetic ...
and
contraction
Contraction may refer to:
Linguistics
* Contraction (grammar), a shortened word
* Poetic contraction, omission of letters for poetic reasons
* Elision, omission of sounds
** Syncope (phonology), omission of sounds in a word
* Synalepha, merged ...
that changes in outdoor temperature cause. However, this can result in additional stresses, and therefore the two-hinged arch is also statically indeterminate, although not as much as the fixed arch.
The three-hinged arch is not only hinged at its base, like the two-hinged arch, yet also at its apex. The additional apical connection allows the three-hinged arch to move in two opposite directions and compensate for any expansion and contraction. This kind of arch is thus not subject to additional stress from thermal change. Unlike the other two kinds of arch, the three-hinged arch is therefore statically determinate.
It is most often used for spans of medial length, such as those of roofs of large buildings. Another advantage of the three-hinged arch is that the pinned bases are more easily developed than fixed ones, which allows shallow, bearing-type foundations in spans of medial length. In the three-hinged arch "thermal expansion and contraction of the arch will cause vertical movements at the peak pin joint but will have no appreciable effect on the bases," which further simplifies foundational design.
Forms
![Arches and columns, Great Mosque of Kairouan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Arches_and_columns%2C_Great_Mosque_of_Kairouan.jpg)
The many forms of arch are classified into three categories: circular, pointed, and parabolic. Arches can also be configured to produce
vaults and
arcades.
Rounded, i. e. semicircular, arches were commonly used for ancient arches that were constructed of heavy masonry.
Ancient Roman builders relied heavily on the rounded arch to span great lengths. Several rounded arches that are constructed in-line and end-to-end in a series form an arcade, e.g. in
Roman aqueduct
The Romans constructed aqueducts throughout their Republic and later Empire, to bring water from outside sources into cities and towns. Aqueduct water supplied public baths, latrines, fountains, and private households; it also supported mining o ...
s.
Pointed arches were most often used in
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It e ...
. The advantage of a pointed arch, rather than a circular one, is that the arch action produces less horizontal thrust at the base. This innovation allowed for taller and more closely spaced openings, which are typical of Gothic architecture.
![Notre-dame-de-paris-vue-interieure-salle-nord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Notre-dame-de-paris-vue-interieure-salle-nord.jpg)
Vaults are essentially "adjacent arches
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
are assembled side by side." If vaults intersect, their intersections produce complex forms. The forms, along with the "strongly expressed ribs at the vault intersections, were dominant architectural features of Gothic cathedrals."
The
parabolic arch
A parabolic arch is an arch in the shape of a parabola.Article about parabolic arch by The Free DictionaryParabolic arch , Article about parabolic arch by The Free Dictionary accessdate: March 2, 2017 In structures, their curve represents an effi ...
employs the principle that when weight is uniformly applied to an arch, the internal compression resulting from that weight will follow a parabolic profile. Of all forms of arch, the parabolic arch produces the most thrust at the base yet can span the greatest distances. It is commonly used in bridges, where long spans are needed.
![Tyne Bridge - Newcastle Upon Tyne - England - 2004-08-14](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Tyne_Bridge_-_Newcastle_Upon_Tyne_-_England_-_2004-08-14.jpg)
The
catenary arch
A catenary arch is a type of architectural arch that follows an inverted catenary curve. The catenary curve has been employed in buildings since ancient times. It forms an underlying principle to the overall system of vaults and buttresses in ...
has a different shape from the parabolic arch. Being the shape of the curve that a loose span of chain or rope traces, the catenary is the structurally ideal shape for a freestanding arch of constant thickness.
Forms of arch displayed chronologically, roughly in chronological order of development:
File:Triangular arch.svg, Triangular arch
File:Rundbåge.png, Round or semicircular arch
File:Segmentbåge.png, Segmental arch
A segmental arch is a type of arch with a circular arc of less than 180 degrees. It is sometimes also called a scheme arch.
The segmental arch is one of the strongest arches because it is able to resist thrust. To prevent failure, a segmental arc ...
(less than a semicircle)
File:Stigande båge.png, Unequal round or arch
File:Lansettbåge.png, Lancet arch
Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...
File:Spetsbåge.png, Equilateral arch
File:Skulderbåge.png, Shouldered flat arch (see also jack arch
A jack arch is a structural element in masonry construction that provides support at openings in the masonry. Alternate names are "flat arch" and "straight arch".
Unlike regular arches, jack arches are not semicircular in form. Instead, they are ...
)
File:Trepassbåge.png, Trefoil
A trefoil () is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings, used in architecture and Christian symbolism, among other areas. The term is also applied to other symbols with a threefold shape. A similar shape with four rin ...
or three-foiled cusped arch
File:Hästskobåge.png, Horseshoe arch
The horseshoe arch (; Spanish: "arco de herradura"), also called the Moorish arch and the keyhole arch, is an emblematic arch of Islamic architecture, especially Moorish architecture. Horseshoe arches can take rounded, pointed or lobed form.
His ...
File:Korgbåge.png, Three-centered arch
File:Ellipsbåge.png, Elliptical arch
File:Draperibåge.png, Inflexed arch
An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it.
Arches may be synonymous with vault ...
File:Ogee-shaped arch.svg, Ogee arch
An ogee ( ) is the name given to objects, elements, and curves—often seen in architecture and building trades—that have been variously described as serpentine-, extended S-, or sigmoid-shaped. Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combinatio ...
File:Karnisbåge.png, Reverse ogee arch
An ogee ( ) is the name given to objects, elements, and curves—often seen in architecture and building trades—that have been variously described as serpentine-, extended S-, or sigmoid-shaped. Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combinatio ...
File:Tudorbåge.png, Four-centred or Tudor arch
File:Parabelbåge.png, Parabolic arch
A parabolic arch is an arch in the shape of a parabola.Article about parabolic arch by The Free DictionaryParabolic arch , Article about parabolic arch by The Free Dictionary accessdate: March 2, 2017 In structures, their curve represents an effi ...
History
Bronze Age: ancient Near East
True arches, as opposed to
corbel arch
A corbel arch (or corbeled / corbelled arch) is an arch-like construction method that uses the architectural technique of corbeling to span a space or void in a structure, such as an entranceway in a wall or as the span of a bridge. A corbel v ...
es, were known by a number of civilizations in the
ancient Near East
The ancient Near East was the home of early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East: Mesopotamia (modern Iraq, southeast Turkey, southwest Iran and northeastern Syria), ancient Egypt, ancient Iran ( Elam, ...
including the
Levant
The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...
, but their use was infrequent and mostly confined to underground structures, such as drains where the problem of lateral thrust is greatly diminished.
An example of the latter would be the
Nippur
Nippur (Sumerian language, Sumerian: ''Nibru'', often logogram, logographically recorded as , EN.LÍLKI, "Enlil City;"The Cambridge Ancient History: Prolegomena & Prehistory': Vol. 1, Part 1. Accessed 15 Dec 2010. Akkadian language, Akkadian: '' ...
arch, built before 3800 BC, and dated by
H. V. Hilprecht (1859–1925) to even before 4000 BC. Rare exceptions are an arched mudbrick home doorway dated to circa 2000 BC from
Tell Taya
Tell Taya is an archaeological site at a '' tell'' (hill city) in Nineveh Province (Iraq). It was occupied from the third to the first millennia BCE.
History of archaeological research
The site was first recorded by Seton Lloyd in 1938 during his ...
in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and two
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
arched
Canaan
Canaan (; Phoenician: 𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍 – ; he, כְּנַעַן – , in pausa – ; grc-bib, Χανααν – ;The current scholarly edition of the Greek Old Testament spells the word without any accents, cf. Septuaginta : id est Vetus T ...
ite city gates, one at
Ashkelon
Ashkelon or Ashqelon (; Hebrew: , , ; Philistine: ), also known as Ascalon (; Ancient Greek: , ; Arabic: , ), is a coastal city in the Southern District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with ...
(dated to c. 1850 BC), and one at
Tel Dan
Dan ( he, דן) is an ancient city mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, described as the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel, and belonging to the tribe of Dan.
The city is identified with a tell located in Upper Galilee, northern Israel, know ...
(dated to c. 1750 BC), both in modern-day
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.
An Elamite tomb dated 1500 BC from
Haft Teppe contains a parabolic vault which is considered one of the earliest evidences of arches in Iran.
Classical Persia and Greece
In
ancient Persia
The history of Iran is intertwined with the history of a larger region known as Greater Iran, comprising the area from Anatolia in the west to the borders of Ancient India and the Syr Darya in the east, and from the Caucasus and the Eurasian S ...
, the
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...
(550 BC–330 BC) built small
barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault, wagon vault or wagonhead vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are ...
s (essentially a series of arches built together to form a hall) known as ''
iwan
An iwan ( fa, ایوان , ar, إيوان , also spelled ivan) is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called , a Persian term for a portal projecting ...
'', which became massive, monumental structures during the later
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conque ...
(247 BC–AD 224). This architectural tradition was continued by the
Sasanian Empire
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...
(224–651), which built the
Taq Kasra
Tāq Kasrā ( ar, طاق كسرى, translit=ṭāq kisrā), also transcribed as ''Taq-i Kisra'' or ''Taq-e Kesra'' ( fa, طاق کسری, romanized: ''tâğe kasrâ'') or Ayvān-e Kesrā ( fa, ایوان خسرو, translit=Eivâne Xosrow, links=, ...
at
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon ( ; Middle Persian: 𐭲𐭩𐭮𐭯𐭥𐭭 ''tyspwn'' or ''tysfwn''; fa, تیسفون; grc-gre, Κτησιφῶν, ; syr, ܩܛܝܣܦܘܢThomas A. Carlson et al., “Ctesiphon — ܩܛܝܣܦܘܢ ” in The Syriac Gazetteer last modi ...
in the 6th century AD, the largest free-standing vault until modern times.
An early European example of a ''
voussoir
A voussoir () is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, which is used in building an arch or vault.
Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The ...
'' arch appears in the 4th century BC
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
Rhodes Footbridge
__NOTOC__
The Rhodes Footbridge is an ancient Greek arch bridge in the city of Rhodes, Greece. Dating to the 4th century BC or early Hellenistic period, the modest structure represents the oldest known Greek bridge with a voussoir arch.
Constru ...
.
Ancient Rome
The ancient
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
learned the arch from the
Etruscans
The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rou ...
, refined it and were the first builders in Europe to tap its full potential for above ground buildings:
The Romans were the first builders in Europe, perhaps the first in the world, to fully appreciate the advantages of the arch, the vault and the dome.
Throughout the
Roman empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
, their engineers erected arch structures
such as bridges,
aqueducts
Aqueduct may refer to:
Structures
*Aqueduct (bridge), a bridge to convey water over an obstacle, such as a ravine or valley
*Navigable aqueduct, or water bridge, a structure to carry navigable waterway canals over other rivers, valleys, railw ...
, and gates. They also introduced the
triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...
as a military monument. Vaults began to be used for roofing large interior spaces such as halls and temples, a function that was also assumed by
domed structures from the 1st century BC onwards.
The segmental arch was first built by the Romans who realized that an arch in a bridge did not have to be a semicircle, such as in
Alconétar Bridge
The Alconétar Bridge (Spanish: ''Puente de Alconétar''), also known as Puente de Mantible, was a Roman segmental arch bridge in the Extremadura region, Spain. The ancient structure, which featured flattened arches with a span-to-rise ratio of ...
or
Ponte San Lorenzo
The Ponte San Lorenzo is a Roman bridge over the river Bacchiglione in Padua, Italy. Constructed between 47 and 30 BC, it is one of the very earliest segmental arched bridges in the world. It is also notable for the slenderness of its piers, ...
. They were also routinely used in house construction, as in
Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica ("Ancient Ostia") is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia (Rome), Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 25 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Rome. "Ostia" (plur. of "ostium") is a ...
(see picture).
Ancient China
In
ancient China
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapte ...
,
most architecture was wooden, including the few known
arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ...
s from literature and one artistic depiction in stone-carved
relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
. Therefore, the only surviving examples of architecture from the
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
(202 BC – 220 AD) are
rammed earth
Rammed earth is a technique for constructing foundations, floors, and walls using compacted natural raw materials such as earth, chalk, lime, or gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived recently as a sustainable building method.
...
defensive walls and towers,
ceramic roof tiles from no longer existent wooden buildings,
stone gate towers, and underground brick tombs that, although featuring vaults, domes, and archways, were built with the support of the earth and were not free-standing.
Roman and Chinese bridges in comparison
China's oldest surviving stone
arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ...
is the
Anji Bridge
The Anji Bridge () is the world's oldest open-spandrel segmental arch bridge of stone construction.This title strictly applies only to the ''sum of attributes given'' (O’Connor, Colin: ''Roman Bridges'', Cambridge University Press 1993, , p.171) ...
, built between 595 CE and 605 CE during the
Sui Dynasty
The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...
; it is the oldest open-
spandrel
A spandrel is a roughly triangular space, usually found in pairs, between the top of an arch and a rectangular frame; between the tops of two adjacent arches or one of the four spaces between a circle within a square. They are frequently fill ...
segmental arch bridge in stone.
However, the ancient Romans had virtually all of these components beforehand; for example,
Trajan's Bridge that was built between 103 AD and 105 AD, had open spandrels built in wood on stone pillars.
[This title strictly applies only to the ''sum of attributes given'' (O’Connor, Colin: ''Roman Bridges'', Cambridge University Press 1993, , p. 171): Various Roman stone pillar bridges featured wooden open-spandrel segmental arches as early as the 2nd century CE, among them Trajan's bridge, the longest bridge of the world to have been built for over a thousand years. Also, a dozen or more Roman close-spandrel stone segmental arch bridges are known from the 1st century BC onwards, such as the ]Ponte San Lorenzo
The Ponte San Lorenzo is a Roman bridge over the river Bacchiglione in Padua, Italy. Constructed between 47 and 30 BC, it is one of the very earliest segmental arched bridges in the world. It is also notable for the slenderness of its piers, ...
(Padua), Alconétar Bridge
The Alconétar Bridge (Spanish: ''Puente de Alconétar''), also known as Puente de Mantible, was a Roman segmental arch bridge in the Extremadura region, Spain. The ancient structure, which featured flattened arches with a span-to-rise ratio of ...
and the Makestos Bridge
The Macestus Bridge or Bridge of Sultançayır was a Roman bridge across the Macestus River ( tr, Simav or ''Susurluk Çayı'') at Balıkesir, in the northwestern part of modern-day Turkey. Its flattened arches, slender piers and the hollow cham ...
(Turkey), the last having half-open spandrels. The 27 segmental arches of the Bridge at Limyra
The Bridge near Limyra (in tr, Kırkgöz Kemeri, "Bridge of the Forty Arches") is a late Roman bridge in Lycia, in modern south-west Turkey, and one of the oldest segmented arch bridges in the world. Located near the ancient city of Limyra, it ...
(300 ce) feature span to rise ratios between 5.3 and 6.5 to 1, making it an earlier example of a stone quarter circle segmental arch bridge. This leaves the Anji bridge the title of "the oldest ''open-spandrel'' stone quarter circle segmental arch bridge in the world".
Gothic Europe
The first example of an early Gothic arch in Europe is in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
in the Greek fortifications of
Gela
Gela (Sicilian and ; grc, Γέλα) is a city and (municipality) in the Autonomous Region of Sicily, Italy; in terms of area and population, it is the largest municipality on the southern coast of Sicily. Gela is part of the Province of Cal ...
. The semicircular arch was followed in Europe by the pointed
Gothic arch
A pointed arch, ogival arch, or Gothic arch is an arch with a pointed crown, whose two curving sides meet at a relatively sharp angle at the top of the arch. This architectural element was particularly important in Gothic architecture. The earlie ...
or
ogive
An ogive ( ) is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object. Ogive curves and surfaces are used in engineering, architecture and woodworking.
Etymology
The earliest use of the word ''ogive'' is found in the 13th c ...
, whose centreline more closely follows the forces of compression and which is therefore stronger. The semicircular arch can be flattened to make an
elliptical
Elliptical may mean:
* having the shape of an ellipse, or more broadly, any oval shape
** in botany, having an elliptic leaf shape
** of aircraft wings, having an elliptical planform
* characterised by ellipsis (the omission of words), or by conc ...
arch, as in the
Ponte Santa Trinita
The Ponte Santa Trìnita (Italian for ''Holy Trinity Bridge'', named for the ancient church in the nearest stretch of via de' Tornabuoni) is a Renaissance bridge in Florence, Italy, spanning the Arno. The Ponte Santa Trìnita is the oldest ellip ...
. Parabolic arches were introduced in construction by the
Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, ''sui generis'' style. Most are located in Barcel ...
, who admired the structural system of the
Gothic style
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
, but for the
buttresses
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (si ...
, which he termed "architectural
crutch
A crutch is a mobility aid that transfers weight from the legs to the upper body. It is often used by people who cannot use their legs to support their weight, for reasons ranging from short-term injuries to lifelong disabilities.
History
Crutc ...
es". The first examples of the pointed arch in the European architecture are in Sicily and date back to the Arab-Norman period.
Horseshoe arch: Aksum and Syria
The horseshoe arch is based on the semicircular arch, but its lower ends are extended further round the circle until they start to converge. The first known built horseshoe arches are from the
Kingdom of Aksum
The Kingdom of Aksum ( gez, መንግሥተ አክሱም, ), also known as the Kingdom of Axum or the Aksumite Empire, was a kingdom centered in Northeast Africa and South Arabia from Classical antiquity to the Middle Ages. Based primarily in wh ...
in modern-day
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
and
Eritrea
Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...
, dating from ca. 3rd–4th century. This is around the same time as the earliest contemporary examples in
Roman Syria
Roman Syria was an early Roman province annexed to the Roman Republic in 64 BC by Pompey in the Third Mithridatic War following the defeat of King of Armenia Tigranes the Great.
Following the partition of the Herodian Kingdom of Judea into tetr ...
, suggesting either an Aksumite or Syrian origin for the type.
India
Vaulted roof of an early Harappan burial chamber has been noted from
Rakhigarhi
Rakhigarhi or Rakhi Garhi is a village and an archaeological site belonging to the Indus Valley civilisation in Hisar District of the northern Indian state of Haryana, situated about 150 km northwest of Delhi. It was part of the mature pha ...
.
S.R Rao reports vaulted roof of a small chamber in a house from
Lothal
Lothal () was one of the southernmost sites of the ancient Indus Valley civilisation, located in the Bhāl region of the modern state of Gujarāt. Construction of the city is believed to have begun around 2200 BCE.
Archaeological Survey of ...
. Barrel vaults were also used in the Late Harappan
Cemetery H culture
The Cemetery H culture was a Bronze Age culture in the Punjab region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, from about 1900 BC until about 1300 BC. It is regarded as a regional form of the late phase of the Harappan (Indus Valley ...
dated 1900 BC-1300 BC which formed the roof of the metal working furnace, the discovery was made by
Vats in 1940 during excavation at
Harappa
Harappa (; Urdu/ pnb, ) is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The Bronze Age Harappan civilisation, now more often called the Indus Valley Civilisation, is named after the site, which takes its name from a mode ...
.
In India,
Bhitargaon temple (450 AD) and
Mahabodhi temple
The Mahabodhi Temple (literally: "Great Awakening Temple") or the Mahābodhi Mahāvihāra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient, but rebuilt and restored Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, marking the location where the Buddha ...
(7th century AD) built in by
Gupta Dynasty
The Gupta Empire was an Outline of ancient India, ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period ...
are the earliest surviving examples of the use of voussoir arch vault system in India. The earlier uses semicircular arch, while the later contains examples of both gothic style pointed arch and semicircular arches. Although introduced in the 5th century, arches didn't gain prominence in the Indian architecture until 12th century after
Islamic conquest
The spread of Islam spans about 1,400 years. Muslim conquests following Muhammad's death led to the creation of the caliphates, occupying a vast geographical area; conversion to Islam was boosted by Arab Muslim forces conquering vast territories ...
. The Gupta era arch vault system was later used extensively in Burmese Buddhist temples in
Pyu
Pyu, also spelled Phyu or Phyuu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. is a town in Taungoo District, Bago Region in Myanmar. It is the administrative seat of Phyu Township
Pyu Township is a township in Taungoo District in the ...
and
Bagan
Bagan (, ; formerly Pagan) is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Bagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that wou ...
in 11th and 12th centuries.
Corbel arch: pre-Columbian Mexico
This article does not deal with a different architectural element, the
corbel arch
A corbel arch (or corbeled / corbelled arch) is an arch-like construction method that uses the architectural technique of corbeling to span a space or void in a structure, such as an entranceway in a wall or as the span of a bridge. A corbel v ...
. However, it is worthwhile mentioning that corbel arches were found in other parts of ancient Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. In 2010, a robot discovered a long arch-roofed passageway underneath the
Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl
The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is the third largest pyramid at Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian site in central Mexico (the term ''Teotihuacan'', or ''Teotihuacano'', is also used for the whole civilization and cultural complex associated with t ...
, which stands in the ancient city of
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Teotihuacán'') (; ) is an ancient Mesoamerican city located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico, which is located in the State of Mexico, northeast of modern-day Mexico City. Teotihuacan is ...
north of
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, dated to around 200 AD.
Construction
![Pont d'arcades de Móra d'Ebre (Ribera d'Ebre, Catalonia)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Pont_d%27arcades_de_M%C3%B3ra_d%27Ebre_%28Ribera_d%27Ebre%2C_Catalonia%29.jpg)
Since it is a pure compression form, the arch is useful because many building materials, including
stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
and unreinforced
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...
, can resist
compression
Compression may refer to:
Physical science
*Compression (physics), size reduction due to forces
*Compression member, a structural element such as a column
*Compressibility, susceptibility to compression
*Gas compression
*Compression ratio, of a c ...
, but are weak when
tensile stress
In continuum mechanics, stress is a physical quantity. It is a quantity that describes the magnitude of forces that cause deformation. Stress is defined as ''force per unit area''. When an object is pulled apart by a force it will cause elonga ...
is applied to them (ref: similar to the AL-Karparo
:04.
An arch is held in place by the weight of all of its members, making construction problematic. One answer is to build a frame (historically, of wood) which exactly follows the form of the underside of the arch. This is known as a centre or
centring
Centring, centre, centering"Centering 2, Centring 2" def. 1. Whitney, William Dwight, and Benjamin E. Smith. ''The Century dictionary and cyclopedia''. vol. 2. New York: Century Co., 1901. p. 885., or center is a type of formwork: the temporary str ...
.
Voussoir
A voussoir () is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, which is used in building an arch or vault.
Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The ...
s are laid on it until the arch is complete and self-supporting. For an arch higher than head height,
scaffolding
Scaffolding, also called scaffold or staging, is a temporary structure used to support a work crew and materials to aid in the construction, maintenance and repair of buildings, bridges and all other man-made structures. Scaffolds are widely use ...
would be required, so it could be combined with the arch support. Arches may fall when the frame is removed if design or construction has been faulty. The first attempt at the
A85 bridge at
Dalmally
Dalmally (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clachan an Dìseirt'' or ''Dail Mhàilidh'') is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is near the A85 road and is served by Dalmally railway station.
Former Labour Party leader John Smith was born in Dalmally ...
, Scotland suffered this fate, in the 1940s. The interior and lower line or curve of an arch is known as the ''intrados''.
Old arches sometimes need reinforcement due to decay of the
keystones
A keystone (or capstone) is the wedge-shaped stone at the apex of a masonry arch or typically round-shaped one at the apex of a vault. In both cases it is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allo ...
, forming what is known as
bald arch
A bald arch is an arch featuring decay on the crucial keystones in stone or masonry buildings. Left unchecked, the progression of the condition will eventually lead to the failure of the arch and any structures supported by it.
Causes
The struc ...
.
In reinforced concrete construction, the principle of the arch is used so as to benefit from the concrete's strength in resisting compressive stress. Where any other form of stress is raised, such as tensile or torsional stress, it has to be resisted by carefully placed
reinforcement rods or fibres.
Other types
A depressed arch is one that appears "squashed" down at the top from the full arched shape. In pointed-arch styles, where there is a central point at the top of the arch, it may be a
four-centred arch
A four-centered arch is a low, wide type of arch with a pointed apex. Its structure is achieved by drafting two arcs which rise steeply from each springing point on a small radius, and then turning into two arches with a wide radius and much lower ...
or
Tudor arch
A four-centered arch is a low, wide type of arch with a pointed apex. Its structure is achieved by drafting two arcs which rise steeply from each springing point on a small radius, and then turning into two arches with a wide radius and much lower ...
.
A
blind arch
A blind arch is an arch found in the wall of a building that has been infilled with solid construction and so cannot serve as a passageway, door or window.''A Dictionary of Architecture''; Fleming, John; Honour, Hugh & Pevsner, Nikolaus (1966) T ...
is an arch infilled with solid construction so it cannot function as a window, door, or passageway. These are common as decorative treatments of a wall surface in many architectural styles, especially
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this lat ...
.
A special form of the arch is the
triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...
, usually built to celebrate a victory in war. A famous example is the
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (, , ; ) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the ''étoile'' ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France.
Rock formations may form
natural arch
A natural arch, natural bridge, or (less commonly) rock arch is a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, coastal cliffs, fins or stacks are subject to erosion f ...
es through
erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
, rather than being carved or constructed. Structures such as this can be found in
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, a ...
. Some
rock balance sculptures are in the form of an arch.
The
arches of the foot
The arches of the foot, formed by the tarsus (skeleton), tarsal and metatarsal bones, strengthened by ligaments and tendons, allow the foot to support the weight of the body in the erect posture with the least weight.
They are categorized as long ...
support the weight of the human body.
File:N2 layer marney3.jpg, Depressed Tudor arch
A four-centered arch is a low, wide type of arch with a pointed apex. Its structure is achieved by drafting two arcs which rise steeply from each springing point on a small radius, and then turning into two arches with a wide radius and much lower ...
on Layer Marney Tower
Layer Marney Tower is a Tudor palace, composed of buildings, gardens and parkland, dating from 1520 situated in Layer Marney, Essex, England, between Colchester and Maldon. The building was designated Grade I listed in 1952.
History
Constructed ...
in Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
, England
File:Sahagun - Iglesia de San Tirso 06.JPG, Blind arches on the Church of San Tirso in Sahagún
Sahagún () is a town and municipality of Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León and the province of León. It is the main populated place in the Leonese part of the Tierra de Campos natural region.
Sahagún contains some ...
, León, Spain
File:Washington Square by Matthew Bisanz.JPG, Washington Square Arch
The Washington Square Arch, officially the Washington Arch, is a marble memorial arch in Washington Square Park, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Designed by architect Stanford White in 1891, it commemora ...
, a triumphal arch in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
, Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
File:Delicatearch1.jpg, Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch is a freestanding natural arch located in Arches National Park, near Moab, Utah, Moab in Grand County, Utah, Grand County, Utah, United States. The arch is the most widely recognized landmark in Arches National Park and is depicted ...
, a natural arch in Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, a ...
near Moab, Utah
Moab () is the largest city and county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States, known for its dramatic scenery. The population was 5,366 at the 2020 census. Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitors to th ...
File:Arch Balance (cropped).jpg, A rock balance sculpture in the form of an arch
File:Gray290.png, Medial longitudinal arch of the human foot (''Gray's Anatomy
''Gray's Anatomy'' is a reference book of human anatomy written by Henry Gray, illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter, and first published in London in 1858. It has gone through multiple revised editions and the current edition, the 42nd (Octob ...
'')
Gallery
File:Restored Canaanite city gate of Ashkelon (14341997262).jpg, Restored Canaan
Canaan (; Phoenician: 𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍 – ; he, כְּנַעַן – , in pausa – ; grc-bib, Χανααν – ;The current scholarly edition of the Greek Old Testament spells the word without any accents, cf. Septuaginta : id est Vetus T ...
ite city gate of Ashkelon, Ashkelon
Ashkelon or Ashqelon (; Hebrew: , , ; Philistine: ), also known as Ascalon (; Ancient Greek: , ; Arabic: , ), is a coastal city in the Southern District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with ...
, Israel (2014)
File:Ishtar gate in Pergamon museum in Berlin..jpg, Reconstructed Ishtar Gate
The Ishtar Gate was the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon (in the area of present-day Hillah, Babil Governorate, Iraq). It was constructed circa 575 BCE by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II on the north side of the city. It was part ...
of Babylon
''Bābili(m)''
* sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠
* arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel''
* syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel''
* grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn''
* he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel''
* peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru''
* elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
in the Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum (; ) is a listed building on the Museum Island in the historic centre of Berlin. It was built from 1910 to 1930 by order of German Emperor Wilhelm II according to plans by Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffmann in Stripped Class ...
, Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
(2014)
File:Ctesiphon-ruin 1864.jpg, Taq Kasra
Tāq Kasrā ( ar, طاق كسرى, translit=ṭāq kisrā), also transcribed as ''Taq-i Kisra'' or ''Taq-e Kesra'' ( fa, طاق کسری, romanized: ''tâğe kasrâ'') or Ayvān-e Kesrā ( fa, ایوان خسرو, translit=Eivâne Xosrow, links=, ...
(Archway of Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon ( ; Middle Persian: 𐭲𐭩𐭮𐭯𐭥𐭭 ''tyspwn'' or ''tysfwn''; fa, تیسفون; grc-gre, Κτησιφῶν, ; syr, ܩܛܝܣܦܘܢThomas A. Carlson et al., “Ctesiphon — ܩܛܝܣܦܘܢ ” in The Syriac Gazetteer last modi ...
), Salman Pak
fa,
, settlement_type = city
, image_skyline = File:001125-TaqKasra-Iraq-IMG 7914-2.jpg
, caption = Salman Pak's famous Taq Kasra, the largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world a ...
, Iraq (1864)
File:Arch of Augustus at Ariminum, dedicated to the Emperor Augustus by the Roman Senate in 27 BC, the oldest Roman arch which survives, Rimini, Italy (19760798740).jpg, Arch of Augustus, Rimini
Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...
, Emilia-Romagna
egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title ...
, Italy (2015)
File:Arco di Gallieno o Porta Esquilina - lato interno - Panairjdde.jpg, Arch of Gallienus
The Arch of Gallienus is a name given to the Porta Esquilina, an ancient Roman arch in the Servian Wall of Rome. It was here that the ancient Roman roads Via Labicana and Via Tiburtina started.
History
The arch was rebuilt in monumental style i ...
, Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
(2006)
File:Attica 06-13 Athens 24 Arch of Hadrian.jpg, Arch of Hadrian, Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, Greece (2013)
File:Arch.of.constantine.threequarter.view.arp.jpg, Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine ( it, Arco di Costantino) is a triumphal arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvi ...
, Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
, commemorating a victory by Constantine I
Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...
in 312 AD (2007)
File:Arc de triomphe frontsimple.jpg, The Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (, , ; ) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the ''étoile'' ...
, Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
; a 19th-century triumphal arch modelled on the classical Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
design (1998)
File:The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at Grand Army Plaza.jpg, Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch
The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch is a triumphal arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York City, just north of Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park. Built from 1889 to 1892, the arch is dedicated "To the Union Army, Defenders of the Union, ...
in the Grand Army Plaza
Grand Army Plaza, originally known as Prospect Park Plaza, is a public plaza that comprises the northern corner and the main entrance of Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park in the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. ...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(2007)
File:St Louis night expblend cropped.jpg, Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch is a monument in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary arch, it is the world's tallest arch and Missouri's tallest accessible building. Some sources conside ...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
; a monument based on a catenary
In physics and geometry, a catenary (, ) is the curve that an idealized hanging chain or cable assumes under its own weight when supported only at its ends in a uniform gravitational field.
The catenary curve has a U-like shape, superficia ...
arch (2011)
File:LAX LA.jpg, The Theme Building
The Theme Building is a structure at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), considered an architectural example of the Space Age design style. Influenced by "Populuxe" architecture, it is an example of the Mid-century modern design movement l ...
at Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
, California
File:Asiatic Society Heritage Museum.jpg, Nimtali arch
The Nimtali arch (known in Bengali as Nimtali Deuri) is an arch in Dhaka, Bangladesh dating from the Mughal period. It was the gateway to the palace of the Naib Nazim of Dhaka, the deputy governor of Bengal Subah in the Mughal Empire. Today, the ...
in Dhaka, Bangladesh
File:Pont Flavien Saint Chamas.jpg, Pont Flavien
The Pont Flavien ( en, Flavian Bridge) is a Roman bridge across the River Touloubre in Saint-Chamas, Bouches-du-Rhône department, southern France. The single-arch crossing, which was built from limestone, was on a Roman road - the Via Julia Au ...
over the River Touloubre in Saint-Chamas
Saint-Chamas (in Provençal Occitan: ''Sanch Amàs'' in classical orthography, ''Sant Chamas'' according to Mistralian orthography) is a commune in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern Fra ...
, Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône ( , , ; oc, Bocas de Ròse ; "Mouths of the Rhône") is a department in Southern France. It borders Vaucluse to the north, Gard to the west and Var to the east. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south. Its prefecture and large ...
, France (2008)
File:Vanha kivisilta DSC08273 C.JPG, Old stone bridge in Kerava
Kerava (; sv, Kervo) is a town and municipality within the Uusimaa region of Finland. The municipalities of Vantaa, Sipoo and Tuusula are adjacent to Kerava, which is part of the Helsinki metropolitan area.
The town has a population of () an ...
, Finland (2011)
File:선암사.jpg, Bridge of Seonamsa Temple
Seonam Temple, or Seonamsa, is a Korean Buddhist temple on the eastern slope at the west end of Jogyesan Provincial Park, within the northern Seungjumyeon District of the city of Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It belongs to the Ta ...
, Suncheon
Suncheon () (''Suncheon-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is a scenic agricultural and industrial city of around 250,000 people near Suncheon Bay. It is located in the southeastern corner of Jeollanam-do, just over an hour ...
, South Jeolla Province
South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
, South Korea (1979)
File:Grosvenor Bridge Chester3.JPG, Grosvenor Bridge
Grosvenor Bridge, originally known as, and alternatively called Victoria Railway Bridge, is a railway bridge over the River Thames in London, between Vauxhall Bridge and Chelsea Bridge. Originally constructed in 1860, and widened in 1865 and 19 ...
over the River Dee in Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
, Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, UK (2007)
File:Union Arch Bridge MD 2008.jpg, Union Arch Bridge
The Union Arch Bridge, also called the "Cabin John Bridge", is a historic masonry structure in Cabin John, Maryland. It was designed as part of the Washington Aqueduct. The bridge construction began in 1857 and was completed in 1864. The roadwa ...
carrying the Washington Aqueduct
The Washington Aqueduct is an aqueduct that provides the public water supply system serving Washington, D.C., and parts of its suburbs, using water from the Potomac River. One of the first major aqueduct projects in the United States, the Aqueduc ...
and MacArthur Boulevard MacArthur Boulevard may refer to:
*MacArthur Boulevard (Washington, D.C.), a road that parallels the C&O Canal in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland
*MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland, California, a major boulevard in Oakland and a histo ...
(formerly named Conduit Road) in Cabin John, Montgomery County, Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
(2008)
File:Zhaozhou Bridge.jpg, Anji Bridge
The Anji Bridge () is the world's oldest open-spandrel segmental arch bridge of stone construction.This title strictly applies only to the ''sum of attributes given'' (O’Connor, Colin: ''Roman Bridges'', Cambridge University Press 1993, , p.171) ...
over the Xiaohe River, Hebei Province
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, an ...
, China (2007)
File:Velia.jpg, The dry stone
Dry stone, sometimes called drystack or, in Scotland, drystane, is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their construction m ...
bridge, so called ''Porta Rosa'' (4th century BC), in Elea, Province of Salerno
The Province of Salerno ( it, Provincia di Salerno) is a province in the Campania region of Italy.
__TOC__
Geography
The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 131,950; Cava de' Tirreni, Battipagli ...
, Campania
Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...
, Italy (2005)
File:Antonio Contin - Ponte dei sospiri (Venice).jpg, Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs (Italian: ''Ponte dei Sospiri'', vec, Ponte de i Sospiri) is a bridge in Venice, Italy. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Priso ...
, Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, Italy (2001)
File:Pont du Gard BLS.jpg, Pont du Gard
The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water over to the Roman colony of ''Nemausus'' ( Nîmes). It crosses the river Gardon near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France. The Pont ...
, a Roman aqueduct in Vers-Pont-du-Gard
Vers-Pont-du-Gard (; ''Vèrs'' in Occitan) is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.
The Pont du Gard is located on the territory of the commune.
Gallery
Chapelle St Pierre, Vers-Pont-du-Gard.jpg, Chapelle Saint-Pierre
Vestige ...
, Gard
Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;[Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov (; german: Krumau, , or ''Böhmisch Krumau'') is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The historic centre with the Český Krumlov Castle complex is protected by law as an urban monument reservation, and sin ...]
, Czech Republic (2004)
File:Rialto bridge 2011.jpg, Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge ( it, Ponte di Rialto; vec, Ponte de Rialto) is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Connecting the ' (districts) of San Marco and San Polo, it has been rebuilt several times since its fir ...
over the Grand Canal in Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, Italy (2011)
File:Pont de Bercy Paris FRA 001.JPG, Pont de Bercy
The Pont de Bercy (English: Bridge of Bercy) is a bridge over the Seine in Paris. It links the 12th and 13th arrondissement of Paris by extending the Boulevard de Bercy and Boulevard Vincent-Auriol. In addition to the roadway, the bridge also car ...
over the River Seine
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributarie ...
, Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, carrying the Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (french: Métro de Paris ; short for Métropolitain ) is a rapid transit system in the Paris metropolitan area, France. A symbol of the Paris, city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform ar ...
on its upper deck and a boulevard
A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway.
Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls.
In American usage, boulevards may ...
extension on its lower deck (2006)
File:Memorial Bridge sunrise.jpg, Arlington Memorial Bridge
The Arlington Memorial Bridge is a Neoclassical masonry, steel, and stone arch bridge with a central bascule (or drawbridge) that crosses the Potomac River at Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. First proposed in 1886, the bridg ...
over the Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2007)
File:Key Bridge, Washington D.C.jpg, Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2006)
File:2007 04 25 - WWB 44.JPG, Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge
The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (also known as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge or the Wilson Bridge) is a bascule bridge that spans the Potomac River between the independent city of Alexandria, Virginia, and Oxon Hill in Prince George's County, ...
carrying Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
(I-95) and the Capital Beltway
The Capital Beltway is a Interstate Highway in the Washington metropolitan area that surrounds Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. It is the basis of the phrase "inside th ...
over the Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
between Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...
and Oxon Hill, Maryland
Oxon Hill is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Oxon Hill is a suburb of Washington, D.C., Washington, located southeast of the dow ...
(2007)
File:Arrábida_(5458473006).jpg, Arrábida Bridge
The Arrábida Bridge is an arch bridge of reinforced concrete which carries six lanes of traffic over the Douro River, between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, in the Norte Region, Portugal, Norte region of Portugal.
History
In March 1952, a preli ...
over the Douro River
The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part of ...
connecting Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
, and Vila Nova de Gaia
Vila Nova de Gaia (; cel-x-proto, Cale), or simply Gaia, is a city and a municipality in Porto District in Norte Region, Portugal. It is located south of the city of Porto on the other side of the Douro River. The city proper had a population of ...
, in the Norte Region, Portugal
The North Region ( pt, Região do Norte ) or Northern Portugal is the most populous region in Portugal, ahead of Lisbon Region, Lisbon, and the third most extensive by area. The region has 3,576,205 inhabitants according to the 2017 census, and its ...
(2011)
File:Pont Arc.JPG, Rainbow Bridge over the Niagara River
The Niagara River () is a river that flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada (on the west) and the state of New York (state), New York in the United States (on the east) ...
connecting Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...
, New York (state), New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada (2012)
File:Tyne Bridge - Newcastle Upon Tyne - England - 2004-08-14.jpg, Tyne Bridge over the River Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, UK (2004)
File:Hell Gate Bridge by Dave Frieder.jpg, Hell Gate Bridge over the East River, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
File:Sydney Harbour Bridge from Circular Quay.jpg, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (2010)
File:Beschädigte Brücke.jpg, Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River, Remagen, Germany, showing damage before collapse during the Battle of Remagen in World War II (1945)
File:Lianxiang bridge.jpg, Lianxiang bridge over the Xiang River, Xiangtan, Hunan, Hunan Province, China (2007)
File:Живописный мост (4543078369).jpg, Zhivopisny Bridge over the Moskva River, Moscow, Russia (2009)
File:The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.jpg, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge over the Trinity River (Texas), Trinity River in Dallas, Texas (2012)
File:BSB Ponte JK Panorama 05 2007 266.jpg, Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge crossing Paranoá Lake, Brasília, Brazil (2007)
Image:Millenium.jpg, Gateshead Millennium Bridge over the River Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, UK (2005)
File:Tour Eiffel Wikimedia Commons.jpg, Eiffel Tower, Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
(2009)
Tour Eiffel Nov 2015 inferieur.jpg, Arch supporting the Eiffel Tower, Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
(2015)
File:Wembley Stadium closeup.jpg, The second Wembley Stadium in London, built in 2007 (2007)
File:San Mames Stadium.JPG, The first San Mamés Stadium (1913), San Mamés Stadium, in Bilbao, arch built in 1953, demolished 2013 (2013)
File:20110602 London 05.JPG, St Pancras railway station, London (2011)
File:St Pancras railway station, 6 March 2010.jpg, Train shed in St Pancras railway station, London (2010)
File:Victoria Station - geograph.org.uk - 268162.jpg, Train shed in London Victoria station, Victoria Station, London (2006)
File:LucerneStation.jpg, Lucerne railway station, Switzerland (2010)
File:Hauptbahnhof-ffm010.jpg, Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Central railway station, Frankfurt, Germany (2008)
File:Frankfurt am Main - Hauptbahnhof - Neues Dach.jpg, Train shed in Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Central railway station, Frankfurt, Germany (2005)
File:NYC Grand Central 2.JPG, Arches in Main Concourse, Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(2014)
File:Union-Sta-interior.jpg, Interior arches in Washington Union Station, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2006)
File:Chicago (ILL) Union Station, great Hall, 1925.jpg, Arches in Great Hall, Chicago Union Station, Chicago, Illinois (2010)
File:Berlin Kongresshalle BW 1.jpg, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, Germany (2011)
File:Roma06(js).jpg, The Colosseum in Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
(2013)
File:Bl-burg-innenhof-oben.jpg, Stonework arches seen in a ruined stonework building – Burg Bad Lippspringe, Lippspringe, Germany (2005)
File:DirkvdM havana casa bolivar.jpg, Arches in the Casa-Museo del Libertador Simón Bolívar in Havana, Cuba (2006)
File:Kings dining hall.JPG, Arches in dining hall at Kings College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
(2007)
File:Annenberg Hall, Memorial Hall, Harvard.jpg, Arches inside Annenberg Hall, Memorial Hall (Harvard University), Memorial Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2016)
File:Healy Hall 08 2009 Georgetown U 6990.JPG, Healy Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2009)
File:Neuschwanstein throne room 00180u.jpg, Arches in throne room of Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany (1886 photochrom print)
File:Alhambra - Patio de Leones - Status 2012.jpg, Arches in the Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain (2012)
File:Alhambra-Patio de los Arrayanes.jpg, External arches in the Court of the Myrtles, Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain (2009)
File:Serallo, Salon de Embajadores 05 (4400455761).jpg, Arches inside the North Gallery, Court of the Myrtles, Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain (2010)
File:Igreja, Mosteiro Alcobaça.jpg, Arches in the nave of the church in monastery of Alcobaça, Portugal (2008)
File:Loire Eure Chartres2 tango7174.jpg, North facade of Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France (2008)
File:Chartres - Cathédrale 16.JPG, Arches in choir of Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France (2013)
File:Westminster Abbey Interior.jpg, Arches in nave of Westminster Abbey, City of Westminster, London (2006)
File:Arches.jpg, Arches inside the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2005)
File:Vatican-StPierre-Intérieur1.jpg, Interior arches in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City (2009)
File:Amir Chakhmaq left leg arches.jpg, Amir Chakhmaq Complex, Yazd, Iran (2014)
File:Hagia Sophia Mars 2013.jpg, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (2013)
File:Ayasofya-Innenansicht.jpg, Arches inside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (1983)
File:Istanbul.Hagia Sophia055.jpg, Arches inside the western upper gallery, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey (2007)
File:Insideofmasjedolharam3.JPG, Interior arches in the Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia (2008)
File:Roof of Masjid al-Haram 02.jpg, Roof of Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia (2008)
File:Dome of the Rock - 5274885553.jpg, Dome of the Rock, Old City (Jerusalem), Old City of Jerusalem (2010)
File:Jérusalem - Dôme du Rocher - mosaïque intérieure.jpg, Arches inside the Dome of the Rock, Old City (Jerusalem), Old City of Jerusalem (2014)
File:Lady in arch of Shahi Mosque, Chitral.jpg, Arches in the Shahi Mosque, Chitral, Shahi Mosque, Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan (2016)
File:Taj Mahal N-UP-A28-a.jpg, Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India (2009)
Image:B6a agra700.jpg, Taj Mahal#Outlying buildings, The Great Gate (Darwaza-i-rauza): Entrance to grounds of Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India (2004)
File:Inside the Taj Mahal in Agra, India Wellcome V0046065.jpg, Arches inside the Taj Majal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
File:LOC Main Reading Room Highsmith.jpg, Arches in Main Reading Room, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2009)
File:Great Hall, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. View of first and second floors, with Minerva mosaic in background. (LOC).jpg, Arches in Great Hall, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2007)
File:Chrysler building- top.jpg, Art Deco arches on Chrysler Building, Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(2005)
File:Loz-ny-library-3.png, New York Public Library Main Branch, Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(2016)
File:New York Public Library - 02.jpg, Arches inside the entrance of New York Public Library Main Branch, Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(2012)
File:The Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg, Arches in Great Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(2012)
File:DCgallerywest.jpg, Arches in Sculpture Gallery, West Building, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2007)
File:California Palace of the Legion of Honour, architecture.JPG, Arches inside the Legion of Honor (museum), Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park (San Francisco), Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California (2010)
File:Jordan Staircase 8.JPG, Arches near the Jordan Staircase of the Winter Palace, Jordan Staircase, Winter Palace, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia (2015)
File:Ermitage Pavilion Hall 11.jpg, Arches in Pavilion Hall, Small Hermitage, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia (2015)
File:Palais du Louvre - Salle du Manège -0a.jpg, Arches in Salle du Manège, Louvre Palace, Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
(2007)
File:Château de Versailles - Galerie des Batailles.jpg, Arches in Galerie des Batailles, Palace of Versailles, Versailles, Yvelines, France (2013)
File:Chateau Versailles Galerie des Glaces.jpg, Arches in Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles, Versailles, Yvelines, France (2011)
File:Westminster Hall 25 May 2011.png, Arches in Westminster Hall, Palace of Westminster, City of Westminster, London (2011)
File:Houses of Parliament St. Stephens Hall (Interior) London England.jpg, Arches in St. Stevens Hall, Palace of Westminster, City of Westminster, London (2007)
Image:La Aljafería - Oratorio 01.JPG, Horseshoe arch
The horseshoe arch (; Spanish: "arco de herradura"), also called the Moorish arch and the keyhole arch, is an emblematic arch of Islamic architecture, especially Moorish architecture. Horseshoe arches can take rounded, pointed or lobed form.
His ...
inside the Aljafería, Aljafería Palace, Zaragoza, Spain (2004)
Image:La Aljafería - Palacio taifa 02.JPG, Multifoil arches inside the Aljafería, Aljafería Palace, Zaragoza, Spain (2004)
File:Casa Mila interior arches.jpg, Catenary arches inside the Casa Milà in Barcelona, Spain by Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, ''sui generis'' style. Most are located in Barcel ...
(2010}
File:Badi Mahal.jpg, Rajasthani architecture, Rajasthani style arches inside the 16th-century City Palace, Udaipur, India (2013)
File:Itamaraty.jpg, Main façade of the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília, Brazil, decorated with many arches (2005)
File:National Building Museum - 6.jpg, Arches inside the National Building Museum (formerly Pension Building), Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2007)
File:Front entrance of Old Post Office, decorated for Christmas.JPG, Front entrance of the Old Post Office Building (Washington, D.C.), Old Post Office Building in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2006)
File:Old Post Office (3436194497).jpg, Arches inside the Old Post Office Building (Washington, D.C.), Old Post Office Building in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(2009)
File:Bankstownreservoir.jpg, Bankstown Reservoir, Bankstown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (2018)
File:Overview of Arches.jpg, Arches in Merzouga, Morocco (2011)
File:Rom, Calixtus-Katakomben, Krypta der Päpste.jpg, Crypt of the Popes in the Catacomb of Callixtus, Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
(2007)
File:Eastern Han tomb, Luoyang 3.jpg, Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD) tomb chamber, Luoyang (2008)
File:Tomb of George Washington - Mount Vernon.jpg, Entrance to George Washington, Washington family tomb at Mount Vernon, Fairfax County, Virginia (2014)
File:Natural Bridge, Rockbridge County, VA.jpg, Natural Bridge (Virginia), Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Rockbridge County, Virginia (2014)
File:Jiangzhou Natural Bridge.jpg, Jiangzhou Natural Bridge, Guangxi, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (2012)
File:Landscape Arch Utah.jpg, Landscape Arch, Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, a ...
, Utah (2016)
File:Double-O-Arch Arches National Park 2.jpg, Double O Arch, Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, a ...
, Utah (2007)
File:Aloba T15b 5831b Stefan Kroepelin.JPG, Aloba Arch, Ennedi-Est Region, Chad (2015)
File:ShiptonsArchHDR.jpg, Shipton's Arch, Xinjiang, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China (2011)
File:Darwinarch.jpg, Darwin's Arch, Galápagos Islands, Galápagos Archipelago, Pacific Ocean (2006)
File:Shah Abbas Arch Dam.jpg, Shah Abbas Arch Dam (Tagh E Shah Abbas), Tabas County, South Khorasan Province, Iran (2011)
File:2017 Aerial view Hoover Dam 4774.jpg, Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado, Black Canyon of the Colorado River, Clark County, Nevada and Mohave County, Arizona (2017)
File:Presa de El Atazar - 01.jpg, El Atazar Dam on the Lozoya (river), Lozoya River near Madrid, Spain (2014)
See also
* Arch bridge
* Arch dam
* Catenary arch
* Dome
* Golden Arches
* List of longest natural arches
* List of post-Roman triumphal arches
* List of Roman triumphal arches
* Natural arch
* Order (mouldings), Order moulding
* Skew arch
* Suspension bridge
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Physics of Stone Archesby Nova (American TV series), ''Nova'': a model to build an arch without it collapsing
InteractiveTHRUST interactive applets, tutorials
Paper about the three-hinged arch of the Galerie des Machines of 1889Whitten by Javier Estévez Cimadevila & Isaac López César.
{{Authority control
Arch bridges,
Arches and vaults,
Natural arches
Bridge components