A cross-window is a

window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent ma ...

whose lights are defined by a

mullion A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid sup ...

and a transom, forming a

cross A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...

.Curl, James Stevens (2006). ''Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture'', 2nd ed., OUP, Oxford and New York, p. 214. . The Late Gothic cross-window is known since the 14th century and replaced the hitherto common Romanesque or Gothic arched window on buildings. Since then the latter have almost exclusively been reserved for

church building A church, church building, church house, or chapel is a building used for Christian worship services and Christian activities. The earliest identified Christian church is a house church founded between 233 AD and 256 AD. ''Church'' is also ...

s. The two, upper lights were usually somewhat smaller than the two lower ones and could be opened separately. The latter is also true for a

transom window In architecture, a transom is a transverse horizontal structural beam or bar, or a crosspiece separating a door from a window above it. This contrasts with a mullion, a vertical structural member. Transom or transom window is also the customary ...

, which has a horizontal bar or transom separating the lights.

Design

Characteristically the rectangular window is divided into four individual lights by a mullion and transom in the form of a Latin cross. The window cross was original made of stone ('stone cross-window'); not until the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

and

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

periods did the timber cross-window emerge (e. g. on the abbey castle of

Escorial El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (), or (), is a historical residence of the king of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, up the valley ( road distance) from the town of El Escorial and about n ...

and on other buildings in the

Herrerian The Herrerian style ( or ''arquitectura herreriana'') of architecture was developed in Spain during the last third of the 16th century under the reign of Philip II of Spain, Philip II (1556–1598), and continued in force in the 17th century ...

style). Where the transom is in the middle, the window is divided into four lights of equal size. Later the windows were often divided into six lights, the two upper ones often being joined and forming a type of

fanlight A fanlight is a form of lunette window (transom window), often semicircular or semi-elliptical in shape, with glazing (window), glazing bars or tracery sets radiating out like an open Hand fan, fan. It is placed over another window or a doorway, ...

References

Literature

* ''Meyers Enzyklopädisches Lexikon''. Bibliographisches Institut, Mannheim/Wien/Zürich 1973, Vol. 8, p. 638.

External links

Examples of cross-windows in Austria
{{Authority control Windows