A secular building is a building for secular purposes. The term is used in fine arts and the cultural science, for example in the

history of architecture The history of architecture traces the changes in architecture through various traditions, regions, overarching stylistic trends, and dates. The beginnings of all these traditions is thought to be humans satisfying the very basic need of shelt ...

, to define the secular buildings and its usage from each other, and to standardardise. The antonym of "secular building" is the "

religious building A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...

", which clerical or religious purpose is reserved. Examples of secular buildings are museums, townhalls, university buildings and railway stations. The design and style of such buildings is often referred to as profane architecture.

References

* Wilfried Koch: ''Baustilkunde – Europäische Baukunst von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart'' (in German), page 27, edited edition 2006, {{Authority control Buildings and structures by type