B

Baptistery

place where baptisms are carried out, often with a baptismal tank integrated into the church. Often a chapel close to a central-plan church.

Barbican:

an outwork or forward extension of a castle gateway .

Barrel penetration vault

vault where two barrel arches intersect one another perpendicularly at different heights .

Barrel-vault

a plain vault of uniform cross-section.

Basket

main section of the capital (often decorated with sculptures) between the astragal and the abacus.

Bay

transversal division between two pillars or cross springers in part of a church.

Bead

decorative motif

Billets molding

a molding composed wholly or in part of a series of billets (small cubes, cylinders or prisms) placed at regular intervals, so that their axis and that of the entire series is parallel to the general direction of the molding.

Blind nave ( arcade)

A decorative row of arches applied to a wall as a decorative element. Found especially in Romanesque style buildings

Bond

A term adopted to describe the various patterns used to lay bricks in order to give them maximum strength.

Bracket

projecting stone used for supporting the base of a column, the springing of an arch, the ribs of a vault or a statue.

Bracket

a projection from a vertical surface providng structural or visual support under corncies, balconies, or any other overhanging member

Buttress-column

engaged column acting as a buttress.

Buttresss

A projection from a wall to create additional strength and support.