rib vaults

Vault. Rib. Vault with visible diagonal cross-arches of stone or brick, on which a lightweight webbing rests during construction.

rib vaults: Vaults that include ribs either as supporting or decorative elements.

A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islamic architecture, Romanesque architecture, and especially Gothic architecture. Thin stone panels fill the space between the ribs. This greatly reduced the weight and thus the outward thrust of the vault. The ribs transmit the load downward and outward to specific points, usually rows of columns or piers.