Narthex

{{For|the plant known in antiquity as narthex|Ferula communis}}

{{For|the plant known in antiquity as narthex|Ferula communis}}

[[File:Narthex.svg|thumb|Plan of a Western cathedral, with the narthex in the shaded area at the [[Liturgical east and west|western]] end.]]

[[File:Narthex.svg|thumb|Plan of a Western cathedral, with the narthex in the shaded area at the [[Liturgical east and west|western]] end.]]

The '''narthex''' is an [[Church architecture|architectural element]] in [[Christianity|Christian]] churches, where an individual sets foot when inside the church; one or three doors in the narthex open to the [[nave]] of the church.{{cite book |last1=Kherbawi |first1=Basil M. |title=The Old Church in the New World: Or, The Mother Church, Being a Plain Exposition and Vindication of the True Church Founded and Headed by Our Lord Jesus Christ, Her Doctrine, Her Sacraments, Etc. |date=1930 |publisher=St. Nicolas' Greek-Orthodox Cathoic Cathedral |language=en |quote=As to the other divisions of the church we have the Narthex. The principal entrance to the church is from the Western end; as you enter the church you are in the Narthex—below the Nave. ... From the Narthex one or three doors lead to the majestic Nave of the church adorned with lofty pillars. It is called Nave from the symbolical significance of a ship as a figure of our salvation.}}

The '''narthex''' is an architectural element typical of [[Early Christian art and architecture|early Christian]] and [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] [[basilica]]s and [[Church architecture|churches]] consisting of the entrance or [[Vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]], located at the west end of the [[nave]], opposite the church's main [[altar]].By convention, ecclesiastical floor plans are shown map-fashion, with north to the top and the liturgical east to the right. Therefore, some may refer to the narthex as being at the western end of the floor plan. This is done for symbolic reasons, as scriptures say to look for [[Christ]] appearing in the east, thus the location of the altar is known as the liturgical east, regardless of the actual [[cardinal directions]].{{citation needed|date=September 2025}} Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper.

The narthex in the floor plans of Christian churches dates back to [[Early Christian art and architecture|early Christian]] and [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] [[basilica]]s and [[Church architecture|churches]], which consisted of the narthex (entrance or [[Vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]]), located at the west end of the [[nave]], opposite the church's main [[altar]].By convention, ecclesiastical floor plans are shown map-fashion, with north to the top and the liturgical east to the right. Therefore, some may refer to the narthex as being at the western end of the floor plan. This is done for symbolic reasons, as scriptures say to look for [[Christ]] appearing in the east, thus the location of the altar is known as the liturgical east, regardless of the actual [[cardinal directions]].{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}

In early Christian churches the narthex was often divided into two distinct parts: an esonarthex (inner narthex) between the west wall and the body of the church proper, separated from the nave and [[aisle]]s by a wall, [[arcade (architecture)|arcade]], [[colonnade]], screen, or rail, and an external closed space, the exonarthex (outer narthex),In other languages a different terminology can arise confusion. For example, in Italian the inner narthex is called ''endonartece'' and the outer narthex ''esonartece'', as the inner narthex in English. Krautheimer (1986), ''passim'' a court in front of the church [[façade]] delimited on all sides by a colonnade as in the first [[Old St. Peter's Basilica|St. Peter's Basilica]] in [[Rome]] or in the [[Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio]] in [[Milan]]. The exonarthex may have been either open or enclosed with a door leading to the outside, as in the [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] [[Chora Church]].{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/403704/narthex?anchor=ref933261 |title=narthex |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=23 April 2012}}

In early Christian churches the narthex was often divided into two distinct parts: an esonarthex (inner narthex) between the west wall and the body of the church proper, separated from the nave and [[aisle]]s by a wall, [[arcade (architecture)|arcade]], [[colonnade]], screen, or rail, and an external closed space, the exonarthex (outer narthex),In other languages a different terminology can arise confusion. For example, in Italian the inner narthex is called ''endonartece'' and the outer narthex ''esonartece'', as the inner narthex in English. Krautheimer (1986), ''passim'' a court in front of the church [[façade]] delimited on all sides by a colonnade as in the first [[Old St. Peter's Basilica|St. Peter's Basilica]] in [[Rome]] or in the [[Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio]] in [[Milan]]. The exonarthex may have been either open or enclosed with a door leading to the outside, as in the [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] [[Chora Church]].{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/403704/narthex?anchor=ref933261 |title=narthex |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=23 April 2012}}