Definition

The déambulatoire is a gallery which separates the chorus from a church of the apsidal chapels. This architectural element appeared as of the time caroligienne in the churches of Occident: it then had the shape of a serving bent corridor of the vaults prolonging the chorus. But later, it adopted a semicircular form: the plan of the Crypte préromane of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Chartres still shows it. During XIe century, it definitively took the shape of a semicircular gallery. One of oldest the déambulatoires of this type is visible in the church of Tournus, in Burgundy: it seems to date from the beginning of XIe century.

The Cathedral Notre-Dame de Coutances and the Cathédrale Saint-Julien of the Mans (beginning of XIIIe century) have the characteristic to have a double déambulatoire .

Internal bonds

• to see Nave, Apse, Transept, Span, Side, chorus, Apsidal chapel, Crypt.

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