Safekipedia

Fan vault

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

Ornate stone ceiling design in the chantry chapel of Winchester Cathedral.

What Is a Fan Vault?

A fan vault is a very special kind of ceiling that looks like a fan. It is made of curved lines that spread out evenly, creating a shape like a cone. This beautiful design is used in old buildings, especially ones made in a style called Gothic.

Where Did Fan Vaults Start?

Fan vaults began in England during a time called the Perpendicular Gothic style. The oldest known fan vault was built around the year 1351 in the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral. Today, the biggest fan vault in the world is in King's College Chapel, Cambridge.

Famous Buildings With Fan Vaults

Fan vaults are mostly found in England. Some famous buildings with these lovely ceilings include Bath Abbey, Brasenose College, Oxford, and Canterbury Cathedral. People love looking at these beautiful, fan-shaped ceilings in old and special places.

Images

An impressive stone fan vault ceiling inside Bath Abbey in England, showing detailed architecture from the 1860s.
The beautiful fan-vaulted ceiling inside Bath Abbey, a historic church in England.
Ornate ceiling vaults inside King's College Chapel at the University of Cambridge.
Intricate stone ceiling design in Canterbury Cathedral, showcasing beautiful fan vaulting.
Beautiful 16th-century fan vaulting inside Cirencester Church.
Intricate fan vaulting in St Andrew's Church, Cullompton, showcasing beautiful historical architecture.
An ornate ceiling with fan vaulting inside Christ Church, Oxford.
Intricate stone fan vaulting in the ambulatory of Peterborough Cathedral.
A beautiful fan vault inside Sherborne Abbey, showcasing impressive medieval architecture.
A beautiful interior view of the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick, showcasing stunning fan vault architecture.
The stunning ceiling of Westminster Abbey's Lady Chapel, showcasing beautiful perpendicular vault architecture.
Beautiful interior of St. John's Church in Edinburgh with impressive pendant vault architecture.
A beautifully decorated ceiling inside the Grand Theatre in Leeds, England.

Related articles

England
King's College Chapel, Cambridge

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Fan vault, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.