plinth
The plinth (Greek plinthos , Latin plinthus , German "brick") is a building element in architecture . In English, plinth has the same meaning, but can also designate a pedestal (for example, the "plinths" in Trafalgar Square in London are high pedestals for statues). In French means plinthe mostly a baseboard .
Plinth as components
A plinth is a "base" or " plinth " that serves as the basis of either an entire building or another standing part and can protrude something. It consists of a simple rectangular, especially mostly square base plate, which forms the basis for a towering architectural element, such as pillars and columns .
In other functional contexts, such as statue bases or pedestals , it can be round, triangular or concave. In contrast to the often elaborately designed pedestal, plinths in European and Islamic art are flat elements without any further subdivision. In East Asia, such base elements are often designed more complex.
Plinth under an inscription block
Lotus plinth, Ming Dynasty
Lotus-shaped plinth at Tōdai-ji Temple , Nara , Japan
Pot-shaped plinth below a wooden support
Plinth as a dividing element
Narrow projections of the lower facade in the base of buildings, which are usually less than 1 m high, are also referred to as plinths . They do not have to have a special structural function, but often only serve to structure.
literature
- Wilfried Koch: Architectural style . Orbis Verlag, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-572-05927-5 , p. 32 u. 441.
- Johann Georg Sulzer: General theory of the fine arts . 1771, plinth (digital edition for full text research in the digital library series as volume 67, ISBN 3-89853-467-7 )
