Arches & Vaults

An arch is a curved masonry structure that spans a space and supports structure and weight above it.  Masonry semi-circular arches made of precast stone are generally seen at entrances, doors and windows.

 A vault is a roof in the form of an arch or a series of arches. It is an arched structure, usually of masonry or concrete, serving to cover a space.   A vault provides a building or a room with an arched roof.  Vaulting is similar to an arch, dome, crypt, or cellar.

A masonry ceiling is an overhead interior surface the covers the upper limit of a room.  It can be brick or stone and it need not be a structural element.