Choir (architecture)

A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is found in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which holds the altar and Church tabernacle. In large medieval churches, the choir often included special seats called choir-stalls, placed at right angles to where the regular congregation sits.

Smaller medieval churches sometimes did not have a choir at all, and many churches built after the Protestant Reformation also left this space out. However, the Gothic Revival brought the choir back as an important part of church design.

It’s important to know that the word “choir” in architecture is different from where singers actually stand. Singers might be in a choir-loft near the front door, or they may sit behind the altar or near the pulpit in modern churches. The place where singers perform is called the ritual choir, while the special part of the church building is the architectural choir or constructional choir.

Some churches also have a back-choir or retroquire, a small space behind the high altar. This area might contain another tiny altar placed facing the main one.

History

In the Early Church, the area where the clergy and choir sat was simply the eastern part of the main church area, separated by a screen called cancelli. This idea of a special seating area developed as church services became more organized after times of trouble and with the growth of monastic life.

Over time, this special area, called the choir, moved closer to the altar. In some churches like Westminster Cathedral, the choir is placed in a curved space called an apse. The choir's design was shaped by its role in church services, especially for singing. After changes in church practices, some churches moved the altar forward and placed choirs in different spots, leading to varied designs in different places.

Seating

The choir area in a church or cathedral has special seats called choir stalls, where clergy and choir members sit, stand, and kneel during services. These seats can be simple long benches, known as pews, or more elaborate individual stalls. In monasteries and collegiate churches, choir stalls are traditional and often have folding seats and small wooden rests called misericords for leaning on during long services.

In parish churches, benches with padded kneelers are more common, allowing people to kneel at certain times during services. The front row may have a long prie-dieu for placing books, sometimes with kneelers as well. In a cathedral, this area often holds the bishop's throne, or cathedra.

Main article: Pews
Main articles: Monasteries, Collegiate churches
Main articles: Monastics, Misericord
Main article: Parish churches
Main article: Kneelers
Main article: Prie-dieu
Main article: Cathedra

Image gallery

The image gallery showcases beautiful choir stalls and benches from various churches around the world. You can see intricately carved stalls from places like Boston Stump in Lincolnshire and Buxheim Charterhouse in Bavaria. There are also images of choir areas from Eastern Orthodox traditions, like the kliros with analogia, and historic benches from Burs Church in Gotland, Sweden, and Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice. Additional photos display choir stalls from the Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania), Pontigny Abbey in France, and Auch Cathedral.