Pendentive

As Pendant (also: pendentives or Eckzwickel ) is called in architecture, a triangular device that performs the transition between the circular plan of a dome and the square base their support. The term pendentif ( pɑdɑtif ) comes from the French language ( Pendre, hang ), hence the term pendentives.

In the manufacturing schedules below are mostly around the crossing of a church or a central building with a square base. Rare may be octagonal below the floor plan.

Between pendentives and dome a cylindrical element is often fed, a drummer. A compared to Pendant constructively simpler gusset form is the trompe. Between Pendant and trompe there are mixed forms.

The triangular faces of the arch pendentives are usually visible only from the inside and are mostly by paintings ( as for example in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul) or simple relief ( Panteon de Hombres Ilustres in Madrid) decorated. The most common form of the medallion is found, such as in the Cappella dei Pazzi in Florence.

Pendentives are characteristic of the Byzantine architecture. Inspiration for many other building was built in 532 to 537 Hagia Sophia. Middle of the 6th century, the Pendentifkuppel was first applied in Syria at the Church of the Palace of Qasr ibn Vardan. From the 9th century, the first Pendentifkuppel in Georgia dates back to the Mother of God Church of Allerheiligenklosters of Watschnadsiani.