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The entablature is the section between columns and the roof of a building, consisting of the cornice, frieze, and architrave. Each section has a specific design and varies based on the style and height of the columns. The frieze is often the most decorative and can tell a story, as seen in the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon.
In a columned building, the section between the tops of the columns and the roof is called the entablature. The three parts, cornice, frieze and architrave, were designed to complement different types of columns. The cornice, which extends to the roof, and the architrave, which is equal to the frieze, are divided into several sections and have solid designs. The frieze is usually the fanciest part of the entablature and sometimes displays carvings that tell stories. The Elgin Marbles in the British Museum are probably the best known example of the frieze section.
The entablature is the part of a building near the roof, inside or out, that rests on columns. The classical entablature is made up of three sections: the cornice, the frieze and the architrave. The design of each section would vary slightly with the style of column supporting the entablature. The width was also based on the height of the columns.
The highest part of the entablature is the cornice. It is ornamental molding, often with two or three different geometric or floral designs. The ledge also extends further forward than the other two parts because it has to meet and support the roof.
At the bottom of the entablature, the architrave is the main beam that rests on top of the columns and extends to be about equal to the frieze. This section is also sometimes divided into several parts like the cornice, but it is often the flattest part. The lintel is closest to the support beams seen in the ceilings.
The central part of the entablature is the frieze. Although occasionally omitted, most often the frieze was the elaborate and decorative part of the entablature. The more elaborate friezes did not repeat an image around the entire building, but sometimes showed an entire story.
Perhaps the best known example of an entablature may have come from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. In the early 1800s some of the sculptures and a large section of the building’s interior frieze were removed and taken to the British Museum. Called the Elgin Marbles, about 250 feet (75 m) of the frieze are now preserved in London. Due to the damage to the Parthenon from war and pollution over the years, the Elgin Marbles may be the best document of the original building.
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