Bogengestelle

Bogengestelle is a term used in architectural history to describe the supporting framework formed by arches within a building, typically as part of an arcade, gallery, or vaulting system. The word combines Bogen (arch) and Gestell (frame or framework), highlighting how curved elements are arranged to carry loads from upper structures down to piers and foundations.

In practice, bogengestelle refer to the ensemble of arches and their supporting elements that create a colonnade or covered passage. The concept is closely linked to the way thrust from vaults or roofs is distributed through arches and columns, influencing both the spatial rhythm and the structural stability of a design. The terminology appears in German-language architectural writing to emphasize the cohesive arrangement of arches rather than the individual arches alone.

Materials and forms vary with period and style. Stone or brick were common in medieval architecture, with rond- or spitzbogige (round- or pointed-arched) forms shaping the visual and structural character of the bogengestelle. In Gothic architecture, for example, a series of pointed arches arranged in an arcade or nave arcade constitutes the bogengestelle that carries and channels weight.

Today, bogengestelle is a specialized term found mainly in architectural history and conservation contexts. More common contemporary terms for related concepts include Arkade (arcade) and Bogengang (arch arcade). See also arch, vault, arcade, and structural rib systems.