Kolonnade

Kolonnade, also spelled colonnade, is an architectural term for a row of evenly spaced columns supporting a roof or architrave, creating a covered walkway or open arcade. It may be freestanding or attached to a building and can enclose a courtyard or form a grand exterior promenade. The key distinction is that a kolonnade uses columns as the primary structural element, while an arcade relies on arches between piers. Columns may be of any classical order, such as Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian, and are often linked by an entablature or architrave. Regular spacing and a continuous roofline provide shade, shelter, and a unifying visual axis in a complex or landscape.

Historically, kolonnades appear in ancient Greek and Roman architecture in the form of peristyles and stoae. In the Renaissance and Baroque periods they were revived to convey grandeur and order, and they remain common in civic, religious, and cultural buildings. One of the best-known examples is the Apostolic Colonnade surrounding St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 17th century.

Etymology and usage: The term colonnade comes from Latin columna “column” via French colonnade; in several languages, including German and Dutch, the spelling Kolonnade is common. In English the form colonnade is standard, while Kolonnade appears as a loanword or proper name in some contexts.

Modern interpretation: In contemporary architecture, colonnades continue to function as sheltered pedestrian routes, entries, or ceremonial axes, sometimes integrated into shopping promenades or airport terminals for both functional and aesthetic purposes.