Pillar

Pillar is a vertical structural element used to support loads in buildings and other structures. It is typically cylindrical or polygonal in cross-section and made of stone, concrete, metal, or wood. Pillars may be freestanding to bear loads independently or framed within a larger structural system, such as a wall or colonnade. In architectural practice, the term pillar is often used interchangeably with column, though some traditions reserve column for a supported element with a capital, shaft, and base; pillars may lack one or more of these features.

Pillars can be decorative as well as functional, with carved or molded capitals, inscriptions, or ornamentation. They appear in temples, gateways, bridges, and interior halls, and are common in various architectural styles, including classical, Gothic, and Modernist.

Natural pillars occur when rock erodes to form columns or pillar-like structures, such as limestone pillars or sea stacks.

The term also appears in figurative language, as in "pillar of the community," describing a trustworthy person or institution.

Related terms include pier (a vertical support for arches or bridges) and post (a simple vertical member).