Sidobåge

Sidobåge is a Swedish term that literally means side arch. It is used to describe an arch that is located at the side of a main architectural feature or that forms part of a composite arch system. The term is common in Swedish-language architectural and historical writing and may appear in discussions of masonry, vaulting, and traditional building forms.

In architectural and construction contexts, a sidobåge can function as an auxiliary or secondary arch. It may support a larger central arch, brace a vault, or create a decorative profile along a wall, arcade, or facade. In medieval and early modern architecture, side arches often occur as part of multi-arch facades or as relieving arches over openings, helping to distribute loads and add rhythmic variety to a composition.

Terminology and usage can vary by region and period. Some sources distinguish between exterior versus interior sidobågar or between arches that are primarily load-bearing and those that are decorative. In practice, sidobåge overlaps with related terms such as relieving arches, cross arches, and semicircular arches, depending on local building traditions and nomenclature.

Etymology and scope: the word combines sid ('side') and båge ('arch'). While grounded in architectural usage, the concept of a side arch exists in various languages and traditions, sometimes described with different terms. For researchers, consulting architectural dictionaries, vaulting handbooks, and museum catalogs can provide context-specific definitions and examples.