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Basilica
/bəˈzɪlɪkə/
HISTORY & CULTURESbeginner
Definition
Originally a Roman civic building type — a rectangular hall with a central nave, side aisles, and an apse at one end — used for commerce and law courts. Early Christians adapted the basilica form as their principal church type in the 4th century. It remains the dominant form of the Western Christian church to this day.
Example
Old Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome (4th century, demolished in the 16th century) established the basilica as the standard form for Christian worship — a model followed by thousands of churches worldwide.