A vestibule (also anteroom, antechamber, outer room, windbreak room, air-lock entry, or foyer) is a small room leading into a larger space such as a lobby, entrance hall, or passage, for the purpose of waiting, withholding the larger space from view, reducing heat loss (air trap, windbreak), providing storage space for outdoor clothing (mudroom), etc. The term applies to structures in both modern and classical architecture since ancient times. In antiquity, antechambers were employed as transitional spaces leading to more significant rooms, such as throne rooms in palaces or the naos in temples. In ancient Roman architecture, a vestibule (Latin: vestibulum) was a partially enclosed area between the interior of the house and the street. In modern architecture, a vestibule is typically a small room next to the outer door and connecting it with the interior of the building. In Christian churches, the same area is known as the narthex.
Ancient usage
Ancient Greece Vestibules were common in ancient Greek temples. Due to the construction techniques available at the time, it was not possible to build large spans. Consequently, many entranceways had two rows of columns that supported the roof and created a distinct space around the entrance. In ancient Greek houses, the prothyrum was the space just outside the door of a house, which often had an altar to Apollo or a statue, or a laurel tree. In elaborate houses or palaces, the vestibule could be divided into three parts, the prothyron (πρόθυρον), the thyroreion (θυρωρεῖον; lit. 'porter's lodge'), and the proaulion (προαύλιον). The vestibule in ancient Greek homes served as a barrier to the outside world, and also added security to discourage unwanted entrance into the home and unwanted glances into the home. The vestibule's alignment at right angles of private interior spaces, and the use of doors and curtains also added security and privacy from the outside. The Classical Period marked a change in the need for privacy in Greek society, which ultimately led to the design and use of vestibules in Greek homes.
Ancient Rome
In ancient Roman architecture, where the term originates, a vestibule (Latin: vestibulum) was a space that was sometimes present between the interior fauces of a building leading to the atrium and the street. Vestibules were common in ancient architecture. A Roman house was typically divided into two different sections: the first front section, or the public part, was introduced with a vestibule. These vestibules contained two rooms, which usually served as waiting rooms or a porters' lodge where visitors could get directions or information. Upon entering a Roman house or domus, one would have to pass through the vestibule before entering the fauces, which led to the atrium. The structure was a mixture between a modern hall and porch.
Church architecture
In the architecture of Christian churches, the vestibule is known as the narthex. In early Christian architecture, the vestibule replaced the more extravagant atrium or quadriporticus in favor of a more simplified area to house the vase of holy water. From the 5th century onward, churches of Eastern and Western Christianity utilized vestibules. In European Roman Catholic churches, the purpose of the vestibule was not to provide a resting place for penitents, but to deaden the noise from outside. In western Europe, it was generally a narrow, open antechamber with a sloping roof. In the East, especially in Syria, this antechamber was given a fine façade and flanked by two towers. In medieval Italy, the simple open chamber with sloping roof was common. North of the Alps, however, the vestibule developed into a projecting structure united with the main building, recalling the Syrian churches. The method of construction shown in the Palatine Chapel in Aachen, an ante-structure of several stories between the two western round towers, was adopted in the early Romanesque period, especially by the Cluniac monks. The Romanesque architecture also made use of a covered ante-structure placed before the west front. This style was first used on a large scale at Speyer Cathedral, where the vestibule has three stories. In Italy, the architecture of the Renaissance and of the Rococo style used the vestibule. Architect Leon Battista Alberti considered its use necessary on all occasions. The basilicas of Saint John Lateran and Santa Maria Maggiore received new porticoes, constructed as covered galleries (loggias) in two stories. The Carmelite church at Arezzo has a vestibule with columns built by Benedetto da Majano.
Palace architecture
Vestibules are common in palace architecture. The style of vestibule used in Genoa, Italy, was transformed from a previously modest design to a more ornamental structure, which satisfied Genoese aristocracy, while becoming an influential transformation for Italian palaces. The Genoese vestibule became a prominent feature of their palace architecture. These vestibules would sometimes include a fountain or large statue. The Genoese vestibule was large and exaggerated, and seemed "rather designed to accommodate a race of giants".
Modern usage
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