What is the role of the apse chapel in medieval architecture?

In medieval architecture, the apse chapel played a significant role as a space for public worship and private devotion. Typically located at the east end of a church, the apse chapel was designed to accommodate the altar and to provide a space for the clergy and the choir during religious services. It was often decorated with elaborate frescoes, sculptures, and stained-glass windows that depicted scenes from the Bible and the lives of the saints. The apse chapel was also used by the clergy and the faithful for private prayers, pilgrimages, and contemplation. As such, it served both as a functional space for communal worship and as a spiritual sanctuary for individual devotion.

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