cloister [Co]
The central articulating feature of a *monastery, usually set out in the form of a square. In the centre was a courtyard or open garth kept clear of structures, although sometimes arranged as a garden or burial ground. Around the garth was a continuous covered passage or cloister walkway. The outside wall of the walkway was sometimes an open arcade, although in later times they were often glazed. The walkway served to link and give access to all the main buildings and facilities of the complex. The church was usually on the north side of the cloister, the ... ...
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