Typical Early Christian/Byzantine apse with a hemispherical semi-dome.

This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. For the rock band, see Apse (band). Or you may mean the acronym APS.

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In architecture, the apse (Greek αψις (apsis), then Latin absis: "arch, vault"; sometimes written apsis; plural apses) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome. In Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral and church architecture, the term is applied to a semi-circular or polygonal termination of the main building at the liturgical east end (where the altar is), regardless of the shape of the roof, which may be flat, sloping, domed, or hemispherical.

Definition[link]

The apse is the semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir or aisles of a church. In relation to church architecture it is generally the name given to where the altar is placed or where the clergy are seated.^[1]

The epithet "apsidal" may be applied to the exedra of classical architecture, a feature of the secular Roman basilica.

Features[link]

The apse as a semicircular projection (which may be polygonal on the exterior, or reveal the radiating projections of chapels) may be roofed with a semi-dome (also called a half-dome) or with radiating vaulting. A simple apse may be merely embedded within the wall of the east end. Eastern orthodox churches may have a triple apse, which is usually a mark of Byzantine influence when it is seen in Western churches.

Smaller subsidiary apses may be found around the choir or at the ends of transepts. These proliferating apses are common in later Byzantine architecture and the Ottoman architecture that developed from it. The term "abse" tends to be reserved for those at the liturgical east end, with these further spaces called "exhedras" or "absidal openings". A tetraconch is a church on a central plan with four abses, one in each direction. An exedra or apse may be reduced in scale to form a niche within the thickness of walling; a niche does not reveal its presence by projecting on the exterior.

Related features[link]

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the south apse is known as diaconicon and the north apse as prothesis. Various ecclesiastical features of which the apse may form part are drawn together here:

Presbytery[link]

The presbytery (or sanctuary), directly to the east beyond the choir is the High Altar, where there is one (compare communion table). This area is reserved for the clergy. The word derives from the Greek presbuteros meaning "elder".

Chevet[link]

In the beginning of the 13th century in France, the apses were built as radiating chapels outside the choir aisle, henceforth known as the chevet (French, "headpiece"), when the resulting structure was too complicated to be merely an "apse". Famous northern French examples of chevets are in the Gothic cathedrals of Amiens, Beauvais and Reims. Such radiating chapels are found in England in Norwich and Canterbury cathedrals, but the fully developed feature is essentially French, though the Francophile connoisseur Henry III introduced it into Westminster Abbey.

Ambulatory[link]

The word "ambulatory" refers to a curving aisle in the apse that passes behind the altar and choir, giving access to chapels in the chevet. An "ambulatory" ("walking space") may refer to the arcade passages that enclose a cloister in a monastery, or to other types of aisles round the edge of a church building, for example in circular churches.

See also[link]

Look up apse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Apses

• Architectural development of the eastern end of cathedrals in England and France
• Byzantine architecture
• Cathedral architecture
• Cathedral architecture of Western Europe
• Chancel repair liability in the United Kingdom
• Church architecture
• Narthex

References[link]

• Joseph Nechvatal, "Immersive Excess in the Apse of Lascaux", Technonoetic Arts 3, no3. 2005

Gallery[link]

• 

  Triple apse of Basilica di Santa Giulia, northern Italy.

• 

  East end of the abbey church of Saint-Ouen, showing the chevet, Rouen, Seine-Maritime.

• 

  A chevet apse vault.

• St chads in poulton-le-fylde.jpg

  A simple apse set into the east end of St Chad's parish church, at Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.

• 

  The decorated apses of the Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily.

• 

  The apse of St. Martin church in Busskirch, community Jona, Switzerland.

• 

  Apse for Torah Ark in the ancient Maon Synagogue.

• 

  The triple apse of an Orthodox church.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)

The Walls are an Irish rock band. They were formed in 1998 by two ex-members of The Stunning.

Members[link]

• Steve Wall
• Joe Wall
• Carl Harms (Guitar/Keyboards) (left February 2004)
• Rory Doyle (Drums)
• Jon O'Connell (Bass) (joined February 2004)

Biography[link]

1998–2000[link]

Brothers Steve and Joe Wall (previously of The Stunning) returned to Ireland after a two-year failed label stint in London. Their Camden housemate Carl Harms joined the band on guitar and keyboard duties. Drummer Rory Doyle joined soon afterwards. They set up their own label, Earshot Records (later changing it to Dirtbird Records) and recorded and released a string of singles. A remix of one of the album tracks, "Bone Deep", clicked with radio and became a nationwide hit. Many of the songs have featured on a number of TV series and feature films such as Bachelors Walk, Dead Bodies, Goldfish Memory and On the Edge (starring Cillian Murphy).

2001–2004[link]

The Walls heard rumour of a second Slane Castle date for U2 (as the first concert had sold out in hours). They sent four copies of their album to the band. Bono loved it and offered The Walls a support slot. That day the band played to their biggest crowd to date – around 80,000 people. "To the Bright and Shining Sun" was their next single. That June they supported Red Hot Chili Peppers. They spent the next year gigging while building their own studio in Dublin.

In February 2004, original member Carl Harms decided to leave the band to make his own record. They recruited bassist Jon O’Connell, who had just 2 weeks to learn all the songs before a two week tour of the new EU accession states: Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. "To the Bright and Shining Sun" also featured on the EA Sports soundtrack for the UEFA Euro 2004 official licenced game.

2004 - 2006[link]

For the next album, the band went to Studio Black Box in France to record with producer and ex-The Frames guitarist David Odlum. Originally scheduled for a release date in September 2004, The Walls decided to hold their album until the new year. U2 were releasing How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb that autumn and according to Steve "we thought that it would be a fair and gentlemanly gesture to stand back and give them a fair crack of the whip, so to speak".^{[citation needed]}

In October 2004, they released a taster - "Drowning Pool" - a blistering, spleen-venting, blues explosion, 2min 52sec long. It took people by surprise and divided opinion - exactly what the band wanted. They supported Bob Dylan to a capacity crowd in Galway that summer and played a storming set that showed there were changes afoot in The Walls sound. They christened the album New Dawn Breaking after the final track on the record. It went straight into the Irish charts at No. 5 in its first week of release in June 2005 and has produced four hit singles: "To the Bright and Shining Sun", "Passing Through", "Drowning Pool" and "Black and Blue".

2007[link]

The band kicked off 2007 with a gig in Dubai and are presently negotiating gig offers in France, Italy, the Czech Republic and China. They also supported Crowded House on their Australian comeback tour before retreating into their studio to work on album number three.

2010 - 2012[link]

In 2010, the double A-side "Carrying The Fire"/"Phantom Power" was released. Following this, in March 2011, the "Bird In A Cage" EP was released, of which the title track was revealed to also be on the bands forthcoming album "Stop The Lights", which is to be released in 2012. Following this announcement, the band's new single "Stop The Lights" was released in January 2012. The band are currently using the innovative "Fund It" in order to finish their third album. The welcome newcomer Kevin Crowley from Newcastle West playing the spoons.

Discography[link]

	"To the Bright and Shining Sun" (2002) noicon From the 2005 album " New Dawn Breaking".
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Studio albums[link]

• Hi-Lo (released May 2000).
• New Dawn Breaking (released June 2005) (reached No. 5 in Irish charts)
• Stop The Lights (released 2012)

Singles and albums[link]

• "The Night I Called It A Day" (Single, released Feb 1999)
• "Broken Boy" (Single, released Sept 1999)
• "Something's Wrong" (Single, released Apr 2000)
• Hi-Lo (Album, released May 2000). A remix of one of the album tracks, Bone Deep, was popular in Ireland. Some songs featured on TV series and feature films: Bachelors Walk, Dead Bodies, Goldfish Memory and On the Edge (starring Cillian Murphy).

• "To the Bright and Shining Sun" (Single, released 2002) reached No. 11 in the Irish charts.
• "Drowning Pool" (single, released 2004)
• New Dawn Breaking (Album, released June 2005) reached No. 5 in Irish charts and has produced four hit singles: "To the Bright and Shining Sun", "Passing Through", "Drowning Pool" and "Black and Blue".

• "Carrying the Fire" / "Phantom Power" (double-A sided single, released Jun 2010)
• "Bird In A Cage EP" (4 Track EP, released Mar 2011)

Cover versions[link]

• Cover version of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1
• Cover version of Natasha Bedingfield's "These Words" on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 2
• Cover version of U2's "With or without you" on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 3

Career highlights[link]

• Supported U2 at Slane Castle, 2001
• Supported Red Hot Chili Peppers, 2002
• Supported Bob Dylan, Galway, 2005
• Supported Crowded House, Australia, 2007

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official band website, contains free MP3s; gig info, photos, Walls shop, press releases etc.
• The Walls at MySpace, contains some sample MP3s.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2012)

Meenakshi Seshadri (born 16 November 1963) is an Indian film actress and dancer. She won the Miss India contest in 1981 at age 17.^{[citation needed]} She is the youngest woman to be crowned Miss India.^{[citation needed]}

Career[link]

Meenakshi Seshadri made her debut in Painter Babu (1982) opposite Rajiv Goswami, the younger brother of Manoj Kumar. She shot to fame with the mega hit film Hero (1983) directed by Subhash Ghai. She was nominated for a Filmfare Award for her role in the film Damini. She acted in her last film Ghatak in 1997.

Personal life[link]

Meenakshi Seshadri was born into a Tamil Iyer Brahmin family at Sindri, Jharkhand.^[1][2] She is trained in four different forms of Indian classical dance: Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak and Odissi. She studied dance under Vempati Chinna Satyam and Jaya Rama Rao.^[3][4] She married Harish Mysore, an investment banker. The couple has settled in Texas,^[5] with a daughter, Kendra and a son, Josh.^[6]

Awards and nominations[link]

Seshadri was nominated for Filmfare Best Actress Award for Jurm in 1991 and for Damini in 1994.

Filmography[link]

• Do Rahain (1997)
• Ghatak: Lethal (1996) .... Gauri
• Duet (1994) .... Anjali (Tamil film)
• Damini - Lightning]] (1993) .... Damini Gupta
• Kshatriya (1993)
• Aadmi Khilona Hai (1993) .... Punam Verma
• Badi Bahen (1993) .... Jyoti Dwarkaprasad
• Sadhna (1993) .... Madhu
• Aapathbandhavudu (1992) .... Hema (Telugu film)
• Humshakal (1992) .... Sarah (Vinod's Wife)
• Police Aur Mujrim (1992) .... Kiran
• Aaj Ka Goonda Raj (1992) .... Shalu Sharma
• Humla (1992) .... Seema
• Yeh Raat Phit Na Ayegi (1992)
• Akela (1991) .... Seema
• Brahmarishi Vishwamitra (1991) .... Menaka (Telugu film)
• Ghar Parivar (1991)
• Amba (1990) .... Lajjo
• Jurm (1990) .... Meena S. Varma
• Ghayal (1990) .... Varsha Bharti
• Awaargi (1990) .... Meena
• Ghar Ho To Aisa (1990) .... Seema
• Pyar Ka Karz (1990) .... Dr. Naina
• Shandaar (1990) .... Rani
• Aag Se Khelenge (1989) .... Geeta
• Toofan (1989) .... Radha
• Bade Ghar Ki Beti (1989) .... Mala
• Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá (1989) .... Reema
• Joshilaay (1989) (as Meenakshi Seshadri)
• Gharana (1989) .... Radha
• En Rathathin Rathame (1989) (Tamil film) with Bagyaraj
• Mahaadev 1989) .... Geeta
• Mohabat Ka Paigham (1989) .... Zeenat Banu
• Nache Nagin Gali Gali (1989)
• Teri Payal Mere Geet (1989) .... Laila-Jaan/Leela
• Vijay (1988) .... Sapna
• Shahenshah (1988) (uncredited) .... Shalu
• Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani (1988) .... Savitri
• Bees Saal Baad (1988) .... Kiran Thakur
• Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi (1988) .... Jamuna
• Inteqam (1988)
• Main Tere Liye (1988) .... Rinku Sagar
• Satyamev Jayate (1987) .... Seema
• Dacait (1987) .... Javli
• Inaam Dus Hazaar (1987) .... CBI Officer Kamal Malhotra aka Sonia
• Muqaddar Ka Faisla (1987) .... Meena
• Parivaar (1987) .... Anita
• Swati (1986)
• Dilwaala (1986) .... Padma
• Allah Rakha (1986) .... Rani
• Dahleez (1986) .... Naini Saxena
• Maa Beti (1986) Meenu/Asha
• Main Balwan (1986) .... Natasha
• Ricky (1986)
• Lover Boy (1985) .... Radha
• Mera Ghar Mere Bachche (1985) .... Sarita
• Meri Jung (1985) .... Geeta Mathur
• Maha Shaktimaan (1985) .... Madhuri
• Bewafai (1985) .... Vinny
• Mahaguru (1985) .... Basanti
• Aandhi-Toofan (1985) .... Meena Kapoor
• Mera Jawab (1985) .... Poonam
• Awara Baap (1985)
• Hoshiyar (1985) .... Jyoti
• Paisa Yeh Paisa (1985) .... Sapna
• Love Marriage (1984) .... Ritu Mafatlal
• Do Gulab (1983)
• Hero (1983) .... Radha Mathur
• Painter Babu (1983) .... Renu Kailashnath

References[link]

External links[link]

• Meenakshi Seshadri at the Internet Movie Database