Cornerstone

A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.

For other uses, see Cornerstone (disambiguation). Several terms redirect here. For the religious site, see Foundation Stone. For the Aztec artifact, see Dedication Stone. For corner stones laid as an architectural feature, see Quoin.

Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or replica, set in a prominent location on the outside of a building, with an inscription on the stone indicating the construction dates of the building and the names of architect, builder, and other significant individuals. The rite of laying a cornerstone is an important cultural component of eastern architecture and metaphorically in sacred architecture generally.

Some cornerstones include time capsules from, or engravings commemorating, the time a particular building was built.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.