Chancel

First Appearance and Context

The chancel is presented when avout gather for the daily rite inside the Mynster. Entering from their southwest screen into the bright octagonal center, they conduct the aut and set the great mechanisms in motion while visitors from outside the walls, when allowed, observe from the north nave.

Structure and Features

• Octagonal plan with eight screen‑walls (traceries of stone or carved wood). The screens are made dark on the nave side and light on the chancel side, so people in any one nave can see into the chancel but not beyond it, creating the impression that each nave “owns” the chancel.
• Four cardinal naves connect to the chancel: north (used to admit visitors), east (a formal entrance, largely unused), south (reserved for Centenarians), and west (used by Unarians and noted for fine windows and carvings).
• The other four screens face the Mynster’s corners rather than full naves. The southwest corner holds the crowded Tenner area, expanded by side‑towers. The northwest corner communicates with the Primate’s private area. The southeast corner opens toward the Thousanders’ hand‑carved stair on their crag. The northeast corner adjoins the quarters of the Ita, who are said to have a tunnel into the subterranean workings of the clock (reported within the math as tradition rather than confirmed fact).
• The Præsidium rises through the center on four great fluted pillars. At floor level, a capstan‑like hub with four horizontal poles is used by avout to wind the great clock. High above, clerestory windows flood the space with light.

Relationships and Functions

• Serves as the ceremonial heart of the Mynster, where the daily aut of Provener is performed and the clock is wound by coordinated effort at the floor hub.
• Functions as the visual and architectural focus tying together the four naves and the surrounding corners, while the lighting of the screens maintains separation between communities using different approaches.
• Connects practically to the Ita’s responsibilities for maintaining the mechanisms and to the movement of hierarchs and wardens who enter from adjoining areas to officiate.

Current Status

In regular daily use for liturgy and mechanism winding. Under ordinary conditions, visitors from extramuros are admitted to view from the north nave. The east nave remains mostly ceremonial and little used; the south and west naves serve their respective cohorts, and the corner approaches continue to channel Tenner, Thousander, Primate’s, and Ita traffic as described.