Colonnade Colonnade In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curved. The space enclosed may be covered or open. In St. Peter's Square in Rome, Bernini's great colonnade encloses a vast open elliptical space. When in front of a building, screening the door (Latin "porta"), it is called a portico, when enclosing an open court, a peristyle. A portico may be more than one rank of columns deep, as at
Great Colonnade at Apamea of the second century the city was completely rebuilt, starting with the Great Colonnade. The colonnade was aligned along the north-south axis, making up the city's "cardo maximus" under the Romans. Starting at the city's north gate, the colonnade ran in an uninterrupted straight line for almost to the south gate. The northern third of the colonnade's stretch is marked by a monumental votive column that stood opposite the baths. The southern third, at around , is marked by the intersection with the city's main east-west axis, or the "decumanus maximus". Two triple arches were built into the Great Colonnade