What is another name for the wheel window used in Romanesque architecture?

• A. Rose window
• B. Lancet window
• C. Oeil-de-boeuf window
• D. Tracery window

Answer: (A)

Wheel windows are round openings with glazing bars radiating from a central point, like spokes on a wheel. This distinctive, radiating pattern is most commonly called a rose window. The term rose emphasizes the floral, circular design and is widely used for such windows in both Romanesque and later Gothic architecture, linking the idea of a blooming circle to the architectural motif.

The other terms describe different window types: a lancet window is tall, slender, and pointed, typical of Gothic design; an oeil-de-boeuf (bull’s-eye) window is a simple round opening, usually without the intricate radiating tracery; a tracery window refers to the decorative stonework that forms the patterns in the window, which can accompany various shapes but isn’t specific to the wheel-with-spokes form.