Buttress

Architectural structure

A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more historic (typically Gothic) buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (sideways) forces arising out of inadequately braced roof structures. The term counterfort can be synonymous with buttress and is often used when referring to dams, retaining walls and other structures holding back earth.

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