buttress, in architecture, exterior support, usually of masonry, projecting from the face of a wall and serving either to strengthen it or to resist the side thrust created by the load on an arch or a roof. In addition to their practical functions, buttresses can be decorative, both in their own right and from the designs carved or constructed into them.
Although it has been used in all forms of construction since ancient times (Mesopotamian temples featured decorative buttresses, as did Roman and Byzantine structures), the buttress is especially associated with the Gothic era, when simpler, hidden masonry supports developed into what is known as the flying buttress. This semidetached, curved pier connects with an arch to a wall and extends (or “flies”) to the ground or a pier some distance away. This design increased the supporting power of the buttress and allowed for the creation in masonry of the high-ceilinged, heavy-walled churches typical of the Gothic style.
Other types of buttresses include pier or tower buttresses, simple masonry piles attached to a wall at regular intervals; hanging buttresses, freestanding piers connected to a wall by corbels; and various types of corner buttresses—diagonal, angle, clasping, and setback—that support intersecting walls.