BALCONY (Ital. balcone from balco,

See also:

• SCAFFOLD
• SCAFFOLD, SCAFFOLDING (from the O. Fr. escafaut, originally escafalt, modern echafaud, a corruption of the Italian or Spanish calafalco, a platform, especially a canopy over a bier, a catafalque; this word is composed of O. Span. altar, O. Ital. catare, t

scaffold; cf. O. H. Ger. balcho,

See also:

• BEAM
• BEAM (from the O. Eng. beam, cf. Ger. Baum, a tree, to which sense may be referred the use of " beam " as meaning the rood or crucifix, and the survival in certain names of trees, as horn-beam)

beam, Mod. Ger. Balken, Eng. balk)  , a kind of platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade . Sometimes balconies are adapted for ceremonial purposes, e.g. that of St Peter's at Rome, whence the newly elected pope gives his blessing urbi et orbi . Inside churches balconies are sometimes provided for the singers, and in banqueting halls and the like for the musicians . In theatres the " balcony " was formerly a stage-box, but the name is now usually confined to the part of the auditorium above the dress circle and below the gallery .