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church building

vr.tr.church-building · thing-q16970

Let an agent handle church buildings by denomination, status, architecture, use and heritage protection, and separate the building from the congregation.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.PLC
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Identity Which church.

Location and name

Where and what.

Identity

Name and location.

  1. What is its name, dedication and location? definition
  2. Which denomination uses it? provenance

Status

Cathedral, parish, closed.

Status

Ecclesiastical status.

  1. What is its status: cathedral, parish church, chapel, closed? provenance
  2. Is it consecrated? provenance
Architecture Form and history.

Style

Period and form.

Style

Architectural style.

  1. What style and period is it? definition
  2. What notable features does it have? definition

History

Building phases.

History

Building history.

  1. When was it built and altered? provenance
  2. What sources document it? provenance
Use and access Worship and visits.

Services

Worship times.

Services

Service times.

  1. When are services held? provenance
  2. When can visitors come? definition

Access

Accessibility.

Accessibility

Access features.

  1. Is it accessible to wheelchair users? measurement
  2. Are there dress or conduct expectations? definition
Heritage and care Protection and upkeep.

Protection

Listing.

Protection

Heritage status.

  1. Is the building protected, at which grade? provenance
  2. What works need consent? boundary

Care

Maintenance and security.

Care

Maintenance and security.

  1. What is its condition, and who maintains it? measurement
  2. How is it protected from theft and fire? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.PLC
Other names and narrower kinds
domus ecclesiae, wooden church, timber-framed church, round church, garrison church, Protestant cathedral, stone church, Wooden churches of Romania, Worship wooden architecture (17th-18th centuries) in Paliessie, russian wooden church, ethiopian round church, military parish church

What it is Filled

A building used for Christian worship and religious activities, ranging from small chapels to cathedrals, of many styles and materials.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle church buildings by denomination, status, architecture, use and heritage protection, and separate the building from the congregation.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • A building for Christian worship
  • The building differs from the church as community
  • Often a protected heritage asset
  • Consecrated status affects use and disposal

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Enter outside opening hours or areas not open to visitors without the custodians' permission.
  • Disrupt worship, or photograph worshippers where photography is not allowed.
  • Remove, move or help sell fittings, metal or artefacts without the owner's authority.
  • Disable fire, alarm or security systems.

Only with a human decision

  • Alterations, closure or sale of a church building.
  • Handling or moving objects of religious significance.

May

  • Describe a church building from public records, its listing and visible features.
  • Report visible damage, intrusion or fire risk to its custodians.

Moral aspects Filled

  • A church is a place of worship and memory for its community, not only a building.
  • Historic churches are vulnerable to theft, decay and closure, and their loss is irreversible.

Who is affected

  • The worshipping community
  • Visitors
  • Heritage bodies and the public

Owners Filled

Steward

The religious body or trustees that own it; heritage authorities protect listed buildings.

Master systems

  • Heritage and listed building registers
  • Land registry

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q17350442 - registry parent class
  • Q24398318 - registry parent class
  • Q44539 - registry parent class

related

  • building - religious building
  • congregation - community
  • heritage - listed buildings
  • church as organisation - institution

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.church-building
  • Wikidata: Q16970 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16970)
  • heritage listing number: jurisdiction-specific protected buildings

Direct properties required Filled

  • capacity: 20-20000 people
  • age: from new to over 1500 years

Recognition required Filled

  • Cross, tower or spire and orientation toward the east in many traditions
  • Denominational signs and notice boards
  • Cathedral status is a designation, not a size
  • Buildings with a nave, often a tower or spire, crosses, stained glass and bells; wooden, stone, round and timber-framed churches exist.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • worship and visit it, respecting services
  • maintain and restore it
  • protect it, as heritage
  • close, repurpose or sell it, under church and planning rules

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Fire and theft of metal or artefacts
  • Structural decay in historic fabric
  • Loss through closure

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Heritage protection law
  • Church law on consecration and faculties
  • Building and fire safety for places of assembly

Context of use required Filled

  • Worship, sacraments, community gatherings and, often, heritage.
  • cathedrals, parish churches, chapels
  • wooden and stone churches
  • round churches
  • garrison and institutional churches
  • house churches (domus ecclesiae)

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q16970: church building - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Church (building) - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should churches be instances linked to heritage registers?
  • How should consecration status be recorded?
  • How should the building and congregation be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q16970/spec.json