For other uses, see Nave (disambiguation). For the Hebrew name, see Naveh. Not to be confused with Knave. Plan of a large Latin cross church, with the nave ( strict definition ) highlighted Plan with the nave ( broader definition ) highlighted The nave of the Saint-Sulpice Church in Paris The Romanesque nave of the abbey church of Saint-Georges-de-Boscherville, Normandy, France, has a triforium passage above the aisle vaulting. The nave / n eɪ v / is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. [1] [2] When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type building, the strict definition of the term 'nave' is restricted to the central aisle. [1] In a broader, more colloquial sense, the nave includes all areas available for the lay worshippers, including the side-aisles and transepts. [3] Either way, the nave is distinct from the area reserved for the ch...