The Catalan vault (Catalan: volta catalana), also called thin-tile vault,^[1] Catalan turn, Catalan arch, boveda ceiling (Spanish bóveda 'vault'), or timbrel vault, is a type of low brickwork arch forming a vaulted ceiling that often supports a floor above. It is constructed by laying a first layer of light bricks lengthwise "in space", without centering or formwork, and has a much gentler curve than most other methods of construction.^[1]

Of Roman origin,^[2] it is a traditional form in regions around the Mediterranean including Catalonia (where it is widely used), and has spread around the world in more recent times through the work of Catalan architects such as Antoni Gaudí and Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and the Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino.

A study on the stability of the Catalan vault is kept at the archive of the Institute of Catalan Studies, where it is said to have been entrusted by Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Though it is popularly called the Catalan vault, this construction method is found throughout the Mediterranean and the invention of the term "Catalan vault" occurred in 1904 at an architectural congress in Madrid.^[3]

The technique was brought to New Spain (colonial Mexico), and is still used in parts of contemporary Mexico.

Valencian architect and builder Rafael Guastavino introduced the technique to the United States in the 1880s, where it is called Guastavino tile. It is used in many major buildings across the United States, including the Boston Public Library, the New York Grand Central Terminal, and many others.^[4]

• List of architectural vaults

• Ramage, Michael. "Construction of a Vault". details the process of constructing a six-foot by six-foot vault.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Volta Catalana.

v t e Architecture of Spain
Styles	Megalithic Iberian Celtic Celtiberian Roman Visigothic Asturian Andalusi Mozarabic Repoblación Mudéjar First Romanesque Romanesque Gothic Catalan Gothic Isabelline Valencian Gothic Cisneros Plateresque Renaissance Purism Herrerian Baroque Churrigueresque Neoclassical Rococo Modernisme Valencian Art Nouveau Noucentisme Neo-Mudéjar
Buildings and structures	Roman sites Alcázars Alcazabas Cantabrian defensive towers Castles Castros Cathedrals Hórreos Lighthouses Llotjes Monasteries Royal sites Windmills Airports Indoor arenas Museums Stadiums Tallest buildings and structures Destroyed heritage
Other	Architects Andalusian patio Andalusian White Towns Aragonese Mudéjar Catalan vault Gaudí buildings Spanish Colonial architecture Alhóndiga Alqueria Artesonado Azulejo Baserri Cabaña pasiega Casa montañesa Casona montañesa Corral de comedias Cortijo Finca Estipite Hacienda Masia Mirador Palloza Pazo Real Spanish garden Yeseria
Category