A ceremonial canopy of stone, metal, or fabric suspended over an altar, throne, or other important architectural feature. In church architecture, baldachins create a sense of sacred space and emphasize the importance of what lies beneath.
From Italian 'baldacchino,' originally referring to a rich brocade fabric from Baghdad (called 'Baldacco' in medieval Italian). The term evolved to describe the canopies made from such luxurious materials.
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