A decorated wooden platform or framework used to display a coffin during a funeral ceremony or state funeral.
From Italian catafalco, possibly from Medieval Latin or a blend of Italian and Spanish origins. The word entered English in the 16th century and has been used to describe elaborate funeral structures, particularly in grand state ceremonies.
Catafalques were essential in Renaissance and Baroque funerals, often decorated so elaborately that they were works of art in themselves—some famous ones included statuary, candles, and architectural elements that rivaled small buildings. Kings and queens would sometimes spend more on their catafalque than entire houses cost!
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