Arch planner
Plan an arch in a wall, block by block. Choose the shape and the width of the opening and see for each column how high the arch starts. Turn it into a row of arches, in tiers, straight or round like the Colosseum. At the bottom you can see exactly how the tool works it out.
100 is the classic pointed arch: each centre lies on the springing point on the opposite side. Lower makes it blunter, higher makes it slimmer.
With 2 or 3, every arch on the tier below gets smaller arches above it, like an aqueduct. Each tier divides the previous one again.
Scale: smaller arches also get lower pillars. Fixed: the same pillar height everywhere. Per tier: fill it in yourself below.
Front view
arch pillars stair wall cornice calculated linePoint at a column to see the calculation. Click a block to mark it as placed. The column you click goes into the explanation at the bottom.
Build breakdown
Per column, from left to right
| Column | Part | Opening up to | Arch in row | Blocks |
|---|
Count columns from the left side of the wall and rows from the ground. Click a column for the calculation.
Build tips
- First build the two pillars up to the springing line. Then count from the outer column towards the middle; the arch is exactly the same on the left and the right.
- Put a temporary scaffold of dirt in the opening, up to the underside of the arch. Lay the arch on top and then break the scaffold away.
- On a pointed arch the two halves meet at the top. Build both sides up at the same time so you see straight away whether they line up neatly.
- A thicker arch looks heavier and stronger. Using a different block for the arch than for the wall makes it stand out more.
- Upside-down stairs in the corners under the arch make the inside smoother. The full top side sits against the arch, the cut-out faces the middle of the opening.
3D and layer-by-layer build plan
To Minecraft
Download the design as a schematic file and paste it into your world with WorldEdit, or build it from a hologram in Litematica.
Shopping list
Add the amounts for this design to your list. There you see everything together, converted to stacks and shulker boxes.
How it is calculated
History and fun facts
Why an arch works
An arch carries weight by pushing it sideways and downward. The wedge-shaped stones press against each other and hold each other in place. The middle stone at the top is called the keystone.
Builders in Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt already made arches of brick. The Romans made the arch the basis of their architecture.
Roman round arches
The Romans mostly used the round arch, a half circle. They used it for aqueducts, bridges, gates and arenas.
The Pont du Gard aqueduct in France has three tiers of arches on top of each other. Small arches are on top and large ones at the bottom. You can rebuild that in this tool with the Arches per arch below option.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum in Rome opened in the year 80 under Emperor Titus. The outer wall has three tiers of arches with a closed wall above them.
A cornice runs between the tiers. With the Built in a circle option the tool places your arches in a ring, just like an amphitheater.
The Gothic pointed arch
Around 1140 Abbot Suger had the church of Saint-Denis near Paris rebuilt with pointed arches. A pointed arch pushes sideways less than a round arch. So you can build taller and slimmer, with large windows.
Gothic architecture spread across Europe. Think of the cathedrals of Chartres and Cologne.
Segmental and basket arches
A segmental arch is a part of a circle, smaller than a half. It is flat and fits well above doors, windows and low bridges. The Ponte Vecchio in Florence, from 1345, has such flat arches.
A basket arch looks like half an ellipse. You often see it above gates and in Renaissance buildings.
How builders made an arch
An arch only stands once the keystone is in place. That is why masons first built a wooden frame, called centering. They laid the stones on it and then removed the frame.
In Minecraft blocks have no gravity, but the method still helps. A temporary scaffold of dirt shows you exactly where the underside of the arch goes.
Did you know?
- The Colosseum opened in the year 80 and had 80 arches on the ground floor.
- The Pont du Gard is about 49 meters high and has three rows of arches.
- The Ponte Vecchio in Florence was built in 1345.
- The aqueduct of Segovia in Spain was built without mortar between the stones.
- The middle stone at the top of an arch is called the keystone.
- The wooden frame an arch is built on is called centering.
About this tool
The Arch planner is a free Minecraft arch generator. You choose a round arch, segmental arch, pointed arch or basket arch. Then you set the opening width, the arch height, the pillar height and the arch thickness. For a pointed arch, Sharpness controls how slim it gets.
You can place several arches side by side, with pillars between them. With tiers and a cornice you build an arcade or an aqueduct. Choose 2 or 3 arches per arch below for smaller arches on top, as on the Pont du Gard. With Built in a circle you place the arches in a ring, like the Colosseum.
The front view shows for each column how high the arch starts. Click a column to see the calculation. With the Stairs inside finish, upside-down stairs go into the corners under the arch, so it looks smoother.
The 3D view and the layer-by-layer build plan show the result from every side. With the block palette you give the arch, the pillars and the wall each their own block. The materials calculator converts everything to stacks and shulker boxes.
Download the design as a .schem file for WorldEdit or Litematica, with or without the wall around it. It is handy for castles, churches, bridges and Roman builds.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a nice arch in Minecraft?
First build the two pillars up to the springing line. Then count each column from the outside toward the middle and place the blocks at the height from the table. A different block type for the arch than for the wall makes it stand out.
Which arch fits which building style?
A round arch suits Roman and Romanesque buildings. A pointed arch belongs to Gothic churches. A segmental arch is flat and fits above doors and cellar windows. A basket arch works well for wide gates.
How do I build an aqueduct or arcade?
Raise the number of arches side by side and choose more tiers. With Arches per arch below set to 2 or 3, each large arch gets smaller arches above it. A cornice between the tiers finishes it.
Should the opening have an odd width?
It does not have to. With an odd width the arch has one middle block at the top. With an even width there are two top blocks. A pointed arch often looks sharper with an even width, because the two halves meet in the middle.
Where do I place the upside-down stairs?
Choose the Stairs inside finish. The full top side sits against the arch and the cut-out faces the middle of the opening. You place them by clicking the top half of a block.
Does this work in Bedrock?
The front view and the table per column work in every edition. The .schem file is for Java Edition with WorldEdit or Litematica.