In
architecture, a
plinth (from French
plinthe, from Latin
plinthus, from Greek πλίνθος
plinthos, “brick”) is the base or platform upon which a
column,
pedestal,
statue,
monument or
structure rests.
Gottfried Semper's
The Four Elements of Architecture (1851) posited that the plinth, the
hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests directly on the ground or
stylobate. According to Semper, the plinth exists to negotiate between a structure and the ground. Semper's theory has been influential in the development of architecture.