An
arcade is a succession of
arches, each counter-thrusting the next, supported by
columns,
piers, or a covered walkway enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians. The walkway may be lined with stores. A
blind arcade superimposes arcading against a solid wall. Blind arcades are a feature of
Romanesque architecture that was taken into
Gothic architecture.