A
portal is an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, especially a grand entrance to an important structure.
doors, metal
gates or
portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of simple building materials or decorated with
ornamentation. The elements of a portal can include the
voussoir,
tympanum, an ornamented
mullion or
trumeau between doors, and
columns with carvings of saints in the
westwork of a
church.