Monastic chamber serving the monks for meetings, also the meeting room of the chapter of canons. Most often it was near the chancel or at the cloister in the east wing of monastic buildings. The chapter house circled around the wooden or stone benches. Their varied spatial layout and rich architectural design distinguished themselves especially during the gothic period. A controversial issue among scientists is the existence of chapter houses in the castles of the Teutonic Knights, whose function was probably refectories.
