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The Romanesque tympanum of Vézelay Abbey, Burgundy, France, 1130s.

In architecture, a tympanum (plural, tympana) is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance bounded by a lintel and arch.^[1] It often contains sculptures or other ornaments.^[2] Most architectural styles include this element.^[3] The tympanum was invented in ancient Egypt in the first half of the 3rd century BC, and later appears in Greek, Christian and Islamic architecture.^[4] In Greek and Christian architecture, tympanums usually contained religious scenes.^[5]

Bands of molding surrounding the tympanum are referred to as the archivolt.^[6]

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The 2000-year-old Pantheon in Rome, Italy. The tympanum is the area inside the triangular pediment (plain here but often decorated).	Archivolts surrounding a tympanum of the West façade Strasbourg Cathedral, France	The three tympana on the main façade of Notre-Dame de Paris, France	Sculpted tympanum in Stralsund, Germany
Adoration of the Magi on a tympanum on Saint-Thiébaut Church, Thann, France	Religious scene in a tympanum, Saint Joseph church, Clermont-Ferrand, France	Scenes of the lives of Saint Peter and Mary, Saint Peter church, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain	High-relief bronze tympanum of Writing, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, DC