What is “a choir” in a cathedral?

The story behind the answer

In medieval cathedrals, the choir (often spelled “quire”) occupies the eastern area between the nave and the high altar, lined with wooden stalls for canons or monks who chant the Divine Office and parts of the Mass. A rood or choir screen often separated it from the lay congregation, underscoring its role in clerical worship.

Choir stalls featured misericords—small hinged ledges with intricate, sometimes humorous carvings—that offered discreet support during long services. This space was also a cradle of musical innovation: plainchant evolved here into early polyphony, frequently accompanied by the organ. Don’t confuse it with the nave (for the congregation), the pulpit (for preaching), or chapels and the ambulatory behind the altar (for specific devotions).