In the context of architecture, the term clerestory refers to a higher section of a wall with a window or row of windows, usually found higher than the roofs surrounding it. A clerestory is visible in a Roman basilica or in the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church. Today, a clerestory, more commonly known as vertical window is built in high walls for the free passage of light and breezes into the internal space without infringing privacy.