CHAPTER HOUSE
Certain innovations made at Cluny became an integral part
of the later Benedictine tradition and remained in permanent
departure from the solution set forth on the Plan of
St. Gall. The most notable of these is the inclusion in the
east range of a separate chapter house.[102]
Once conceived, the
separate chapter house could not be abandoned because of
its functional advantages. To place the chapter house at the
northern end of the east range, however, brought with it
certain complications. As long as it remained confined to
the ground floor, the dormitory overhead could still be
connected directly with the transept by means of night
stairs. But if the space of the chapter house extended upwards
through the entire height of the east range, arrangements
had to be made to connect the dormitory with the
church by special passageways; or the night stairs had to be
abandoned altogether.[103]
