Port cochere

A porte-cochère (/ˌpɔːrt koʊˈʃɛr/), coach gate or carriage porch is a covered porch-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which originally a horse and carriage and today a motor vehicle can pass to provide arriving and departing occupants protection from the elements.

Portes-cochère are still found on such structures as major public buildings and hotels, providing covered access for visitors and guests arriving by motorized transport.

Portes-cochère, which are for vehicle passage, are often confused with or porticos, columned porches or entries for human traffic.

The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th- and 19th-century mansions and public buildings. Well-known examples are at Buckingham Palace in London and at the White House in Washington, D.C., where a raised vehicle ramp gives an architectural portico the functionality of a porte-cochère.

Today a porte-cochère is often constructed at the entrance to elaborate private homes and such public buildings as churches, hotels, health facilities, and schools where people are delivered by other drivers. Portes-cochère differ from carports in the vehicle passing through for passengers to board or exit rather than being parked.

Guard stones are often found At the foot of portes-cochère, acting as protective bollards to prevent vehicles from damaging the structure.

The Lockwood–Mathews Mansion, built in 1864

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