Editing Niche (architecture) (section)

==Examples==
One of the earliest buildings which uses external niches containing statues is the Church of [[Orsanmichele]] in Florence, built between 1380 and 1404. 
[[File:Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Spain).jpg|thumb|Mihrab from the Mosque of Cordoba (niche shows the direction of prayer)]]
The [[Uffizi]] Palace in Florence (1560–81) modified the concept by setting the niche within the wall so it did not protrude. The Uffizi has two dozen or so such niches containing statues of great historical figures. In England, the Uffizi style niches were adopted at [[Montacute House]] (c. 1598), where there are nine exterior niches containing statues of the [[Nine Worthies]].

In Fra [[Filippo Lippi]]'s Madonna, the ''[[trompe-l'œil]]'' niche frames her as with the [[Baldachin|canopy of estate]] that was positioned over a personage of importance in the late Middle Ages and Early Modern Europe. At the same time, the Madonna is represented as an iconic sculpture who has "come alive" with miraculous immediacy. 
[[File:Porta_Maggiore_(Roma).jpg|thumb|211x211px|Porta Maggiore niches appear between arches.]]
In Iran, a Mihrab is a type of niche in the wall of a mosque at the point nearest to Mecca toward which the congregation faces to pray. This is The Great Mosque of Cordoba, It's Mihrab is formed of small, glazed glass tiles and plaster creating a mosaic.

Niches aren't only one sided as is the case of the Porta Maggiore where niches flank both sides of the gate and at one time displayed statues. Small Roman temples called Aedicula were often decorated with niches. For example, an aedicula on Lake Albano in Italy has six niches of varying heights, suggesting that anything up to the height of the statue could be accommodated.<ref name=":0" />