RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE

(1400-1600 / Early 15th – 16th Century)

The Renaissance describes an era from roughly 1400 to 1600 AD when art and architectural design
returned to the Classical ideas of ancient Greece and Rome. In large part, it was a movement spurred on by the
advances in printing by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. The wider dissemination of Classical works, from the
ancient Roman poet Virgil to the Roman architect Vitruvius, created a renewed interest in the Classics and a
humanist way of thinking that broke with long-standing medieval notions. It adopted distinguishing features of
classical Roman architecture. However, the forms and purposes of buildings had changed over time, as had the
structure of cities, which is reflected in the fusion of classical and 16th century forms.

Historians often divide the Renaissance into three phases:

(1) The Early Renaissance Period

“Quattrocento “
(1400-1500)

In this era, the true nature of the Renaissance as an architectural style began to emerge due to regional
characters that started to spread all over Europe. All the different Renaissance eras led to another antiquarian
phase that combined all different phases and styles in one single whole that we may call as the Neo-Classical
Architecture. The early Renaissance Era that started in Florence as its birthplace was characterized by a new
building type: the PALACE.
This architectural style could be characterized by:

● Rusticated and rugged surfaces.

● Massiveness of the architectural form

● Internal courts and circular arcades.

● No use of pilaster as a decorative element on the façade. No ornamentations.

● Concentration on main features of the structure.

● Architecture of simplicity and boldness.

● Projected roof comices that crowns that top of the building.

● External arcades.

● Fanciness of sculptures and paintings.

● Architecture at this period is the product of an individual architectural thought rather than a
school or a style to be followed. It waited till the High Renaissance period to an independent
architectural style of its own.
● The dependence on ratios derived from music, 1:1, 1:2, 2:3, and 3:4. They believed that these
ratios are cosmic or divine oriented ratios that had to be expressed as a mathematical proportion
all over the structure.
● The human body is the center of the universe.

● The centrally planned church or the circular design is the most perfect and absolute reflecting
God on Earth.
The early renaissance architects were very much interested in geometry. They favored the simple and
the straightforward forms instead of the complex medieval shapes. They relied on the circle as a perfect
geometrical form. They inserted the human body inside a circle and a square, thus demonstrating that human
body reflects the divine proportions. Thus, illustrating that the human body was proportioned according the
divine ratios.

Notable Early Renaissance Architects and Their Works

Brunelleschi
Filippo Brunelleschi (1377–1446) is widely considered the first Renaissance architect. Trained as a
goldsmith in his native city of Florence, Brunelleschi soon turned his interests to architecture, traveling to Rome
to study ancient buildings. Among his greatest accomplishments is the engineering of the dome of Florence
Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Duomo). He was also the first since antiquity to use the
classical orders Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian in a consistent and appropriate manner.
Although Brunelleschi’s structures may appear simple, they rest on an underlying system of proportion.
Brunelleschi often began with a unit of measurement whose repetition throughout the building created a sense
of harmony, as in the Ospedale degli Innocenti (Florence, 1419). This building is based on a modular cube,
which determines the height of and distance between the columns, and the depth of each bay.
Some historians consider the start of the Renaissance to be 1419, when he won the commission to build the
dome above the cathedral of Florence. This dome was an ambitious undertaking as it was to be the largest dome
built since the Pantheon in Ancient Rome, which had been built 1500 years earlier.

Dome of Florence Cathedral

The dome designed by Brunelleschi (Photo via Wikipedia)

The entire dome, including the lantern on top, would take much of Brunelleschi's life to complete. The gold ball
at the top weighed nearly two tons by itself. It also took over four million bricks to construct the dome.
Brunelleschi also had to invent new ways of lifting heavy objects high into the air, which would later be used by
other architects.
Brunelleschi also designed two churches in Florence: the church of San Lorenzo and the church of Santo
Spirito. These churches were built with symmetry and order. Many more churches throughout Europe would
mimic this basic design in the coming years.

Basilica of San Lorenzo (1422-1470)

Photo via Izi Travel
 Basilica di Santo Spirito (1428-1481)
(Photo via Wikipedia)

Some of his architectural works:

● Palazzo di Parte Guelfa hall

The Palazzo di Parte Guelfa is a historic building in Florence that used to serve as the headquarters
of the Guelph party in the city. It was built during the Middle Ages in the 13th century.
Brunelleschi is credited with the design of the hall on the first floor which was built between 1420 and
1445. Multiple additions were made to the building later on and it has been restored several times over
the centuries.

(Photo via Wikipedia)

● Santa Maria degli Angeli

The Santa Maria degli Angeli is a former church of a monastery with the same name in
Florence. It was partially designed by Brunelleschi and construction of the building started in 1434 but
was never finished.

(Photo via Web Gallery of Art)

Alberti
 Leon Battista Alberti (1404–1472) worked as an architect from the 1450s onward, principally in
Florence, Rimini, and Mantua. He is not a technical architect like Brunelleschi but was an architecture
theoretician and one of the famous philosophers of his period. He took the opportunity of being in Rome just
like Brunelleschi, too. In this way, he examined ancient works closely. Alberti, who met many artists in Rome,
also took courses about physics and natural sciences.
After Alberti read the “Ten Books on Architecture” of Vitruvius, he has become passionate about
architecture. He has thought about house plans and has been interested in urban planning. He defended the
opinion that creating a circular (also hexagonal and square) center area in the structures. Moreover, he has fed
from the proportional systems that he learned from Vitruvius’ book.
Alberti published a book made of 10 books in one piece “De re aedificatoria” in 1452 by emuling
Vitruvius. He talks about structures, orders and his opinions about architecture in this work. He also added some
important information narrated by Vitruvius in a more understandable way.In his book, Alberti gave a place to
the opinion of decorum and civitas as well. Decorum means building a structure through someone’s aims and
Civitas means a city-based civilization.
Besides these theoretical works, Alberti designed some quite important Renaissance architecture
examples. His most two famous Renaissance architecture works are Tempio Malatestiano and The Church of
St. Andrea.
These designs and works of Brunelleschi and Alberti who are the greatest architects of the early
Renaissance architecture period have been sources of inspiration for the next architects.

(2) The High Renaissance Period

“The Age of Humanism”
(1500-1525)
At the end of the 15th century, Renaissance spread its popularity dramatically and it reached its peak in Europe.
That period when great architects, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael produced works, is known as
the High Renaissance period.
During the High Renaissance architecture era, when Italy suffered territorial losses, Florence was captured by a
radical Christian. As a result of this case, the government suspended most artistic events. Moreover, the center of
Renaissance and creative arts moved into Rome from Florence.
In this period, Da Vinci, known as the inheritor of Alberti, drew anatomical sketches in the light of knowledge
that Vitruvius narrated.

The Vitruvian Man drawing by Leonardo da Vinci

The Vitruvian Man drawing

“The Vitruvian Man” drawing of Leonardo Da Vinci represents the central stance of a man in the world. In the
sketch, the Vitruvian Man, who had opened his arms and legs, created an ideal circle, with his navel exactly in the middle.
 The circle was a symbol of sacred and absolute harmony in Renaissance period architecture. Leonardo designed
circular domes by using this ideal circle as the keystone of plans in the churches he drew. But none of Leonardo’s
drawings were applied.
Architectural historians think that the High Renaissance Architecture period ended with the death of Raphael in
1520. Its effects have influenced the illumination period and the industrial age. In conclusion, Renaissance formed one of
the foundations of the alteration movement that will last for centuries.

Leonardo Da Vinci
He was a master in nearly every thing (water currents, air movements, anatomy… etc.) Architecturally
he was interested in the centrally planned churches. The church of St. Maria at Todi by Bramante is based on
one of Leonardo's sketches. It is a square in plan with one semi circular apse and 3 polygonal side apses. The
square generated a cube while the semi circle generated a dome on a drum. In 1482, while Leonardo in Milan;
he became a close friend to Bramante.
Donato Bramante's architecture could be characterized by the following items:

● Highly decorative architecture

● Externally detailed architecture.

● Coffered vaulted interiors.

● Domes with lanterns.

Bramante utilized a new concept of the optical illusions in presenting his interiors especially in the
church of St. Maria Satiro (1492) due to the existence of a street behind and flush with the choir. He designed
an illusionist choir, that when vied from 13 the main church axes would provide with the convincing appearance
of a barrel vault extending through the wall. This is done by using the illusion of one vanishing point linear
perspective. He simulated the space he wished to build in actuality. He based the foundation principles of the
tromp l'oiel drawings on walls and ceilings that would be used extensively in the future.
In 1499, Bramante left Milan due its French invasion. He went to Rome where he studied ancient
architecture and antiquity. In 1502, King Ferdinand and his wife Queen Isabella hired Bramante to design a
church on the same site where St. Peter was martyred. His plan for the Tempietto is based on the following:

● Circular colonnade.

● Centrally designed church.

● Ribbed dome.

● Oculus

● Balustrades.

● A two storey cylinder covered by a semi circular dome and surrounded by one storey Roman
Doric columns.
● An external projected cornices.

Tempietto

● Bramante’s Tempietto in Rome has been universally acclaimed as a masterpiece of High Renaissance
architectural design.
● In the late Renaissance, the architect and theoretician Andrea Palladio illustrated it in the Fourth Book of
I quattro libri. This section of his treatise was devoted to ancient temples, and the Tempietto was the
only Renaissance building to be included.
● The Tempietto was built to mark the spot where Christ’s disciple Peter was believed to have been
crucified. The hole in the ground made by the cross is enshrined in the crypt and can be seen through an
opening in the ground-story floor. The Monastery of San Pietro in Montorio, a Spanish monastery of the
Franciscan Order, was later built around the site.
 ● The commission for the Tempietto was made by Cardinal Carvajal, who was acting as the agent of the
Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile.

In 1505, Nicholas the fifth was the acting Roman Pop. He asked Bramante to make the first attempt to
design and build the cathedral of St. Peter, on the bases of a Greek cross plan that could accommodate the tomb
of the Pop. Instead of copying from ancient ideas and from the Roman Heritage especially from the Pantheon,
Bramante intended to out do all the Roman past structures and proposed a domed structure more daring than
any other edifice. It was dome on a drum and supported on circular Arches. Structurally, this dome could never
be build based on the size of the piers proposed by Bramante that would have made it structurally unsafe and
unstable. Bramante died in 1514, while the church of St. Peter was under construction. It waited for the next
150 years to be fully completed. In this church every architect from the Renaissance till the end of the Baroque
and the Rococo worked in its execution.

The High Renaissance Period could be characterized Architecturally by:

● Massiveness.

● Three dimensional spatial constructions.

● New building techniques especially in the flying scaffoldings and at the same time
maintaining the spirit of antiquity.
● Bay and grid modules.

● The efficient use of the space.

(3) The Late Renaissance Period

“Mannerism“
(1520-1530)

In the Mannerism period, the Renaissance style evolved into more decorative art. Strict norms of the
early Renaissance gave place to an innovative and creative quest.

One key characteristic of Mannerism examples is pilasters that rise from the ground to the top of
buildings. This feature, invented by Michelangelo, is also called the “giant order”. Furthermore, Mannerist
architecture features visual tricks and unexpected use of Renaissance forms.

The most important architects of this period are: Guilio Romano (1574), Gorgio Vasari (1546),
Michelangelo (1564), and Andrea Palladio (1580).

Romano

Giulio Romano (1499–1546), was a pupil of Raphael, assisting him on various works for the Vatican.
Romano was also a highly inventive designer, working for Federico II Gonzaga at Mantua on the Palazzo Te
(1524–1534), a project which combined his skills as architect, sculptor and painter. In this work, incorporating
garden grottoes and extensive frescoes, he uses illusionistic effects, surprising combinations of architectural
form and texture, and the frequent use of features that seem somewhat disproportionate or out of alignment. The
total effect is eerie and disturbing. Ilan Rachum cites Romano as “one of the first promoters of Mannerism”.

Palazzo Del Te. (1534)

This palace was designed for a couple who are newly married, it is considered as honey moon villas. It
was designed by Gulio Romano who:

● Studied ancient Roman buildings and structures

● Represented the ruined condition of ancient monuments as his contribution to the 16 Century
architecture
● All Roman and classical details are shown in his architectural work

● Rooms surround the central court yard.

● Extended cornices all over the structure.

● Doric pilasters.

● The building appears to be in an unfinished condition, as shown in the

● Unfinished wall niches and the removal of all statues from the walls.

● Cracked walls and fishers are painted on the walls as a sense of the ruined

● Condition of the edifice

● All these previous features create a sense of tension and unbalance through the

● Whole structure. (The concept of instability within the whole structure.)

Michelangelo
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) was one of the creative giants whose achievements mark the
High Renaissance. He excelled in each of the fields of painting, sculpture and architecture, and his
achievements brought about significant changes in each area. His architectural fame lies chiefly in two
buildings: the interiors of the Laurentian Library and its lobby at the monastery of San Lorenzo in Florence, and
St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
St. Peter’s was “the greatest creation of the Renaissance”, and a great number of architects contributed
their skills to it. But at its completion, there was more of Michelangelo’s design than of any other architect,
before or after him.

The Church of St. Peter - Rome (1546)

In 1546, Michelangelo was appointed as a chief architect to complete the church of St Peter. He
completed the work previously done by Bramante that was based on a Greek cross plan. He increased the
thickness of the central piers that was the main defect of Bramante initial architectural work. Michelangelo was
influenced by Filippo Brunaleschi's dome of Florence Cathedral, and intended to build a dome bigger and
higher than that of Florence. This dome is characterized by the following:

1) Hemispherical dome.
2) 16 main ribs.
3) Circular layout.
4) Drum wit horizontal windows.

The dome of Florence Cathedral is characterized by the following:

 1) Gothic profile.
2) Octagonal 8 main rib
3) Layout.
4) Drum with circular windows.

The dome according to Michelangelo's ideas and concepts was never constructed, since the thrust due to
the length of the dome was enormous and the drum of the dome according to Michelangelo's concept can not
take it.
Giacomo Della Porta, employed a slightly taller profile to decrease the trust as much as possible and to
increase the weight of the lantern to direct the forces of the dome directly downwards to the drum. He used
double attached columns attached to the drum to act as a new concept of buttresses that would force the trust
forces downwards to the great piers underneath. Giacomo della Porta also utilized steel tension chains within
the brick works of the dome to give more stability and balance to the dome.
In 1606, Carlo Moderno completed the whole setting of St. Peter by adding an arcade around the central
court of St. Peter and also added an Egyptian obelisque surrounded by two fountains designed by Berrini.

Laurentian Library (1524)

It was placed within the cloister of the church of St. Lorenzo. Michelangelo wanted to utilize the
skylight to illuminate the reading rooms of the library, but the Pop rejected this idea because he was afraid that
it would leak water in the interior of the library and the reading rooms underneath the skylight. So Michelangelo
utilized a clear storey window concept to illuminate the vestibule of the library. The vestibule with its clear
storey windows that separated by paired recessed columns are a mannerist invention by Michelangelo. He
emphasized on the concept of instability of the whole structure by making these paired recessed columns to be
supported on consoles so that the columns appear be carried on a weak element and thus the sense of instability
is emphasized. Here all this visual drama would create a sense of tension and compressed energy within the
wall. This is the concept that Michelangelo called Restless Space Concept… This concept is further emphasized
by a triple dynamic stair case leading to the reading room. This stair is divided into three flights as it pours from
one flight into three flights. The inner stair has a hand rail while the outer ones do not. Michelangelo transferred
the stair case into a dynamic sculpture.

The Compidoglio – Rome (1534)

It is the second project by Michelangelo. It was intended to reestablish the grandeur of Rome by developing the
Compidoglio, which was the ancient seat of the Roman government. Pop Paul III transferred the equestrian
bronze statue of Marcus Aureoles to be the center piece of this square. Michelangelo was asked by the Pop to
bring order and to produce a setting for the square and to find an ideal solution for the two buildings framing the
square and to design two new facades for them. Especially that the two buildings are on acute angles with each
other. In spite of all these constraints, it provided an opportunity for Michelangelo to design a civic plaza with
the confinements of a major city. He produced a brilliant idea based on a trapezoidal plaza to regulate the
difficult geometries established by the existing buildings and designed an oval marble pavements that be the
focus of the equestrian statue in its center.

This plaza is characterized by the following: Axiality

● Symmetry

● Architectural Details

● Linear perspective in points of vision

Behind the equestrian statue, Michelangelo extended the trapezoidal plaza with a new building type (ramp-stair)
to link the piazza with city center beneath it.
Palladio (1508)
o Italian architect Andrea Palladio is one of the most influential characters in architecture history.
He produced his works during the Late Renaissance Period, also known as Mannerism.
o He designed palaces, churches and mostly villas. His 24 buildings that are located in the city of
Vicenza have made the city recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

o He was interested in antiquity, classical architecture and Vitruvius. Just like other important
Renaissance architects, he made a trip to Rome to see antique ruins in the place. After that, he
made two another trips to Rome in 1545-1546 and 1546-1547.

o He also wrote a book called “I quattro libri dell’architettura” (The Four Books of Architecture)
to hand down to the next generations his architectural understanding and knowledge.

Palazzo Chiericati

In this project Palladio, treated the external façade as a Roman temple. The palace is divided into three
pavilions. The central bay is projected and accentuated by clustered columns, thus creating an impression of
strength and power. The other two recessed bays flank the central bay and all of the three bays over look the
central forum. In this palace, he used the following items as his architectural vocabulary:

● Projected cornices.

● Balustrades.

● Roman god statues flanking the outer cornice.

● Doric orders on the ground floor followed by Ionic orders on the first floor, and his intention was to
build a third floor with Corinthian orders.

Villa Barbaro (1557-1558)

This villa is characterized by the following:

● Symmetrical Architectural design.

● Tri-partite division of the façade. (A central bay flanked by two side bays).

● External arcade to connect the external bys,

● Large windows for natural illumination.

● The use of shade and shadow due to a number projecting elements on the façade, thus giving a sense of
depth on the façade. Broken and split pediment on the main entrance of the villa.
● The use of sculpture and base reliefs on the main pediment above the main entrance.

● The application of the temple front concept (columns and pediments) on the main building façade.

Villa Foscari (1559-1560) Venice

 In this villa, Pellatio invented a new building type. “The Dog Leg Stair Case” that would lead to the
main portico on the ground floor. This will lead to a vaulted cruciform space that extends to the full depth of the
building. He used a consistent proportion system through out the whole structure. All the rooms have the ratios
of 1:1, 2:3, 1:2, and 3:4. The plan of the building if measured by comparing the length to its width, it would
conform to the golden section

Villa Rotonda (1566-1570) – Vincenza.

It is considered to be the most important villa ever designed by Falladio that gave him his fame all over
the history of architecture. It is identified by the following aspects:

● Square in the plan and in the layout.

● Central two-storey rotunda

● Loggias on the four sides of the villa.

● Internally, there is a cruciform space covered by a dome on a drum.

● Temple front elevation.

Renaissance Architectural Characteristics

PLAN

● The plans of Renaissance buildings have a square, symmetrical appearance in which proportions are
usually based on a module. Within a church the module is often the width of an aisle.
● The need to integrate the design of the plan with the façade was introduced as an issue in the work of
Filippo Brunelleschi, but he was never able to carry this aspect of his work into fruition. The first
building to demonstrate this was St. Andrea in Mantua by Alberti.

FACADE

● Façades are symmetrical around their vertical axis.

● Church façades are generally surmounted by a pediment and organized by a system of pilasters, arches
and entablatures.
● The columns and windows show a progression towards the center.

● One of the first true Renaissance façades was the Cathedral of Pienza(1459–62), which has been
attributed to the Florentine architect Bernardo Gambarelli (known as Rossellino) with Alberti perhaps
having some responsibility in its design as well.
● Domestic buildings are often surmounted by a cornice.

● There is a regular repetition of openings on each floor, and the centrally placed door is marked by a
feature such as a balcony, or rusticated surround.
● An early and much copied prototype was the façade for the Palazzo Rucellai (1446 and 1451) in
Florence with its three registers of pilasters.

STRING COURSES
 ● Stringcourse, in architecture , is a decorative horizontal band on the exterior wall of a building. Such a
band, either plain or molded, is usually formed of brick or stone.
● String courses or band courses are often used in conjunction with other architectural dressings such as
plinth courses and quoins.

BLIND ARCHES

● A blind arch is an arch found in the wall of a building which has been infilled with solid construction so
it cannot serve as a passageway, door, or window. The term is most often associated with masonry wall
construction.
● It served aesthetic purpose in the façade along with contributing to symmetry and order.

COLUMNS AND PILASTERS

● The Roman orders of columns are used:- Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite.

● The orders can either be structural, supporting an arcade or architrave, or purely decorative, set against a
wall in the form of pilasters.
● During the Renaissance, architects aimed to use columns, pilasters, and entablatures as an integrated
system.

ARCHES

● Arches are semi- circular or (in the Mannerist style) segmental.

● Arches are often used in arcades, supported on piers or columns with capitals.

● There may be a section of entablature between the capital and the springing of the arch.

VAULTS

● Vaults do not have ribs.

● They are semi-circular or segmental and on a square plan, unlike the Gothic vault which is frequently
rectangular.
The barrel vault and double barrel vault were popular.

DOMES

● The dome was used frequently, both as a very large structural feature that was visible from the exterior,
and also as a means of roofing smaller spaces where they were only visible internally.
● For e.g. Brunelleschi’s design for the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and its use in Bramante’s plan
for St. Peter's Basilica (1506)

CEILINGS

● Roofs are fitted with flat or coffered ceilings. They are not left open as in Medieval architecture. They
are frequently painted or decorated.
● Circular, square, octagonal, and L-shaped coffers abounded, with their edges richly carved and the field
of each coffer decorated with a rosette.
 ● The second type consisted of ceilings wholly or partially vaulted, often with arched intersections, with
painted bands emphasizing the architectural design and with pictures filling the remainder of the space.

DOORS

● Doors usually have square lintels. They may be set within an arch or surmounted by a triangular or
segmental pediment. Openings that do not have doors are usually arched and frequently have a large or
decorative keystone.

WINDOWS

● Windows may be paired and set within a semi- circular arch. They may have square lintels and
triangular or segmental pediments, which are often used alternately. Emblematic in this respect is the
Palazzo Farnese in Rome, begun in 1517.

● Windows are used to bring light into the building and in domestic architecture, to give views. Stained
glass, although sometimes present, is not a feature.

PEDIMENTS

● Pediment, in architecture, triangular gable forming the end of the roof slope; or a similar form used
decoratively over a doorway or window.
● Their pediments frequently appeared in a series consisting of alternating triangular and segmentally
curved shapes, a motif revived by High Renaissance Italian designers.

● Particularly fine examples are the window pediments of the Palazzo Farnese (Rome, begun in 1517),
built by Antonio da Sangallo

WALLS

1. EXTERNAL WALLS
● External walls are generally of highly-finished ashlar masonry, laid in straight courses.

● The corners of buildings are often emphasised by rusticated quoins. Basements and ground floors were
often rusticated, as modeled on the Palazzo Medici Riccardi (1444–1460) in Florence.

2. INTERNAL WALLS
● Internal walls are smoothly plastered and surfaced with white-chalk paint. For more formal spaces,
internal surfaces are decorated with frescoes.
● A fresco is a painting done rapidly in water colour on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colours
penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.

STUCCO

● Stuccowork, in architecture, is a fine exterior or interior plasterwork used as three- dimensional

ornamentation, as a smooth paintable surface.
 ● They used smooth stuccowork in many buildings to contrast with the heavy rusticated stones at the
corners and openings in the façade.

DETAILS

● Courses, moldings and all decorative details are carved with great precision.

● Moldings stand out around doors and windows rather than being recessed, as in Gothic Architecture.
Sculptured figures may be set in niches or placed on plinths.
● They are not integral to the building as in Medieval architecture.

Spanish Renaissance Style

Renaissance architecture entered Spain towards the end of the 15th century and coexisted with Gothic in
Spain for a while. However, as the 16th century advanced, the Renaissance style became more dominant
especially in the larger towns and cities.
In some instances, a change of taste might result in a building, initially designed or even starting as
Gothic, to be later modified with Renaissance forms. One such example is the Gothic Palacio del Infantado,
Guadalajara, north east of Madrid.
The Palacio was built from approximately 1480 to 1500 for a member of the powerful Mendoza family.
Its striking façade combines Gothic architectural details with plateresque decorative features. Notable is the
Gothic doorway with plateresque ornamentation. Prominent above it is the Mendoza coat of arms. The façade is
covered by diamond stonework of the kind practiced by Mudéjar artisans (Mudéjar: Moor living under
Christian rule in Spain). Still, the most impressive feature is the beautiful gallery of paired ogee Gothic
windows interspersed with matching oriels (oriel: a kind of bay window) running along the top of the building.
But modifications around 1570 saw the removal of the Gothic pinnacles that originally topped the façade. At the
same time, Gothic windows were replaced by rectangular Renaissance windows, each with a triangular
pediment above it. These design changes not only reflected a change in taste but possibly the desire to imitate a
royal palace being built outside Madrid for Philip II.

French Renaissance Style

The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15 th and early 17th
centuries. The period is associated with the pan-European Renaissance, a word first used by the French historian
Jules Michelet to define the artistic and cultural “rebirth” of Europe.
Notable developments during the French Renaissance include the spread of humanism, early exploration
of the “New World” (as New France by Giovanni da Verrazzano and Jacques Cartier); the development of new
techniques and artistic forms in the fields of printing, architecture, painting, sculpture, music, the sciences and
literature; and the elaboration of new codes of sociability, etiquette and discourse.

Venetian Renaissance Style

Venetian Renaissance architecture began rather later than in Florence, not really before the 1480s,[1]
and throughout the period mostly relied on architects imported from elsewhere in Italy. The city was very rich
during the period, and prone to fires, so there was a large amount of building going on most of the time, and at
least the facades of Venetian buildings were often particularly luxuriantly ornamented.
Compared to the Renaissance architecture of other Italian cities, there was a degree of conservatism,
especially in retaining the overall form of buildings, which in the city were usually replacements on a confined
site, and in windows, where arched or round tops, sometimes with a classicized version of the tracery of
Venetian Gothic architecture, remained far more heavily used than in other cities.

Baroque Architecture ( 1630 – 1800)

Baroque architecture is a style that emerged in Italy in the late-16th century.
 It was a more theatrical version of Renaissance architecture, with dramatic lighting and colour, illusory
effects such as trompe l’oeil, and designs that played games with architectural features, sometimes leaving them
incomplete.
Its buildings typically include central towers, domes, portico or other central projections in the main
façade. As Baroque architecture coincided with European colonialism, it can be seen throughout much of the
world; and in some regions, notably Germany and colonial South America, it lasted until the 18 th century.
Plan
Baroque architecture is characterized by dynamic designs and complex architectural plan forms;
intended to heighten feelings of motion and sensuality, and frequently based on the oval. There is often a
mixture of the repetition, break-up and distortion of Renaissance classical motifs.
With architectural plans that go beyond traditional geometric shapes and often use other inspirations
such as letters or combinations of forms imitating a natural element, Baroque architecture is very diverse.
Because of the complexity of the plan, there are more opportunities for the architects to play with shapes and
forms, all for the sake of visual movement.

Façade

● Most Baroque facades are made of cut, carved, and unpainted stone. You may see some
brickwork and woodwork as well, especially in northern European versions of Baroque style.
Different building materials and decorations may add “pops” of color, but typically you’ll see a
monochromatic facade that feels large compared to the overall size of the structure.
● One of the hallmarks of Baroque architecture is a sense of movement where there isn’t any. This
is often achieved by sculpted stone, metal, or wood features that seem to be spinning, swirling,
flying, or undulating. Common sculpted elements to look for include (but aren’t limited to):

1. Lithe angels or chubby cherubs who are flying and playing wind instruments.

2. Scroll features that seem to be rolling or unrolling.

3. Garlands that appear to be sagging from the weight of fruits attached to them.

4. Flames that are lapping from candles, pots, or vases.

● Along with dynamic sculpture features, Baroque exteriors express movement by contrasting light
and shadow. Changes in depth on the exterior façade interact with the shifting sunlight (or the
artificial light of night) to make it seem that key design elements are constantly shifting
positions.
i. Pilasters—which look like columns but project out from the façade rather than standing
freely—are frequently used to create subtle changes in depth.
ii. Niches—recessed areas that may be left empty or contain sculptures or other elements—
are used to create areas of shadow.
● Baroque designs frequently use either triangular or curved pediments over doors and windows,
but they’re often “broken” pediments—that is, they have a gap at the peak that contains a
separate design element.[3]
1. You might, for example, see a vase or a coat of arms at the center of a broken
pediment. The pediment may also have a scroll-like component on either side of
the break.
 ● While ornate design elements are commonly found at all Baroque-style doors and windows, the
main entry door is typically the most ostentatiously designed. It’s very common to spot a family
coat of arms, religious symbol, or other sign of ownership and power at the center of a grand
broken pediment.

1. Scrolls, cherubs, garlands, niches, and pilasters often frame the main
entrance as well.
2. Porticos—small front “porches” with supporting columns—are less common in
Baroque architecture.

● Single-hung windows have a stationary top sash and a moveable bottom sash that you can slide
up and down for ventilation. Large panes of glass were rare in the Baroque era, so the sashes
typically contain matching sets of smaller glass panes known as “lights.”
● While the front facades of some Baroque buildings are topped with whole or broken pediments,
many have horizontal tops with thick, hefty cornices. The cornices—ornamental moldings akin
to interior crown moldings—protrude outward and cast shadows down the façade.
Details
From Italy and Spain to Austria and Germany, baroque architecture possessed many identifiable characteristics
common to its many variants in different cultures. Here are some of its most notable features:

● Mannerism: Although baroque architecture was deeply influenced by Greek classicism and its
subsequent Renaissance revival, it deviated most strongly from the ironclad emphasis on rigid form and
symmetry through the embrace of mannerism. Mannerism was a school of artistic thought stretching
from sculpture to visual art, but its impact on architecture foregrounded the importance of using optical
illusion and a spirit of experimentation to create a sense of wonder.
● Frescoes: A fresco is a painting done on a ceiling or wall—think Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.
Frescoes were remarkably common during the baroque period as they encapsulated the core mission of
its initial charter from the Catholic Church—to inspire awe and a sense of reverence among those
viewing the art and architecture. Since the subjects of these fresco paintings were often biblical
characters, baroque churches gave parishioners a sense of being involved directly in the events of the
Bible and the life of Jesus Christ.
● Ornate roofing and entryways: Architects of the period hoped to evoke a sense of reverence starting with
their exteriors. François Mansart designed the original curving, sophisticated Mansard roof during the
eruption of baroque art throughout the western art world. Pilasters (rectangular columns) stretched high
outside baroque buildings from Lisbon, Portugal, to Vienna, Austria. A stroll around St. Peter’s Square
in Rome leads you to a pediment (the triangular upper part of a building’s entryway, such as at Thomas
Jefferson’s Monticello) atop the building under which Saint Peter is allegedly buried, held high by
colonnades (rows of columns).
● Trompe l’oeil: Trompe l’oeil (French for “deceives the eye”) was a common technique of the period by
which the many frescoes adorning these buildings were given a sense of three-dimensionality. In this
way, two-dimensional decorative arts were given all the evocative and experiential attributes of baroque
sculpture. Patrons and parishioners could walk by Annibale Carracci’s The Loves of the Gods in the
Palazzo Farnese, for instance, and take in a painting on the ceiling that looked like a window into
Olympus itself.

Details
Baroque architecture serves a known purpose, namely that of the aid of the Counter-Reformation. Therefore, it
has a clear architectural program that allows for the identification of several characteristics. The main idea
behind the baroque is the stimulation of the emotions and the senses. Because the Reformation promoted a
rationalized and austere image, the Catholic Church responded by taking the opposite approach. This is why
every form and shape from a baroque building targets the engagement of senses and ignites emotions.
 ● Grandeur.

● Contrast.

● Curves and twists.

● Rich surface treatments.

● Gilded statuary.

● Bright colours.

● Vividly painted ceilings.

● Fragmented or deliberately incomplete elements.

● Large-scale frescoes.

● Dramatic central projections on an external façade.

● Use of plaster or stucco, marble or faux finishing.

● Illusory effects such as trompe l’oeil.

● Pear-shaped domes (more common in Eastern Europe baroque).

Famous Baroque Architects and Their Works

Here is a list of the greatest architects of the Baroque movement, together with their major design projects.

ITALY
Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola (1507-73)
Classical Italian architect in style of Late Renaissance and Early Baroque.
- St Peter's Domes, Vatican (1564)
- The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus (Il Gesu) (1568)
Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669)
Architect to Pope Urban VIII.
- SS. Luca e Martina (1635-64, Rome)
- St Maria della Pace, facade (1656-7, Rome)
- St Maria in Via Lata (1658-62, Rome)
See also: Quadratura, the illusionistic architectural painting technique.
Example: Allegory of Divine Providence (1633-39, Palazzo Barberini).
Bernini (1598-1680)
The greatest of all Baroque architects and sculptors.
- Palazzo Barberini (1628-32, Rome)
- St Peter's Square (1656-67)
- St Andrea al Quirinale (1658-71, Rome)
Francesco Borromini (1599-1667)
Lifelong rival of Bernini.
- St Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (1634-68, Rome)
- Palazzo Sapienza and St Ivo alla Sapienza, dome/facade (1640-60, Rome)
- St Agnese in Agone (1653, Rome)

Rococo Architecture (1700 – 1750)

The Rococo style, often termed the Late Baroque style, is a dramatic and extravagant design aesthetic.
Rococo architecture is most commonly associated with buildings built during the 18th century in France, but the
style also impacted the arts, music, furniture design, and even tableware. However, in comparison to other
artistic revolutions, Rococo characteristics were only prevalent for a short period of time. The name “rococo”
was coined as a humorous version of the French word rocaille, which referred to the use of small pebbles and
seashells as decoration in decoration and grottoes, that had been fashionable since the Renaissance.

● Bold Architecture.

● Impressive.

● Full of curvature.
 ● Cut up pediments.

● Ornamented Architecture

● Visual and play with forms.

● Overlapping of shapes and forms.

● Multiple foci rather than a consistent rhythm as in the Renaissance period.

● Highly enriched play and flow of forms.

● Multiplicity of forms and not a single consistent shape.

● Overlapping of orders.

● Free standing pilasters.

● Circular and triangulated pediments.

● The use of scrolls and volutes as an end design element.

● Visual concentration on the final form.

● The index of curvature and sinuous lines in the final architectural composition.

● The play of light and shade.

● Dramatic effect of the exterior.

● Concealed windows in the interior.

● Interiors are conceived in terms of volumes and not surfaces.

● Vigorous and robust interiors.

● Multiple centers and foci.

● Volumes contained within volumes.

Details
The Rococo originated as a form of interior design and it was a style that focused mainly on interiors.
Where the Baroque style was dramatic, bold and grand with contrasting colours, the Rococo was light, playful
and delicate with gentle shades of pastel colours.
The Rococo style is famous for its attention to detail and elaborate decoration. Wooden panelling with
decorative carvings included acanthus leaves, flowers, C & S shaped scrolls, shells and so on.
During the Rococo, the scale and design of furniture became more elegant and delicate with applied
ornamentation on everything from mirrors to candle holders. Seating became more comfortable as it was
required by the new taste for smaller and comfortable gatherings. Curving forms were seen everywhere and the
gently S-curved Cabriole leg shape became popular.

Principles
The Rococo style has always been famous for being exuberant, feminine and light with a gilded
elegance. The key elements of this decorative style are:

● Sensuous curvy lines

● Luxurious materials

● Asymmetrical flourishes

● Soft pastel colours

● Superior craftsmanship
 ● Stylized acanthus leaves and flowers

● C & S shaped scrolls and shells

Johann Sigmund Deybel

Jan Sigismund von Deybel Hammerau was a Rococo architect from Saxony mainly active in Poland. He also
served as a captain (from 1736) then as a major (1746) in the Polish artillery — his son was the
general Krystian Godfryd Deybel de Hammerau.

Branicki Palace

● The Branicki Palace was built from 1740 to 1753 and was said to be one of the best examples of
Rococo architecture known to exist in Europe in the years that followed.
● The interiors were decorated in the rococo style by Johann Sigmund Deybel and Jakub Fontana.
The layout was shaped like a horseshoe, with a central part corps de logis and two side wings.
The building was set back from the street by a cour d’honneur, a symmetrical courtyard set apart
in this way, at which the honored visitors arrived. The façades were balanced with admirable
rococo decoration and rooftop windows.[4] The main entrance was decorated with a portico of
four columns with sculptures on the top.
● Unfortunately, the entirety of that Rococo architecture now exists only in paintings as the
building was destroyed during World War II by the invading German forces.
Johann Friedrich Braunstein and Johann Ferster

● They both designed and built the Catherine Palace in Saint Petersburg.

● The Rococo movement flourished throughout Europe during the 18 th century and mostly became
popular among royal families and those with elite status who had the financial means to
construct such elaborate buildings.
● After Russia’s Great Northern War, Peter the Great would give the estate to this wife, Catherine.
The property was then known as Saari Mojs, which translates in Russian to “a high place.”
● The large, two-story building was heavily-influenced by Rococo architectural style and Ferster
and Braunstein incorporated various impressive elements to the interior that was sure to impress
Catherine’s royal guests.