The Architecture Timeline-

Western Influences on Building Design

 11,600 B.C. to 3,500 B.C. — Prehistoric Times

Prehistoric architecture includes

monumental structures such as
Stonehenge, cliff dwellings in the
Americas, and thatch and mud structures
lost to time. The dawn of architecture is
found in these structures. Prehistoric
builders moved earth and stone into
geometric forms, creating our earliest
human-made formations.

Many fine examples of well-preserved

prehistoric architecture are found in
southern England. Stonehenge in
Amesbury, United Kingdom is a well-
known example of the prehistoric stone
circle. Stonehenge in Amesbury, United Kingdom. Jason
Hawkes/Getty Images
850 B.C. to A.D. 476 — Classical

Classical architecture refers to the style

and design of buildings in ancient Greece
and ancient Rome. Classical architecture
shaped our approach to building in
Western colonies around the world.

From the rise of ancient Greece until the

fall of the Roman empire, great buildings
were constructed according to precise
rules. The Roman architect Marcus
Vitruvius, who lived during first century
B.C., believed that builders should use
mathematical principles when
constructing temples. "For without
symmetry and proportion no temple can The Pantheon, A.D. 126, Rome, Italy. Werner Forman
have a regular plan," Vitruvius wrote in Archive/Heritage Images/Getty Images (cropped)
his famous treatise De Architectura,
or Ten Books on Architecture.
In his writings, Vitruvius introduced the Classical orders, which defined column styles and entablature designs
used in Classical architecture. The earliest Classical orders were Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

Although we combine this architectural era and call it "Classical," historians have described these three
Classical periods:

700 to 323 B.C. — Greek. The Doric column was first developed in Greece and it was used for great temples,
including the famous Parthenon in Athens. Simple Ionic columns were used for smaller temples and building
interiors.

323 to 146 B.C. — Hellenistic. When Greece was at the height of its power in Europe and Asia, the empire
built elaborate temples and secular buildings with Ionic and Corinthian columns. The Hellenistic period ended
with conquests by the Roman Empire.

44 B.C. to A.D. 476 — Roman. The Romans borrowed heavily from the earlier Greek and Hellenistic styles,
but their buildings were more highly ornamented. They used Corinthian and composite style columns along
with decorative brackets. The invention of concrete allowed the Romans to build arches, vaults, and domes.
Famous examples of Roman architecture include the Roman Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome.

Much of this ancient architecture is in ruins or partially rebuilt. Virtual reality programs like Romereborn.org
attempt to digitally recreate the environment of this important civilization.
 527 to 565 — Byzantine
After Constantine moved the capital of
the Roman empire to Byzantium (now
called Istanbul in Turkey) in A.D. 330,
Roman architecture evolved into a
graceful, classically-inspired style that
used brick instead of stone, domed
roofs, elaborate mosaics, and classical
forms. Emperor Justinian (527 to 565)
led the way.

Eastern and Western traditions

combined in the sacred buildings of the
Byzantine period. Buildings were
designed with a central dome that
eventually rose to new heights by using
engineering practices refined in the
Middle East. This era of architectural
history was transitional
and transformational.
Church of Hagia Eirene in the First Courtyard of the Topkapı Palace,
Istanbul, Turkey. Salvator Barki/Getty Images (cropped)
 800 to 1200 — Romanesque
As Rome spread across Europe, heavier,
stocky Romanesque architecture with
rounded arches emerged. Churches and
castles of the early Medieval period were
constructed with thick walls and heavy
piers.

Even as the Roman Empire faded, Roman

ideas reached far across Europe. Built
between 1070 and 1120, the Basilica of St.
Sernin in Toulouse, France is a good
example of this transitional architecture,
with a Byzantine-domed apse and an added
Gothic-like steeple. The floor plan is that of
the Latin cross, Gothic-like again, with a
high alter and tower at the cross Romanesque Architecture of the Basilica of St. Sernin
intersection. Constructed of stone and brick, (1070-1120) in Toulouse, France. Anger O./AgenceImages
St. Sernin is on the pilgrimage route to courtesy Getty Images
Santiago de Compostela.
 1100 to 1450 — Gothic
Early in the 12th century, new ways of
building meant that cathedrals and other
large buildings could soar to new
heights. Gothic architecture became
characterized by the elements that supported
taller, more graceful architecture —
innovations such as pointed arches, flying
buttresses, and ribbed vaulting. In addition,
elaborate stained glass could take the place of
walls that no longer were used to support high
ceilings. Gargoyles and other
sculpting enabled practical and decorative
functions.
Many of the world's most well-known sacred
places are from this period in architectural
history, including Chartres Cathedral and The Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres,
Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral in France and France. Alessandro Vannini/Getty Images (cropped)
Dublin's St. Patrick's Cathedral and Adare
Friary in Ireland.
1400 to 1600 — Renaissance

A return to Classical ideas ushered

an "age of awakening" in Italy,
France, and England. During
the Renaissance era architects and
builders were inspired by the
carefully proportioned buildings
of ancient Greece and
Rome. Italian Renaissance master
Andrea Palladio helped awaken a
passion for classical architecture
when he designed beautiful, highly
symmetrical villas such as Villa
Rotonda near Venice, Italy.
1600 to 1830 — Baroque

Early in the 1600s, an elaborate new

architectural style lavished buildings.
What became known as Baroque was
characterized by complex shapes,
extravagant ornaments, opulent
paintings, and bold contrasts.

In Italy, the Baroque style is reflected

in opulent and dramatic churches
with irregular shapes and
extravagant ornamentation. In
France, the highly ornamented
Baroque style combines with
Classical restraint. In the art world,
Caravaggio, Bernini, Rubens,
Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Velázquez he Baroque Palace of Versailles in France. Loop Images
Tiara Anggamulia/Getty Images (cropped)
are remembered.
1650 to 1790 — Rococo
During the last phase of the Baroque
period, builders constructed graceful
white buildings with sweeping curves.
Rococo art and architecture is
characterized by elegant decorative
designs with scrolls, vines, shell-shapes,
and delicate geometric patterns.
Rococo architects applied Baroque ideas
with a lighter, more graceful touch. In
fact, some historians suggest that Rococo
is simply a later phase of the Baroque
period.
Architects of this period include the great
Bavarian stucco masters like Dominikus
Zimmermann, whose 1750 Pilgrimage Catherine Palace Near Saint Petersburg, Russia. Saravut
Church of Wies is a UNESCO World Eksuwan/Getty Images
Heritage site
1730 to 1925 — Neoclassicism
By the 1700s, European architects
were turning away from elaborate
Baroque and Rococo styles in favor
of restrained Neoclassical approaches.
Orderly, symmetrical Neoclassical
architecture reflected the intellectual
awakening among the middle and
upper classes in Europe during the
period historians often call
the Enlightenment. Ornate Baroque
and Rococo styles fell out of favor as
architects for a growing middle class
reacted to and rejected the opulence
of the ruling class. French and
American revolutions returned design
to Classical ideals — including The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Architect of the
equality and democracy — Capitol
emblematic of the civilizations of
ancient Greece and Rome.
A keen interest in ideas of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio inspired a return of
Classical shapes in Europe, Great Britain, and the United States. These buildings were
proportioned according to the classical orders with details borrowed from ancient Greece and
Rome.

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the newly-formed United States drew upon Classical ideals
to construct grand government buildings and an array of smaller, private homes.
1890 to 1914 — Art Nouveau
Known as the New Style in
France, Art Nouveau was first
expressed in fabrics and graphic
design. The style spread to
architecture and furniture in the
1890s as a revolt against
industrialization turned people's
attention to the natural forms and
personal craftsmanship of the Arts
and Crafts Movement. Art Nouveau
buildings often have asymmetrical
shapes, arches, and decorative
Japanese-like surfaces with curved,
plant-like designs and mosaics. The
period is often confused with Art The 1910 Hôtel Lutetia in Paris, France. Justin
Deco, which has an entirely different Lorget/chesnot/Corbis via Getty Images
visual look and philosophical origin.
1905 to 1930 — Neo-Gothic
In the early 20th century, medieval Gothic ideas
were applied to modern buildings, both private
homes and the new type of architecture called
skyscrapers.
Gothic Revival was a Victorian style inspired by
Gothic cathedrals and other medieval
architecture. Gothic Revival home design began in
the United Kingdom in the 1700s when Sir Horace
Walpole decided to remodel his home, Strawberry
Hill. In the early 20th century, Gothic Revival ideas
were applied to modern skyscrapers, which are often
called Neo-Gothic. Neo-Gothic skyscrapers often
have strong vertical lines and a sense of great height;
arched and pointed windows with decorative
tracery; gargoyles and other medieval carvings; and The Neo-Gothic 1924 Tribune Tower in
pinnacles. Chicago. Glowimage/Getty Images (cropped)
The 1924 Chicago Tribune Tower is a good example
of Neo-Gothic architecture. The architects Raymond
Hood and John Howells were selected over many
other architects to design the building.
1925 to 1937 — Art Deco

With their sleek forms and ziggurat designs, Art Deco

architecture embraced both the machine age and ancient
times. Zigzag patterns and vertical lines create dramatic effect
on jazz-age, Art Deco buildings. Interestingly, many Art Deco
motifs were inspired by the architecture of ancient Egypt.

Art Deco buildings have many of these features: cubic

forms; ziggurat, terraced pyramid shapes with each story
smaller than the one below it; complex groupings of
rectangles or trapezoids; bands of color; zigzag designs
like lightening bolts; strong sense of line; and the illusion
of pillars.

The Art Deco Chrysler Building in New York

City. CreativeDream/Getty Images
1900 to Present — Modernist Styles
The 20th and 21st centuries have seen dramatic
changes and astonishing diversity. Modernist
styles have come and gone — and continue to evolve.
Modern-day trends include Art Moderne and the
Bauhaus school coined by Walter Gropius,
Deconstructivism, Formalism, Brutalism, and
Structuralism.
Modernism is not just another style — it presents a new
way of thinking. Modernist architecture emphasizes
function. It attempts to provide for specific needs
rather than imitate nature.
Modernist architecture generally has little or no
ornamentation and is prefabricated or has factory-made De La Warr Pavilion, 1935, Bexhill on Sea, East
parts. The design emphasizes function and the man-made Sussex, United Kingdom. Peter Thompson
construction materials are usually glass, metal, and Heritage Images/Getty Images
concrete. Philosophically, modern architects rebel against
traditional styles. For examples of Modernism in
architecture, see works by Rem Koolhaas, I.M. Pei, Le
Corbusier, Philip Johnson, and Mies van der Rohe.
1972 to Present — Postmodernism

Postmodern architecture evolved from

the modernist movement, yet contradicts many of
the modernist ideas. Combining new ideas with
traditional forms, postmodernist buildings may
startle, surprise, and even amuse. Familiar shapes
and details are used in unexpected ways. Buildings
may incorporate symbols to make a statement or
simply to delight the viewer.
Philip Johnson's AT&T Headquarters is often cited
as an example of postmodernism.

Well-known postmodern architects include Robert

Venturi and Denise Scott Brown; Michael Graves; and the
playful Philip Johnson, known for making fun of
Modernism.
1997 to Present — Neo-Modernism and Parametricism

Throughout history, home designs have been

influenced by the "architecture du jour." In the
not far off future, as computer costs come down
and construction companies change their
methods, homeowners and builders will be able
to create fantastic designs. Some call today's
architecture Neo-Modernism. Some call
it Parametricism, but the name for computer-
driven design is up for grabs.
How did Neo-Modernism begin? Perhaps with
Frank Gehry's sculpted designs, especially the
success of the 1997 Guggenheim Museum in
Bilbao, Spain. Zaha Hadid's Heydar Aliyev Centre, 2012, Baku,
Azerbaijan. Christopher Lee/Getty Images
Just look at Moshe Safdie's 2011 Marina Bay
Sands Resort in Singapore: It looks just like
Stonehenge.
 Prehistoric Stonehenge (left) and Moshe Safdie's 2011 Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore
(right). Left: Grant Faint / Right: photo by william cho
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 14th and early
16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements
of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance architecture followed Gothic
architecture and was succeeded by Baroque architecture. Developed first in Florence, with Filippo Brunelleschi as
one of its innovators, the Renaissance style quickly spread to other Italian cities. The style was carried to France,
Germany, England, Russia and other parts of Europe at different dates and with varying degrees of impact.

symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of

Renaissance style places emphasis on
parts, as they are demonstrated in the architecture of classical antiquity and in
particular ancient Roman architecture, of which many examples remained. Orderly arrangements
of columns, pilasters and lintels, as well as the use of semi circular arches,
hemispherical domes, niches and aedicula replaced the more complex proportional systems and irregular profiles
of medieval buildings.
Renaissance architects found a harmony between human proportions and buildings. This concern for proportion
resulted in clear, easily comprehended space and mass, which distinguishes the Renaissance style from the more
complex Gothic. Filippo Brunelleschi is considered the first Renaissance architect. Leon Battista Alberti’s Ten
Books on Architecture, inspired by Vitruvius, became a bible of Renaissance architecture.

From Florence the early Renaissance style spread through Italy. Donato Bramante’s move to Rome ushered in the
High Renaissance (c. 1500–20). Mannerism, the style of the Late Renaissance (1520–1600), was characterized by
sophistication, complexity, and novelty rather than the harmony, clarity, and repose of the High Renaissance.

Principal phases
Historians often use the following designations:

Renaissance (ca. 1400–1500); also known as the Quattrocento and sometimes

Early Renaissance

High Renaissance (ca.1500–1525)

Mannerism (ca. 1520–1600)

The Quattrocento ,
The person generally credited with bringing about the Renaissance view of architecture is Filippo Brunelleschi,
(1377–1446). The underlying feature of the work of Brunelleschi was "order". The 15th century architecture in
Florence, was marked by the development of the Renaissance style of architecture, which represented a
conscious revival and development of ancient Greek and Roman architectural elements. The rules of Renaissance
architecture were first formulated and put into practice in 15th century Florence, whose buildings subsequently
served as an inspiration to architects throughout Italy and Western Europe.

High Renaissance
During the High Renaissance, concepts derived from classical antiquity were developed and used with greater
confidence. The most representative architect is Donato Bramante (1444–1514), who expanded the
applicability of classical architecture to contemporary buildings. His Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio (1503)
was directly inspired by circular Roman temples. He was, however, hardly a slave to the classical forms and it was
his style that was to dominate Italian architecture in the 16th century.
Mannerism

During the Mannerist period, architects experimented with using architectural forms to emphasize solid and
spatial relationships. The Renaissance ideal of harmony gave way to freer and more imaginative rhythms.
The best known architect associated with the Mannerist style was Michelangelo (1475–1564),
who frequently used the giant order in his architecture, a large pilaster that stretches from the bottom to
the top of a façade. He used this in his design for the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome.

Prior to the 20th century, the term Mannerism had negative connotations, but it is now used to describe the
historical period in more general non-judgemental terms.
Renaissance architects also
incorporated columns and
pilasters, using the Roman
orders of columns (Tuscan,
Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and
Composite) as models. 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. One of the first
buildings to use pilasters as
an integrated system was the
Old Sacristy (1421–1440) by
Brunelleschi.
The dome is used frequently in this
period, both as a very large structural
feature that is visible from the exterior,
and also as a means of roofing smaller
spaces where they are only visible
internally. Domes were used in
important structures such as the
Pantheon during antiquity, but had
been used only rarely in the Middle
Ages . After the success of the dome in
Brunelleschi’s design for the Florence
Cathedral and its use in Bramante’s
plan for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome ,
the dome became an indispensable
element in Renaissance church
architecture and carried over to the
Baroque.
Windows may be paired and set within a
semicircular arch and 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. In the Mannerist period, the
“Palladian” arch was employed, using a
motif of a high semicircular topped
opening flanked with two lower square-
topped openings. Windows were used to
bring light into the building and in
domestic architecture, to show the view.
Stained glass, although sometimes
present, was not a prevalent feature in
Renaissance windows.
Finally, external Renaissance walls were
generally of highly finished ashlar masonry,
laid in straight courses . The corners of
buildings were often emphasized by
rusticated quoins. Basements and ground
floors were sometimes rusticated, as
modeled on the Palazzo Medici Riccardi
(1444–1460) in Florence. Internal walls were
smoothly plastered and surfaced with white
chalk paint. For more formal spaces,
internal surfaces were typically decorated
with frescoes .
Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 –15 April 1446),
He is considered to be a founding father of Renaissance architecture, was an Italian architect and
designer, recognized to be the first modern engineer, planner, and sole construction supervisor. He is most
famous for designing the dome of the Florence Cathedral, a feat of engineering that had not been
accomplished since antiquity, as well as the development of the mathematical technique of linear
perspective in art which governed pictorial depictions of space until the late 19th century and influenced the
rise of modern science.His accomplishments also include other architectural works, sculpture, mathematics,
engineering, and ship design. His principal surviving works can be found in Florence, Italy.

Rediscovery of antiquity (1402–1404)

Owing to a resurgence of interest in ancient Greece and Rome culture during the Early Renaissance, artists
began to hold the art of Greco-Roman antiquity in higher regard than the formal and less lifelike style of the
medieval period, which was largely dominated by Byzantine art. However, this interest was restricted to a
few scholars, writers, and philosophers before it began to influence the visual arts.In this period (1402–
1404), Brunelleschi visited Rome (possibly with his friend, the sculptor Donatello) to study its ancient
ruins.Donatello, like Brunelleschi, was trained as a goldsmith, though he later worked in the studio of
contemporarily well-known painter Ghiberti. Although the glories of Ancient Rome were a matter of popular
discourse at the time, few people had actually studied the physical fabric of its ruins in any detail until
Brunelleschi and Donatello. Brunelleschi's study of classical Roman architecture can be seen in the
characteristic elements of his building designs including even lighting, the minimization of distinct
architectural elements within a building, and the balancing of those elements to homogenize the space.
Basilica of San Lorenzo (1421–1442

It was the largest church in Florence, sponsored by the Medici family, whose tombs were located there,
and it was the work of several different architects, including, later, Michelangelo. The parts undertaken by
Brunelleschi were the central nave, with the two collateral naves on either side bordered by small chapels,
and the old sacristy.

The Old Sacristy was begun first, and built between 1419 and 1429. It contains the tomb of the
donor, Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici and his wife, beneath a central dome, very simply decorated. The
form is very simple; the chapel is a cube of about eleven meters on each side, covered with a
hemispheric dome. A level of ornamental entablements divides the vertical space into two parts, and
pilasters support the dome. The altar is set into a recess at one end beneath a smaller dome. All of the
arcs of the ceiling are supported by pilasters, like classical columns, set into the walls. This room, using
classical elements in an entirely original way, was one of the first perfectly Renaissiance spaces.

In the nave, the massive pillars of Gothic architecture were replaced by slender columns with Corinthian
capitals, and the traditional vaulted ceiling of the central nave by a coffered ceiling of square
compartments with delicately gilded trim. To adjust to the difference of height between the low chapels
and the much higher nave, the circular windows above each chapel. The finished interior gave an
impression of perfect harmony and balance.
One practice of Brunneleschi in the Old Sacristy, which later became a doctrine of Renaissance
architecture, was the use of white walls in churches. The first major theorist of Renaissance art, Leon
Battista Alberti, writing in 1450, declared that, since classical times, according to such
authorities Cicero and Plato, white was the only colour suitable for a temple or church, and praised
"the purity and simplicity of the colour, like that of life."

Nave of the Basilica of San Lorenzo (1425–42)

 Vault of the Old Sacristy (Sagrestia vecchia}, with the
tomb of Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici

View of the Old Sacristy

The church of S.Lorenzo is a part
of a Larger monastic complex that
includes Chapels and the
Laurentian library by
Michaelangelo. The major spaces
are Organized around a square
cloister that Corresponds to the
modular regularity Of
Brunelleschi’s church plan.

The nave and aisle configuration

Of S.Lorenzo is no different than
that of Romanesque and Gothic
churches in Florence. Brunelleschi
Simply substituted classical
elements for medieval ones:
Corinthian columns and an arcade.

His design innovation is the

modular regularity in plan.
Brunelleschi made prominent use of simple numerical ratios in three of his small commissions. For the
church of S. Lorenzo, he erected the Old Sacristy(1421-1428) in a corner of the North transept. The floor,
walls and pendentives are contained in a cube , capped by a hemispherical dome with an oculus. Pilasters,
an entablature and arches of Gray pietra serena, a local stone much favoured for architectural detail, are
set against the white plaster of the walls, giving a linear definition to the interior.
 SANTA MARIA NOVELLA

Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy, situated opposite, and lending its name to, the
city's main railway station. Chronologically, it is the first great basilica in Florence, and is the city's
principal Dominican church.
The church, the adjoining cloister, and chapter house contain a multiplicity of art treasures and
funerary monuments. Especially famous are frescoes by masters of Gothic and early
Renaissance. They were financed by the most important Florentine families, who ensured
themselves funerary chapels on consecrated ground.

The church was designed by two Dominican friars, Fra Sisto Fiorentino and Fra Ristoro da
Campi. Building began in the mid-13th century (about 1246), and lasted 80 years, ending under
the supervision of Friar Iacopo Talenti with the completion of the Romanesque-Gothic bell
tower and sacristy.
On a commission from Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai, a local textile merchant, Leon Battista
Alberti designed the upper part of the inlaid green marble of Prato, also called 'serpentino', and
white marble façade of the church (1456–1470).

Alberti attempted to bring the ideals of humanist architecture, proportion and classically inspired
detailing to bear on the design, while also creating harmony with the already existing medieval
part of the façade. The combined façade can be inscribed by a square; many other repetitions of
squares can be found in the design.[2] His contribution consists of a broad frieze decorated with
squares, and the full upper part, including the four white-green pilasters and a round window,
crowned by a pediment with the Dominican solar emblem, and flanked on both sides by
enormous S-curved volutes. The four columns with Corinthian capitals on the lower part of the
façade were also added. The pediment and the frieze are clearly inspired by antiquity, but the S-
curved scrolls in the upper part are new and without precedent in antiquity. Solving a
longstanding architectural problem of how to transfer from wide to narrow storeys, the scrolls (or
variations of them), found in churches all over Italy, all draw their origins from the design of this
church.
The facade reflects the
influences of then
recently rediscovered
geometric and
mathematical studies
applied to nature and art
that were a part of the
revival of Platonic
philosophy which found
its center in the Florence
of the day. Triangles,
circles, squares,
rectangles and attached
geometrical figures cover
the architectural
landscaped designed by
the brilliant architect to
form a wonderful series
of harmonic
relationships.
UNDERSTANDING THE ALBERTI’S FACADE
First of all, he delineated the boundary of the rectangular base with two large
pillars, between which he placed four columns, supporting a cornice decorated
with a first motif, the Rucellai family emblem. Between the two central columns
he opened a large arched portal, hemmed in by two pillars with Corinthian
capitals. The three lunettes above the doors were painted by Ulisse Cocchi.

The left side of the facade features the bronze equinoctial armillary (1572)
while the right side boasts a marble astronomical dial (1574), both the
works of the Dominican Ignazio Danti, and astronomer and cartographer of
the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
The intent of Egnazio Danti was to carry with the
meridian a series of observations and related
studies, necessary to accurately measure the length
of the tropical year and the time of the equinoxes:
two essential parameters to reform the calendar and
to determine the date of Christian Easter.
The first pediment supports a
broad band of decorated
squares, over which extends a
second cornice. Here starts the
upper wall of the nave,
attached to the cornices by four
half pillars with the pre-existing
large circular window in the
middle and the two "ears"
decorated with rosettes of
inlaid marble on either side.

Finally, the wall is crowned

above by a triangle, the
Tympanum, with a large sun in
the center, emblem of the
neighborhood and the convent
of Santa Maria Novella.
The vast interior is based on a basilica plan, designed as an Egyptian cross (T-shaped) and is
divided into a nave, two aisles set with windows and a short transept. The large nave is 100
metres long and gives an impression of austerity. The piers are of compound form and have
Corinthian columns supporting pointed Gothic arches above which is a clerestory of ocular
windows above which rises a ribbed, pointed quadrupartite vault. The ribs and arches are all black
and white polychrome.

There is a trompe l'oeil effect by which towards the apse the nave seems longer than its actual
length because the piers between the nave and the aisles are progressively closer, nearer to the
chancel.

Many of the windows have stained glass dating from the 14th and 15th century, such as 15th
century Madonna and Child and St. John and St. Philip (designed by Filippino Lippi), both in
the Filippo Strozzi Chapel. Some stained glass windows have been damaged in the course of
centuries and have been replaced. The one at the west end, a depiction of the Coronation of
Mary, dates from the 14th century, and is based on a design of Andrea di Bonaiuto da Firenze.
LA ROTONDA. The perfect fusion
of nature and architecture
Villa Capra "La Rotonda" is a Renaissance villa just outside Vicenza, northern
Italy, designed by Andrea Palladio. The correct name is Villa Almerico-Capra. It
is also known as La Rotonda, Villa Rotunda, Villa La Rotonda, and Villa
Almerico. The name "Capra" derives from the Capra brothers, who completed
the building after it was ceded to them in 1591. Like other works by Palladio in
Vicenza and the surrounding area, the building is conserved as part of the
World Heritage Site "City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto".

In 1565 a priest, Paolo Almerico, on his retirement from the Vatican, decided to
return to his home town of Vicenza in the Venetian countryside and build a
country house. This house, later known as 'La Rotonda', was to be one of
Palladio's best-known legacies to the architectural world. Villa Capra may have
inspired a thousand subsequent buildings, but the villa was itself inspired by
the Pantheon in Rome.
Design
The site selected was a hilltop just outside the city of Vicenza. Unlike some other
Palladian villas, the building was not designed from the start to accommodate a
working farm. This sophisticated building was designed for a site which was, in
modern terminology, "suburban". Palladio classed the building as a "palazzo" rather
than a villa.
The design is for a completely symmetrical building having a square plan with four
facades, each of which has a projecting portico. The whole is contained within an
imaginary circle which touches each corner of the building and centres of the
porticos. (illustration, left). The name La Rotonda refers to the central circular hall
with its dome. To describe the villa, as a whole, as a 'rotonda' is technically
incorrect, as the building is not circular but rather the intersection of a square with a
cross. Each portico has steps leading up, and opens via a small cabinet or corridor
to the circular domed central hall. This and all other rooms were proportioned with
mathematical precision according to Palladio's own rules of architecture which he
published in the Quattro Libri dell'Architettura.
The design reflected the humanist values of Renaissance architecture. In
order for each room to have some sun, the design was rotated 45 degrees
from each cardinal point of the compass. Each of the four porticos has
pediments graced by statues of classical deities. The pediments were each
supported by six Ionic columns. Each portico was flanked by a single window.
All principal rooms were on the second floor or piano nobile.

Building began in 1567. Palladio, and the owner, Paolo Almerico, were not to
see the completion of the villa. Palladio died in 1580 and a second
architect, Vincenzo Scamozzi, was employed by the new owners to oversee
the completion. One of the major changes he made to the original plan was to
modify the two-storey centre hall. Palladio had intended it to be covered by a
high semi-circular dome but Scamozzi designed a lower dome with an oculus
(intended to be open to the sky) inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The dome
was ultimately completed with a cupola.
Interior
The interior design of the Villa was to be as wonderful, if not more so, than the
exterior. Alessandro and Giovanni Battista Maganza and Anselmo Canera were
commissioned to paint frescoes in the principal salons.

The highlight of the interior is the central, circular hall, surrounded by a balcony
and covered by the domed ceiling; it soars the full height of the main house up to
the cupola, with walls decorated in trompe l'oeil. Abundant frescoes create an
atmosphere that is more reminiscent of a cathedral than the principal salon of a
country house.
trompe l'oeil.
 Baroque architecture

Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the
early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe.

Baroque architects took the basic elements of Renaissance architecture, including domes
and colonnades, and made them higher, grander, more decorated, and more dramatic. The
interior effects were often achieved with the use of quadratura, or trompe-l'oeil painting
combined with sculpture; The eye is drawn upward, giving the illusion that one is looking into
the heavens. Clusters of sculpted angels and painted figures crowd the ceiling. Light was
also used for dramatic effect; it streamed down from cupolas, and was reflected from an
abundance of gilding. Twisted columns were also often used, to give an illusion of upwards
motion, and cartouches and other decorative elements occupied every available space. In
Baroque palaces, grand stairways became a central element.
 Prominent Features Of Baroque Architecture

Broad naves: In churches, it is characterized by broad naves (the central part of

a church where services are held) with oval forms.
Unfinished elements: A famous element of Baroque architecture is the
deliberately unfinished architectural elements that help give the design a unique
feature.

Lighting: Another distinctive feature of this architectural works is the use of

lighting effects as it employs the use of either intense light as well as shaded lights
to bring the contrast.

Ornate finishing's: The ceiling frescoes in this type of architecture are usually
large scale. One feature that is common with Baroque architecture is the use of
ornaments, plaster or marble finishing that give it a decorative look.