The Renaissance

Meaning "rebirth," the term Renaissance is used by historians and art historians to talk about the period of the 15th and 16th centuries when scholars looked back with great interest to the Classical world of ancient Rome and Greece for ideas. Architects in particular looked closely at the remains of ancient structures to get inspiration for new buildings, including public buildings, private homes, and churches.

Types of Structures:

Churches

Palaces

Public buildings

Features/characteristics/elements:

Round arches

Columns

Decorated friezes

Pediments

Domes

Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Composite or Tuscan designs

Symmetry

Ospedale degli Innocenti. Photo by Mark Bauer. 2019.

Ospedale degli Innocenti. 1419-1427 with later additions.

Located in Florence, Italy, this arcade and entrance was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi before he became the architect of the dome of Florence's cathedral.

What features look Classical?

Santa Maria Novella. Photo by Mark Bauer. 2019.

Santa Maria Novella. 13th-15th centuries.

The facade (front side) of the church was designed by Leon Battista Alberti and constructed in 1470. Alberti designed the facade while working with the Gothic structure that already existed (such as the row of tombs with pointed arches and the two smaller entrances with pointed arches at street level).

What features look Romanesque or Gothic?

What features look Classical?

Watch this video to find out more about Alberti's designs for the facade.

Palazzo Altemps in Rome. Photo by Mark Bauer. 2019.

Palazzo Altemps. 15th-16th centuries with later additions.

What elements seem influenced by Classical architecture?

San Pietro in Montorio Tempietto. Photo by

Peter1936F. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized.

The Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio. c. 1502.

This High Renaissance structure was designed by Donato Bramante to mark the spot where it was believed that St. Peter was crucified in Rome.

What features remind you of ancient Greek or Roman buildings?

Watch this video to find out more about Bramante's Tempietto.

St. Peter's Basilica. Photo by Mark Bauer. 2019.

St. Peter's Basilica. 1506-1626.

In this video, Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris talk about St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

What Classical influences do you find on this building?

Sources for more information:

An article on Italian Renaissance architecture on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website.

An article on balusters, which were a Renaissance invention, from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art.