This ClipArt gallery offers 98 illustrations of Renaissance architecture. Renaissance architecture is noted as the time between the 15th and 17th century where the revival of ancient Greek and Roman elements emerged. See also the Renaissance Ornament ClipArt gallery.

The square plan baluster is an Italian Renaissance design that is found in Venice, Italy. Arranged side by side they are typically used on balconies, Attics and staircases.

Square Plan Baluster

The square plan baluster is an Italian Renaissance design that is found in Venice, Italy. Arranged side…

The wood baluster is an Italian Renaissance design that is found as stalls in the St. Maria Novella church in Florence, Italy.

Wood Baluster

The wood baluster is an Italian Renaissance design that is found as stalls in the St. Maria Novella…

The St. Peter's Basilica is located within the Vatican city in Rome, Italy. This drawing shows the architecture of the front of the church. It was built in 1626 in a Renaissance and Baroque style. The church was named after one of Jesus's twelve disciples, Simon known as Peter.

St. Peter's Basilica

The St. Peter's Basilica is located within the Vatican city in Rome, Italy. This drawing shows the architecture…

The Court of the Palace at Blois is an example of Renaissance architecture.

Blois Palace

The Court of the Palace at Blois is an example of Renaissance architecture.

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections."The Renaissance style was not employed in Germany before the middle of the sixteenth century, and the most noteworthy instances of it are the Belvedere of Ferdinand I., on the Hradschin at Prague, and the so-called Otto Henry buildings at Heidelberg Castle (1556-1559). The Façade of the last-mentioned structure" "in peculiar for a richness and variety of details which almost border on excess. At the same time a certain heaviness prevails, which forms a contrast to the graceful elegance of the best Italian buildings in the same style: in fact these faults may be said to characterize the productions of the German Renaissance style in general. A further instance of this is afforded by [this image], which represents a portion of the façade , though, properly speaking, it belongs to the Roccocco style."

Façade of the Building of Henry the Wise in Heidelberg Castle (1601-1607)

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and…

The cathedral and bell tower in Florence, Italy built by Brunelleschi.

Cathedral and Bell Tower

The cathedral and bell tower in Florence, Italy built by Brunelleschi.

The Château de Beaumesnil was begun in 1633 by Jacques de Nonant for his wife Marie Dauvet Desmaret. Construction lasted until 1640.Today, Beaumesnil is a commune, the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic, in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France."Although Du Cerceau was obligated to leave France in the year 1604, the impulse which he had given in the direction of the above-mentioned manner led to its being generally adopted. The new buildings were more correct, but less picturesque than those built during the earlier period of the French Renaissance, and a certain insipidity seems to characterize the various structures erected during the reigns of Henry IV., and especially Louis XIII. As is shown [here], a combination of free-stone and brick was restored to in such a way that the former was employed for the mouldings, and for the quoins and dressings of the doors and windows, whilst brick was used for the spaces between. In the case of the windows the free-stone introduced assumed the forms of quoins. If ornamentation had been previously excessive, it now retired into the background, and was only employed in moderation; and the method of its treatment began to be distinguished from that of the former period. The forms of the details above all began to lose in purity: rustications were inappropriately introduced in the walls and columns, and the roofs were made high and steep, which gave the rest of the building a heavy and squat appearance, whilst the numerous turret-shaped chimneys, which were necessitated by these high roofs, formed a peculiar feature in the construction. The Roccoco, or Baroque Style, was beginning at the same time to exert its influence. Commencing from the second half of the seventeenth century, this new architectural deviation became prevalent in all civilized countries, owing to the splendor and influence of the French power and manners, and the influence of Italian art was consequently paralyzed. [This image] gives a characteristic example of French architecture of this period of the Later Renaissance, showing the peculiarities which have been described above."

Château de Beaumesnil

The Château de Beaumesnil was begun in 1633 by Jacques de Nonant for his wife Marie Dauvet Desmaret.…

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture that blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Italian structures."The artistic influence of Italy came into operation in France sooner than in other European countries, for as early as the fifteenth century the Renaissance style was introduced there by Italian architects, as, for instance, by Fra Giocondo, who was summoned thither by Louis XII. But at the epoch the Flamboyant style was still in its vigour, and the buildings then erected could not extricate themselves from its influence. The consequence was that a blending of the two styles temporarily prevailed, as, for instance in the Château de Blois, which Louis XII. caused to be built, and which has lately been restored by Duban. It was in these country residences of the nobility, especially on the banks of the Loire, that this architectural activity was displayed during the earlier period of the Renaissance; amongst their number the Château de Chambord [shown here] is most worthy of notice. The pilasters and their mouldings of the Renaissance style were, it is true, somewhat rudely carried out, and in the earlier period were combined with certain elements of the Flamboyant style. Highly ornamental gables and dormer-windows. especially, were executed in the latter style. Buildings were contemporaneously constructed entirely in the Flamboyant style, as, for instance, the Cathedral, the Palais de Justice, and the Hâtel Bourgtheroulde, all at Rouen, and the Hâtel de Ville at Compiègne."

Château de Chambord

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable…

"Chateau of Chambord." — Chambers, 1881

Chateau

"Chateau of Chambord." — Chambers, 1881

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture that blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Italian structures.

Plan of Château de Chambord

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable…

The Royal Château de Blois (French: "Château Royal de Blois") is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France, in the center of the city of Blois. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans.

Chateau of Blois

The Royal Château de Blois (French: "Château Royal de Blois") is located in the Loir-et-Cher département…

The Chateau of Chambord is located in the commune of Chambord in the Loire Valley, France. The castle is famous for its French Renaissance architecture that blends French Medieval with classical Italian styles. It was constructed by King Francois I, and is the largest castle in Loire Valley.

Chateau of Chambord

The Chateau of Chambord is located in the commune of Chambord in the Loire Valley, France. The castle…

The Chateau of Chenonceaux is a castle in the small village of Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley, France. It was built around the 11th century and the current manor was designed by French Renaissance Architect Philibert Delorme. The castle was inhabited by many French Kings.

Chateau of Chenonceaux

The Chateau of Chenonceaux is a castle in the small village of Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley, France.…

Located about 55 kilometers from Paris, it is one of the largest French royal chateaus.  Pictured is the Porte Doree, its southern entrance. The Chateau Fontainebleau is the largest royal castle in France. The palace was designed by numerous French monarchs, one of them being King Francis I during the 16th century. The palace is designed in an Italian Mannerist style which later became known as the "Fontainebleau style" during the 16th century.

Chateau of Fontainebleau

Located about 55 kilometers from Paris, it is one of the largest French royal chateaus. Pictured is…

The St-Paul-St-Louis Church is located in Paris on Rue Saint Antoine in the Marais. The church was begun in 1627 and completed in 1641 and is an examaple of Jesuit architecture. It was designed based on the Gesú church in Rome. The letters IHS, as shown on the front of the church, is an abbreviation, the first three letters, of Jesus' name in Greek, ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, translated into English characters."In this style curved lines of the most varied description supersede all straight lines both in ground plans and in designs, whilst the most ordinary and characteristic embellishments are volutes, shellfish, and scrolls; groups of fruit and garlands of flowers, hangings, curtains, etc. [shown here]." "During the time that the license of the Roccoco Style prevailed, the elements of the ancient columnar orders were often misapplied, engaged columns and pilasters were frequently so connected with other side-pilasters which were recessed behind them to the number of one, two, or even three, that the cornices and, in fact, all horizontal mouldings were separately profiled over each column or pilaster [shown here]."

Façade of the Church of St. Paul and St. Louis at Paris

The St-Paul-St-Louis Church is located in Paris on Rue Saint Antoine in the Marais. The church was begun…

The Gewandhaus, or Cloth Hall, at Old Town Market in Brunswick originally served as a warehouse for a garment cutter. This image "shows an interesting and pleasing example of the German Renaissance."

Cloth Hall at Brunswick

The Gewandhaus, or Cloth Hall, at Old Town Market in Brunswick originally served as a warehouse for…

"It is especially this vitiated taste in form and details which characterized the Elizabethan Renaissance. The unusual Roccoco Renaissance forms also occur in it, as for instance, the quadrant-shaped gables curving alternately inwards and outwards, as also pilasters and columns intersected by quoins and bands; and various grotesque and debased forms. Enriched quoins are also freely used at angles and jambs. [This image] may serve as a specimen of the detail of the Elizabethan style."

Corner of a Fire-Place in the Elizabeth Gallery at Windsor Castle

"It is especially this vitiated taste in form and details which characterized the Elizabethan Renaissance.…

"The most noteworthy of the successors of Palladio at Venice were Scamozzi, and Longhena, the architect of the Della Salute church.Some of the churches of this style retain the Byzantine system of the Greek cross with barrel-vaultings and a central dome resting on four pillars or piers. Others, again, have the form of the basilica but with a system of their own, which produces a beautiful effect. This system consists of smaller domes in the aisles, all resting on pierces masses of masonry with barrel-vaultings connected with them, as, for instance San Salvador."The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Basilica of St Mary of Health/Salvation), commonly known simply as the Salute, is a famous church in Venice, placed scenically at a narrow finger of land which lies between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco on the lagoon, visible as one enters the Piazza San Marco from the water. While it has the status of a minor basilica, its decorative and distinctive profile and location make it among the most photographed churches in Italy.

Della Salute Church and Custom House

"The most noteworthy of the successors of Palladio at Venice were Scamozzi, and Longhena, the architect…

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church (Duomo) of Florence, Italy, begun in 1296 and with major construction completed in 1436. The basilica is notable for its dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, its exterior facing of polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white.

Section of the Dome of Duomo, Florence

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church (Duomo) of Florence, Italy, begun in 1296…

Hargrave Hall in England is an example of Elizabethan Architecture of the Renaissance.

Elizabethan Architecture

Hargrave Hall in England is an example of Elizabethan Architecture of the Renaissance.

Elizabethian Window, Rushton Hall

Elizabethian Window

Elizabethian Window, Rushton Hall

"The same licence in the treatment and application of forms is also displayed in secular buildings. The façades and their details were especially treated with the greatest freedom, and the original construction intention of the latter was no longer a matter of consideration. [This image] gives an example of the Roccoco style as applied to dwelling houses."

Façade at Paris in the style of Louis XV

"The same licence in the treatment and application of forms is also displayed in secular buildings.…

"Owing to the rarity and expensiveness of free-stone in Upper Italy, an architectural style in brick was developed side-by-side with that which has just been touched upon. This material had already been employed in the foregoing period for churches, and it now came into frequent use in the construction of the palaces. Bologna is especially rich in palaces of this description, which, with an admixture of earlier forms, belong for the most part to the Early Renissance, with semicircles for the heads of the opening, as was necessitated by the character of the material. The easy multiplication of the ornamental parts in burnt clay, generally led to an undue increase of the decorative element. Inasmuch as the main streets of Bologna have arcades running along them of which the individual palaces only embrace a portion, these buildings do not present the appearance of being totally detached, but seem rather parts of the entire front of the street, and show much similarity in the architecture of their façades with that of the arcades themselves."

Façade of a Palace at Bologna

"Owing to the rarity and expensiveness of free-stone in Upper Italy, an architectural style in brick…

"The lower story of palaces by Palladio, the greater part of which are at Vicenza, is generally of rustic work, whilst the upper storeys have pilasters or a colonnade; occasionally, however, pilasters or arcades are introduced on the ground-floor."

Façade of a Palace at Vicenza

"The lower story of palaces by Palladio, the greater part of which are at Vicenza, is generally of rustic…

In the Giraud Palace and the great Palazzo della Cancelleria, pilasters appear in the external composition, and all the details of doors and windows betray the results of classic study, as well as the refined taste of their designer.

Façade of the Giraud Palace, Rome

In the Giraud Palace and the great Palazzo della Cancelleria, pilasters appear in the external composition,…

Palazzo Farnese is a prominent High Renaissance palace in Rome, which currently houses the French Embassy in Italy. According to Sir Banister Fletcher it is "the most imposing Italian palace of the sixteenth century."

Plan of Farnese Palace

Palazzo Farnese is a prominent High Renaissance palace in Rome, which currently houses the French Embassy…

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is the national museum of France, the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (neighborhood). Nearly 35,000 objects from the 6th century BC to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square meters (652,300 square feet)."Du Cerceau, who flourished during the reign of Henry IV., connected the block of buildings which belong to the Louvre, and had been constructed under Catherine dei Medici, by a gallery with the Tuileries [shown here]. This architect abandoned the characteristic feature of the French Renaissance, which had prevailed hitherto, namely, of giving its peculiar columnar order to each storey, and assimilated his designs to those of the late Roman Renaissance, in which a striking effect was produced at the expense of truth by continuous columns and pilasters extending over several storeys and rows of windows."

Flore Pavilion and part of the Gallery of the Louvre

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre,…

"There exists, however, a few Florentine palaces of a smaller type, which externally present a more habitable appearance. In these rustic-work is not the all-important feature, but it is only employed for the quoins of the fa&ccedilade, though it sometimes extends to the whole of the ground-floor. The roof. which projects very considerably, and shows the wooden construction, is not in accordance with the rest of the architectural features of the façade, nor is it supported by a strong enough cornice. Sometimes the upper storey forms an open arcade (as shown here). The figures and embellishments in sgraffitto which are introduced in this façade are not a necessary feature in these Florentine palaces. This method of ornamentation is also met in exceptional instances in some of the Roman palaces."

Gaudagni Palace at Florence

"There exists, however, a few Florentine palaces of a smaller type, which externally present a more…

"An expression of great massiveness is the main characteristics of this Florentine style, which was principally applied in the architecture of the palaces. The forms which were borrowed from the Roman columnar construction do not in this style, as they do more or less in the other styles of the Renaissance, constitute a pseudo-architecture. The massiveness, however, of the Florentine palaces conveys rather the notion of a fortress than of a mansion of a wealthy nobleman, and this impression is increased by the smallness of the windows in comparison with the rest of the building. This is especially the case with those façades which are entirely constructed of considerably projecting ashlar of irregular size, and to a less degree in the case of those the lowest storey of which alone displays these large undressed blocks." The palace was designed by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo for Cosimo de' Medici, of the Medici family, and was built between 1445 and 1460. It was well known for its stone masonry that includes rustication and ashlar. The tripartite elevation was used here as a revelation of the Renaissance spirit of rationality, order, and classicism of human scale. This tripartite division is emphasized horizontal stringcourses that divide the building into stories of decreasing height. This makes the building seem lighter as the eye moves up to the extremely heavy cornice that caps and clearly defines the building's outline.Michelozzo di Bartolomeo was influenced in his building of this palace by both Roman principles and Brunelleschian principles. During the Renaissance revival of classical culture, Roman elements were often replicated in architecture, both built and imagined in paintings. In the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the rusticated masonry and the cornice had precedents in Roman art.

Riccardi Palace at Florence

"An expression of great massiveness is the main characteristics of this Florentine style, which was…

"Those palaces which like the back of the Strozzi Place are constucted of dressed blocks with a less decided projection, present a more elegant appearance."Palazzo Strozzi is a palace in Florence, Italy. The Palace was begun in 1489 by Benedetto da Maiano, for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466 and desired the most magnificent palace to assert his family's continued prominence and, perhaps more importantly a political statement of his own status. A great number of other buildings were acquired during the 70s and demolished to provide enough space for the new construction. Giuliano da Sangallo the Younger provided a wood model of the design. Filippo Strozzi died in 1491, long before the construction's completion in 1538. Duke Cosimo I de' Medici confiscated it in the same year, not returning it to the Strozzi family until thirty years later.

Strozzi Palace at Florence

"Those palaces which like the back of the Strozzi Place are constucted of dressed blocks with a less…

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is the national museum of France, the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (neighborhood). Nearly 35,000 objects from the 6th century BC to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square meters (652,300 square feet).Charles Le Brun (February 24 1619 – February 22 1690) was a French painter and art theorist, one of the dominant artists in 17th century France."Little by little a method of ornamentation was introduced by successive decorators and architects, which was eminently suited to the French taste. Androuet Du Cercean and Jean Lepautre are especially noticeable as representatives of this school of establishment. The sumptuous Apollo Gallery in the Louvre is a characteristic example of the productions of the latter. [This image] exhibits a portion of the system of decoration which pervades the whole gallery."

Fragment from the Apollo Gallery in the Louvre at Paris

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre,…

In architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain or—in the Ionic or Corinthian order—decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon the architrave ('main beam') and is capped by the moldings of the cornice.In interiors, the frieze of a room is the section of wall above the picture rail and under the crown moldings or cornice. By extension, a frieze is a long stretch of painted, sculpted or even calligraphic decoration in such a position, normally above eye-level. Frieze decorations may depict scenes in a sequence of discrete panels. The material of which the frieze is made of may be plasterwork, carved wood or other decorative medium.This image is "intended to convey an idea of the details of decoration which characterized the Renaissance style during its best period, and which display considerable grace and finish. They are based on the antique Roman type, but still display a peculiar independent treatment, as in the deeply under-cut foliage in the arabesques and the lightness and clearness of the stalks and tendrils."

Friezes at Venice

In architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain or—in…

In architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain or—in the Ionic or Corinthian order—decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon the architrave ('main beam') and is capped by the moldings of the cornice.In interiors, the frieze of a room is the section of wall above the picture rail and under the crown moldings or cornice. By extension, a frieze is a long stretch of painted, sculpted or even calligraphic decoration in such a position, normally above eye-level. Frieze decorations may depict scenes in a sequence of discrete panels. The material of which the frieze is made of may be plasterwork, carved wood or other decorative medium.This image is "intended to convey an idea of the details of decoration which characterized the Renaissance style during its best period, and which display considerable grace and finish. They are based on the antique Roman type, but still display a peculiar independent treatment, as in the deeply under-cut foliage in the arabesques and the lightness and clearness of the stalks and tendrils."

Friezes at Venice

In architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain or—in…

"The purity of style, however, of the Genoese palaces is not so great as in the Roman, particularly as regards the heavy, ungraceful forms of details. This is shown by [this image], and there are other instances in which the faults are more marked than in the palaces in question. The palaces of Genoa may, however, be favorably contrasted with the Roman as regards height; for ground-floor and the mezzanine are raised considerably, in order to gain more light and a better view from the main storey. Owing, however, to the extreme narrowness of the streets and the consequent difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory point of view, the object is not obtained to the desired degree."

Half the Façade of a Palace at Genoa

"The purity of style, however, of the Genoese palaces is not so great as in the Roman, particularly…

"The purity of style, however, of the Genoese palaces is not so great as in the Roman, particularly as regards the heavy, ungraceful forms of details. This is shown by [this image], and there are other instances in which the faults are more marked than in the palaces in question. The palaces of Genoa may, however, be favorably contrasted with the Roman as regards height; for ground-floor and the mezzanine are raised considerably, in order to gain more light and a better view from the main storey. Owing, however, to the extreme narrowness of the streets and the consequent difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory point of view, the object is not obtained to the desired degree."

Façade of the Tursi-Doria Palace at Genoa

"The purity of style, however, of the Genoese palaces is not so great as in the Roman, particularly…

Les Invalides in Paris, France, is a complex of buildings in the city's 7th arrondissement containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans. The buildings house the Musée de l'Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France's war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte."The principal architectural activity of this period was displayed by Jules Hardouin Mansard, who was head architect to the king and the head of the influential school, as Lenôtre at the same time was principal horticulturist. Mansard built the palaces of Versailles (1647-1708, Marly, the Grand Trianon, as also the Invalides at Paris [shown here]."

Invalides at Paris

Les Invalides in Paris, France, is a complex of buildings in the city's 7th arrondissement containing…

"The main essentials in all the Roccoco Styles are a certain independence in the ornamentation of the main architectural organism, the prominence of this ornamentation itself, and finally its shape and design. A luxurious elegance is displayed in the treatment of interiors, which was most happily employed in the embellishment of the state apartments. [This image] gives an example of the absence of connection among the various ornaments employed in the system of decoration, such as was especially peculiar to the churches of the Jesuits."

Jesuit Church, Rome

"The main essentials in all the Roccoco Styles are a certain independence in the ornamentation of the…

The palais du Louvre in Paris, on the Right Bank of the Seine is a former royal palace, situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois. Its origins date back to the medieval period and its present structure has evolved in stages since the sixteenth century.

Plan of Louvre and Tuileries, Paris

The palais du Louvre in Paris, on the Right Bank of the Seine is a former royal palace, situated between…

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is the national museum of France, the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (neighborhood). Nearly 35,000 objects from the 6th century BC to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square meters (652,300 square feet).The Louvre was built by "three prominent architects, [one of which was] Pierre Lescot (1510-1578), who desiged the celebrated Western Façade of the Louvre [shown here]."

Inner Façade of the Louvre

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre,…

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is the national museum of France, the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (neighborhood). Nearly 35,000 objects from the 6th century BC to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square meters (652,300 square feet).The Louvre was built by "three prominent architects, [one of which was] Pierre Lescot (1510-1578), who desiged the celebrated Western Façade of the Louvre [shown here]."

Inner Façade of the Louvre

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre,…

The Richelieu Pavilion (a pavilion located on the inside "court") of the Louvre Palace. The Richelieu Pavilion of the Louvre was named after King Louis XIII first chief minister, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu. It is part of the Louvre Palace which is located along the Seine river in Paris, France. The Richelieu pavilion is located at the northern limb of the New Louvre.

The Richelieu Pavilion of the Louvre

The Richelieu Pavilion (a pavilion located on the inside "court") of the Louvre Palace. The Richelieu…

Located in the New Louvre, the name given to the wings and pavilions extending from the main body. The Turgot Pavilion is part of the Louvre Palace which is located along the Seine river in Paris, France. The Turgot pavilion was built in the New Louvre section, the northern limb of the palace.

Turgot Pavilion of the New Louvre

Located in the New Louvre, the name given to the wings and pavilions extending from the main body. The…

"Part of the Ospedale Maggiore, Milan." —D'Anvers, 1895

Ospedale Maggiore

"Part of the Ospedale Maggiore, Milan." —D'Anvers, 1895

The palace of the Medici in Florence, Italy.

Medici Palace

The palace of the Medici in Florence, Italy.

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections."The Renaissance style was not employed in Germany before the middle of the sixteenth century, and the most noteworthy instances of it are the Belvedere of Ferdinand I., on the Hradschin at Prague, and the so-called Otto Henry buildings at Heidelberg Castle (1556-1559) The Façade of the last-mentioned structure, of which [this image] represents [a portion], in peculiar for a richness and variety of details which almost border on excess. At the same time a certain heaviness prevails, which forms a contrast to the graceful elegance of the best Italian buildings in the same style: in fact these faults may be said to characterize the productions of the German Renaissance style in general."

Façade of the Otto Heinrich Building in Heidelberg Castle

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and…

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections."The Renaissance style was not employed in Germany before the middle of the sixteenth century, and the most noteworthy instances of it are the Belvedere of Ferdinand I., on the Hradschin at Prague, and the so-called Otto Henry buildings at Heidelberg Castle (1556-1559) The Façade of the last-mentioned structure, of which [this image] represents [a portion], in peculiar for a richness and variety of details which almost border on excess. At the same time a certain heaviness prevails, which forms a contrast to the graceful elegance of the best Italian buildings in the same style: in fact these faults may be said to characterize the productions of the German Renaissance style in general."

Façade of the Otto Heinrich Building in Heidelberg Castle

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and…

"Palladio, who became the special champion of this style of architecture, was born in Vicenza in 1518, and died in 1580. He was undoubtedly a man of great talent, and, after Michelangelo, exercised, perhaps, more influence than anyone else on architecture. Still the introduction of great confusion of ideas is attributable to this architect, for he adorned buildings of every kind and of the building as a whole, so that the order was frequently carried up through several storeys without any reference to its arrangement. But although these reproductions of columns and the employment of pilasters were meaningless in themselves, they served, in a merely decorative point of view, to give a striking appearance to the buildings."Palazzo Valmarana is a patrician palace in Vicenza, Italy, built by architect Andrea Palladio in 1565 for the noble Isabella Nogarola Valmarana.

Palace at Vicenza

"Palladio, who became the special champion of this style of architecture, was born in Vicenza in 1518,…

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles."It was principally the above-mentioned system of Roccoco decoration and architectural detail which characterized the architecture of the time of Louis XV.; it is, consequently, sometimes designated as the style of Louis XV." This image depicts the entire wall."Internal arrangement and decoration are the main characteristics of the style of this period, and in this direction the best results were doubtless produced. Large and lofty rooms, as well as scope for display, were indispensable; consequently this style of embellishment was most happily carried out in each state apartments, especially in the princely castles and palaces, or, as the French call them, the "Hôtels" of the aristocracy."

Saloon in the Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the île-de-France…

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles."It was principally the above-mentioned system of Roccoco decoration and architectural detail which characterized the architecture of the time of Louis XV.; it is, consequently, sometimes designated as the style of Louis XV. [This image] gives a portion of an interior drawn in perspective.""Internal arrangement and decoration are the main characteristics of the style of this period, and in this direction the best results were doubtless produced. Large and lofty rooms, as well as scope for display, were indispensable; consequently this style of embellishment was most happily carried out in each state apartments, especially in the princely castles and palaces, or, as the French call them, the "Hôtels" of the aristocracy."

Saloon in the Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the île-de-France…

"A principal and distinctive feature of Italian public buildings and palaces of this time is the cortile (i.e. court-yard), surrounded by open arcades."

Cancellaria palace

"A principal and distinctive feature of Italian public buildings and palaces of this time is the cortile…

The Panthéon (Latin Pantheon, from Greek Pantheon, meaning "Every god") is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris, France. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, but after many changes now combines liturgical functions with its role as a famous burial place. It is an early example of Neoclassicism, with a façade modeled on the Pantheon in Rome, surmounted by a small dome that owes some of its character to Bramante's "Tempietto". Located in the 5th arrondissement on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Panthéon looks out over all of Paris. Its architect, Jacques-Germain Soufflot, had the intention of combining the lightness and brightness of the gothic cathedral with classical principles. Soufflot died before his work was achieved, and his plans were not entirely followed. The transparency he had planned for his masterpiece was not attained. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important architectural achievements of its time and the first great neoclassical monument."Toward the end of the reign of Louis XV. a reaction set in, which was caused partly by the excess and caprice displayed in the application of this style, and partly by the tide again setting in the direction of the antique. This evidence by the Colonnades de la Place de Concorde, and by the Church of Ste. Geneviève, which was begun by Soufflot in the year 1755, and subsequently received the name of Pantheon [shown here]. From thenceforth imitations of ancient buildings came into vogue, as they also did in other countries."

West Front of the Pantheon at Paris

The Panthéon (Latin Pantheon, from Greek Pantheon, meaning "Every god") is a building in the Latin…

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is the national museum of France, the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (neighborhood). Nearly 35,000 objects from the 6th century BC to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square meters (652,300 square feet)."Du Cerceau, who flourished during the reign of Henry IV., connected the block of buildings which belong to the Louvre, and had been constructed under Catherine dei Medici, by a gallery with the Tuileries. This architect abandoned the characteristic feature of the French Renaissance, which had prevailed hitherto, namely, of giving its peculiar columnar order to each storey, and assimilated his designs to those of the late Roman Renaissance, in which a striking effect was produced at the expense of truth by continuous columns and pilasters extending over several storeys and rows of windows.Although Du Cerceau was obligated to leave France in the year 1604, the impulse which he had given in the direction of the above-mentioned manner led to its being generally adopted. The new buildings were more correct, but less picturesque than those built during the earlier period of the French Renaissance, and a certain insipidity seems to characterize the various structures erected during the reigns of Henry IV., and especially Louis XIII. As is shown [here], a combination of free-stone and brick was restored to in such a way that the former was employed for the mouldings, and for the quoins and dressings of the doors and windows, whilst brick was used for the spaces between. In the case of the windows the free-stone introduced assumed the forms of quoins. If ornamentation had been previously excessive, it now retired into the background, and was only employed in moderation; and the method of its treatment began to be distinguished from that of the former period. The forms of the details above all began to lose in purity: rustications were inappropriately introduced in the walls and columns, and the roofs were made high and steep, which gave the rest of the building a heavy and squat appearance, whilst the numerous turret-shaped chimneys, which were necessitated by these high roofs, formed a peculiar feature in the construction."

Paris, Royal Palace Façade

The Musée du Louvre or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre,…

The Turgot Pavilion is part of the Louvre Palace which is located along the Seine river in Paris, France. The Turgot pavilion was built in the New Louvre section, the northern limb of the palace.

The Turgot Pavilion

The Turgot Pavilion is part of the Louvre Palace which is located along the Seine river in Paris, France.…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion to its height. It is encircled with artificial leaves and spiral scroll like ornaments.

Corinthian Pilaster Capital

The Corinthian pilaster capital is an Italian Renaissance design. This pilaster is broader in proportion…