Baroque & Rococo

The San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Located in Rome Italy, Designed by Francesco Borromini, Built in 1638-77, ( Image found at http://www.italian-architecture.info/).

The Trevi Fountain, Located in Rome Italy, Designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Built in 1732-7, ( Image located at pangea.stanfor.edu)

The Die Wies, Located in Bavaria Germany, Designed by Zimmerman, ( Image located at http://www.wieskirche.de/)

The San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane replicates the S and C shapes in it's facade of the building which was a main stylistic feature of the period, giving the sense of movement. It also incorporates elaborate decoration and use of sculptures which was also a feature of the movement. The Trevi Foutain resembles the stylistic feature and characteristics of the Baroque movement as it creates a dramtic scene, incorporates a number of sculptures and fountains were a main feature of the time with many houses having them as an integral feature in formal gardens. The Die Wies in Germany shows the Rococo movement and again shows the S and C shapes of the walls and ceiling creating movement and again a sense of drama, strongly influenced by the theatre at the time. The interior view shows the highly elaborate decoration with the painting, the stucco and the sculptures. It also uses a lot of white and pastel colours in the design which was also a major feature of the Rococo movement.

While i appreciate the design elements and elaborate detail in decoration gone into the Baroque and Rococo movements i don't find the movement appealing at all. I think it's a bit too overdone and should be toned down, which obvious when shown through the movements that came after this.

Renaissance

The Florence Cathedral, Located in Florence Italy, Designed by Brunelleschi, Built in 1420-34, ( Image located at http://www.ucalgary.ca/).

The Villa Capra (Rotunda), Located in Vicenza Italy, Designed by Andrea Palladio, Built in 1565-9, ( Image located at architecture.about.com).

The Chateau Chambord, Located in France, Designed by Domencio da Cortona ( but possible that Leonardo da Vinci modified it), Built in 1519-47, (Image found at famouswonders.com)

The Florence Cathedral in corporates the semi eliptical dome, one of the major stylistic features of the time. From this image you can also see the rounded arches and windows which were other characteristics of the time. The Villa Capra comunicates the symmetry which was a popular building feature of the time and shows the rounded arches again, classical orders and a small semi eliptical dome in the centre of the house. The Chateau Chambord in France replicates the typical French Renaissance style roof where they have instead of one large roof they have a number of small individual roofs with extravagantly decorated dorma windows and chimneys.

I like the Reanissance period because of the influences and ideology behind the architecture, in designing for themselves and the people rather than for God and their faith. I like the influences of the art and theatre which is obvious through the increase in decoration and which is further expanded on in the later Baroque and Rococo movements.

Gothic

The Cologne Cathedral, Located in Germany, Built in 1248 - 1880, ( Image found at http://www.travelpod.com/).

The Notre Dame Cathedral, Located in Reims, France, Built in 1163, ( Image located at commons.wikimedia.org).

The Cathedral of Bourges, Located in France, ( Image located at http://www.clas.ufl.edu/).

The Cologne Cathedral shows the tall narrow and pointed towers, the massive doorways and their decoration and the three at the entrance with the main one the largest in the middle. It also shows the increase in the size of the windows, the flying buttresses, pinacles and the decorative crockets everywhere. The interior view of the nave of the Notre Dame Cathedral shows the cluster columns, the rose window and the introducion of the stained glass windows. The Cathedral of Bourges shows the massive detail of the facade of the building with the three doors and the big centre door. It shows the towers at the entrance with the pointed tall pinacles on top, and also shows the decoration of the crockets all over the building as well as the feature stained glass rose window.

All together i like this movement it shows the high emotion and dedication to faith through the interpretation of architecture and incorporates a different approach in designing buildings with the flying buttresses, stained glass windows and pinacles.

Romanesque

The Saint Madeleine, Located in Vezelay in Burgundy, Built in 1089 & 1206, ( Image located at image.webshots.com).

The Ely Cathedral, Located in England, Built in 1090, ( Image located at sqeek.com).

The San Miniato al Monte, Located in Florence Italy, Built in 1013-90, ( Image located at http://www.norreg.dk/).

The Saint Madeleine shows the giant arches of the time the small narrow windows and the use of capitals inside the church. Also the building being made of stone is a feature of the Romanesque movement. The Ely Cathedral incorporates the giant towers at the facade of the cathedral and the tower over the cross it also shows the narrow arched windows along the sides of the cathdral. The San Miniato el Monte shows the diversity between the movement between the coutries. In Italy the movement wasnt well accepted and shows the marble covered walls, the shallow pilasters linked bu the arches, and the trussed rafter roof.

Overrall the movement was significantly different from country to country. The movement is very similar to that of the Roman although i don't like this movement as much because of the diversity accross Europe, it seems to of not been as strongly influenced as the periods before.

Byzantine

The Hagia Sophia, Located at Constatinople, Built in 352-357 AD, ( Image located at greatbooksblog.wordpress.com).

The Byzantine capitals dedicated to saints Sergius and Bacchus, Located at the Eastern Orthodox Church at Istanbul, Built in 350's AD, ( Image located at GertrudeBellArchive).

St. Mark's Bassillica, Located at Venice, Built in the 11th century, ( Image found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/).

The Hagia Sophia addresses the major stylistic features of the movement by the small clestory windows at the top, the large and tall space of the building, the incorporation of the dome and great mosaics of biblical scenes. The Byzantine capitals were a feature of the movement, made from stone to support the arch above it. Also has common carvings of the Emporer or another rich patron. St. Mark's Bassillica incorporates the use of the dome in the movement, the richly floor to ceiling decorated mosaic tiles of biblical scenes, and the high clestery windows.

I like this movement it shows emotion and feeling of religion and faith through the architecture and the amount of colour in the mosaic tiles.

Imperial Rome

Arch of Constatine, Located in Rome, Built in 315 AD, ( Image located at werkes.com).

Baths of Diocletain, Located in Rome, Built in 306 AD, ( Image located at http://www.eeuratlas.com/).

Colosseum, Located in Rome, Built in 72-80 AD, ( Image located at destination360).

The Arch of Constantine characterizes the Roman movement by being elaborately decorated with carvings, being built from stone, brick and cement, incorporating the arch and consiting of three arches with the larger in the middle. The Arches commemorated great military victories. The Baths of Diocletain incorporates the rich decoration of the time of mosaic and marble over the floors and walls. It also incorporates the corinthian column and the great arches. The Colosseum incorporates the abundant use of great arches and as the building is many stories tall the orders are placed one above the other, in sequence, Doric then Ionic followed by Corinthian at the top.

I like the Roman movement as it was very rich and majestic looking with great mosaics and marble. I also like the break away from the straight lines and the beginning of arches and great decorated arches.

Greek Architecture

Temple of Olympian Zeus, Located in Athens, Began construction in 6th Century BC, ( Image found at destination360.com).

Theatre at Epidaurus, Located at Polykleitos, Built in the 4th Century 350 - 330 BC, ( Image found at fotopedia.com).

The Parthenon, Designed by Ictinus and Callicrates with Phidias, Located in Athens, Built in 447-432 BC, (Image found at timlessmyths.com).

The Temple of Olympian Zeus incorporates the two main components of a building, columns and the entablature, composed of horizontal blocks with no arches or curves. The Theatre at Epidaurus incorporates the straight line design with the number of straight cut stairs although the shape is semi-circular. It is an open air theatre cut into the side of a hill with hand carved steps and seats. The Parthenon incorporates the entablature and the use of columns, the Doric column. The entasis of the columns was also used in the Parthenon to overcome the optical illusion of concavity.

Overrall this movement is amazing with the size of the structures althought it does look very plain and boring with all the straight lines and order of the movement. This is not a preferable architectural movement of mine.

Ancient Egyptian Architecture

Stepped Pyramid, Designed by Imhotep, Located at Saqqara, 2630 - 2619 BC. (Image found on padfield.com).

Temple of Luxor - Pylon Gates, Designed by Amenophis III, Located at Luxor - Thebes, 1250 BC. (Image found on http://www.the-silk-route.co.uk/).

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Designed by Senenmut, Located at Dier el-Bahri, 1460 BC. ( Image found on travel.hat.net).

The Stepped Pyramid reflects the mud brick and hand crafted stone brick construction used in Ancient Egypt. The Temple of Luxor shows the commonly used decorated Pylons, the Sphinx' lining the entrance and the Obelisk in the centre. The Temple of Hatshepsut was for the first female pharoah, incorporating the smoothed stone brick structure, and the use of columns and of stairs.

The movement was a huge revelation of the time and is interesting and insightful to see the monumental structures built with lack of industrialism and technology. I like the movement as it was the foundation for further architecture.