Style
Renaissance
Calm and measured: symmetry, the classical orders, round arches, domes on drums, all set out to clear proportions.
- When
- 1400s to 1500s
- Where
- Italy first, then the rest of Europe
- Tell it apart
- Baroque builds on the same vocabulary but curves the walls, breaks the pediments and adds drama; Renaissance stays flat, even and balanced.
The tells
- Symmetrical fronts divided by pilasters or columns
- Round arches and classical capitals
- A dome on a windowed drum, topped by a lantern
- Pediments over doors and windows
- Flat walls and simple geometry