Laurana, Luciano (c. 1422–1479)

Dalmatian architect. A relative of the sculptor Francesco Laurana, he worked in Italy, in particular designing part of the ducal palace of Urbino for Federigo da Montefeltro. It was later completed by the Sienese architect Francesco di Giorgio and is known to have inspired Bramante.

Luciano was born at Lo Vrana, near Zara (Zadar in Croatia), and is first recorded as working in Urbino in 1467. The next year he was appointed the principal architect on the construction of the ducal palace. His main contribution was the courtyard of the palace and the facade, which resembled the triumphal arch of Alfonso V at Castelnuovo in Naples, upon which his relative Francesco worked in the 1450s.