Renaissance Architecture: Italy

For earlier Italian architecture, see Gothic Architecture: Italy.

The Renaissance of (Roman) architecture began in Italy early in the 15th century and spread thence into other countries of Europe. Its two chief centres of origin were Florence, at that time the most enlightened culturally of Italian cities, and Rome, where most of the principal monuments of antiquity were to be found. The leaders of the new movement in Italy are dealt with in separate articles, in which their various buildings are mentioned.

For the 15th century see Filippo Brunelleschi, Leon Battista Alberti, Antonio da Sangallo senior; Donato Bramante (Rome and Lombardy); Fra Giovanni Giocondo (Verona).

For the 16th century, besides some of those mentioned above, see Baccio d'Agnolo, Michelangelo, Antonio da Sangallo junior (Florence and Rome); Baldassare Peruzzi (Rome, Bologna, Siena); Giacomo Vignola, Domenico Fontana (Rome); Jacopo Sansovino (Venice); and Andrea Palladio (Vicenza, Venice).

See also Renaissance architecture, and Italian architecture. For later Italian architecture, see baroque architecture: Italy.