A Guide for Travelers to Italy
Ancient Rome and the Italian Renaissance gave Italy a rich architectural heritage that influenced building design around the world. Follow these links for an architectural tour of Italy. Also find travel tips and resources to help you plan your Italian trip.Top Ten Cities: Every part of Italy brims with architectural wonders. Plan your tour to include at least one of these top ten cities in Italy.
Must-see Buildings in Italy:
- The Roman Pantheon
- Palladio's Basilica
- Tower of Pisa
- Palladio's Rotunda (Villa Capra)
- The Trevi Fountain in Rome
- Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome
- The Vatican Museums
- The Sistine Chapel
- The Roman Colosseum
- Orvieto Cathedral
- Basilica San Marco in Venice
- Trastevere Church in Rome
- Alba Fucens (The Abruzzo) Ancient Settlement
- Ancient Pompeii
Italy's Architects and Artists :
Plan Your Trip to Italy:
About Architecture in Italy:
In ancient times, the Romans borrowed ideas from Greece and created their own architectural style. The 11th and 12th centuries brought a renewed interest in the architecture of ancient Rome. Italy's Romanesque style with rounded arches and carved portals became the dominant fashion for churches and other important buildings throughout Europe.
The period we know as the Italian Renaissance, or reawakening, began in the 14th century. For the next two centuries, a keen interest in ancient Rome and Greece brought a creative flourishing in art and architecture. The writings of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio revolutionized European architecture and continues to shape the way we build today.
