One of the thrills of visiting Europe is being exposed to a tradition of architecture that goes back thousands of years. The U.S. is a relative newcomer on the world stage. Our country dates back, for the most part, to the 18th century, so an American visiting Europe comes in contact with architectural styles that were current in Europe centuries before the birth of our nation.  Let’s take a minute to review these styles, so that when we are touring Europe, we can recognize them.

The earliest formal style of European architecture was the Classical. This was created by the ancient Greeks around 850 BC, and adopted by the Romans, who spread it throughout the Roman Empire.  Classical structures were often built on a grand scale, as they were temples to the gods, or public buildings. They are characterized by the use of columns to support the roof, and often the use of arches and domes. Good examples of Classical architecture are the Parthenon in Greece and the Coliseum in Rome.

Classical civilization and architecture lasted until around the fall of the Roman Empire in the late 5th century. At the same time, Europe was entering the medieval era. Two architectural styles came from this period: the Romanesque and the Gothic. The Romanesque was an adaptation of the Roman classical style, using the rounded arch from classical times. But the buildings, particularly churches, displayed thick walls, and large towers, and were generally much larger than buildings in the Classical style. The church at Berzé-la-Ville in France is an excellent example of the Romanesque style.

Beginning around the 12th century, the Romanesque style gave way to the Gothic. The Gothic style is the one that we associate most with the middle ages, and with its soaring walls, spires, flying buttresses, and pointed arches, it is perhaps the most recognizable architectural style in Europe. England, France, and Germany all have magnificent, well-preserved Gothic cathedrals and other buildings. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is a famous example of the classic Gothic style.

The Renaissance began in Italy in the 15th century, and soon spread to the rest of Europe, bringing the middle ages to an end. Along with increased interest in the knowledge and literature of the Classical period of Greece and Rome came an interest in Classical architecture. Renaissance architecture stressed symmetry and proportion, and borrowed such elements as the column from the ancient Roman and Greek styles. As the birthplace of the Renaissance, Italy has a large quantity of handsome Renaissance structures. The Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice is a particularly fine example of the Renaissance style. The magnificent chateaux of the Loire Valley in France are another outstanding example of Renaissance architecture.

As Europe drew closer to the modern age in the 17th century, the Baroque and Rococo styles began to supplant that of the Renaissance. The Baroque movement began in Italy, and served as an extension to the Renaissance style. The architects added theatrical flare and increased sculptural decoration to the relatively plain Renaissance structures. The Baroque was born out of the Counter-Reformation, when the Catholic Church attempted to assert its power against the attacks of Protestantism. In Baroque architecture, the church sought to provide the people with edifices that appealed to their emotions through extravagant decoration, at the same time asserting its power of through a display of wealth. An outstanding non-religious example of the Baroque is found in the Belvedere Palace, Vienna.

Although the Baroque style of architecture lasted into the 19th century, it began to be replaced as early as the mid-17th century by a new movement: Rococo. Rococo began in France, first as a form of interior decoration, then as an architectural style based on the Baroque use of decoration, but using a lighter style, and incorporating such elements as Oriental themes and asymmetrical designs. The Rococo style was embraced by Germany, Austria and Bohemia, who added Rococo structures to their already healthy Baroque building stock. An interesting example of Rococo architecture is the Wiltener Basilica in Innsbruck, Austria.

The Rococo style did not remain in favor for long, and it was soon supplanted by Neoclassical architecture, which began in the early part of the 18th century, and lasted well into the 1920s. Architects had begun to turn away from the heavily ornate Baroque and Rococo styles, seeking the simplicity of the Classical. Neoclassicism first took off in Paris, reaching its peak under the Napoleonic Empire. The style was marked by emulation of the Greek and Roman forms, with heavy use of columns and domes, and it soon spread throughout Europe. The United States was now contemporaneous with a major European style, and Neoclassicism is in evidence in such buildings as the White House, the U.S. Capitol building, and Jefferson’s Monticello. An outstanding European example of the form can be seen in the Pantheon of Paris.

Neoclassicism continues to this day. During the span of Neoclassicism, two other architectural movements of note sprang up: Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Art Nouveau began in the late 19th Century, and is noted for its curvilinear forms, and its use of flower-like decoration. It is seen as an important bridge between Neoclassicism and Modernism. The most instantly recognizable Art Nouveau structures are the metro entrances in Paris designed by Hector Guimard. Art Deco, on the other hand, came out of the 1920s, and was a popular style up until 1939. The Art Deco movement began in France. The architecture is based on geometric shapes, and was highly influenced by the artistic movements of Cubism and Futurism. The U.S. also adopted the Art Deco style, and the Chrysler Building in New York is a fine example of an Art Deco building. In Europe, an excellent example of the style is the Palais de Chaillot, and the adjacent Maritime Museum, in Paris.

The movement toward Modern architecture began in the early 20th century, but gained momentum after the 2nd World War. It was characterized by simplification of form and the elimination of ornament, as well as the use of glass, steel and cement in its construction. The square box skyscraper as designed by Mies van der Rohe and the Bauhaus school is the classic example of Modern architecture. The modern style was and is quite popular in the United States, as demonstrated by the many skyscrapers in New York and Chicago. A good example of the modern style in Europe can be seen in the Exhibition Building of Turin,Italy.

Finally we arrive at the Post-Modern era.  Post-Modern architecture is an international style generally thought to have begun in the 1950s. It is characterized by wit and ornament. Whereas the Modernist architecture was first and foremost functional in its design, Post-Modern architecture is more concerned with aesthetics, where form is used for its own sake and different styles are incorporated into the same building. An outstanding example of post modernism in Europe is the Grand Arch of La Défense in Paris.

Now, when you travel Europe, you can be sensitive to the many architectural styles that will greet you. Your favorite might be Gothic, or Art Nouveau, but when you see a building or monument, you will have a good idea of where it falls in the architectural spectrum, and you will be well prepared to appreciate Europe’s architectural diversity.

By Michael Norris

Timeline (source: About.com : Architecture)
Classical                       850 BC -    476 AD
Romanesque               500 -    1200
Gothic                  1100 -   1450
Renaissance              1400 -   1600
Baroque              1600 -   1830
Rococo              1650 -   1790
Neoclassical              1730 -   1925
Art Nouveau              1890 -   1914
Art Deco              1925 -   1937  
Modern              1900 -   1950  
Post-Modern              1950 -    present