Jonathan's Architecture Review
Italy’s unique Romanesque architecture is a quite repetitive in many structures throughout the country. It seemed that no matter what city or town we visited the decorative vaulted ceilings, massive stone columns, and beautiful marble floors appeared in every building. These particular structures were selected because of their interesting combination of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture throughout the change of the centuries.
Of all the architecture in Italy the churches made a lasting impression on me more so than any of the other structures. The exterior of the churches magnificent stone columns and finely detailed statues, to the deepest parts of the interior’s splendid marble floors and hand painted ceilings were perfect unofficial examples of artwork at its finest. It was clear that the builder had invested endless amounts of time and money into these buildings. It is also interesting that all the churches regardless of their location were very similar, some even identical. The Piazza della Rotonda was a one of a kind place of worship. What set it apart from the other churches was its unique opening in the ceiling not found in any other of the churches. The building itself had no windows and the opening in the ceiling was uncovered letting in more than just daylight. I thought on more than one occasion while visiting these churches how much money it would have taken to complete these projects.
While learning about different cultures the Spanish Steps played an appropriate role in my selection of architecture. The unique history of the steps linking the square of the Spanish embassy with the Trinità dei Monti church above is what inspired me to include this architecture in my journal. This signifies the union of two completely different cultures in one location despite their differences. Additionally, the steps were constructed in the popular Baroque style which was a common technique in the 17th century and is still used today. Since the Baroque style has been popular for several hundred years, the steps are a good example of Italy’s traditional architectural methods.