Architecture of Italy – Baroque
Baroque was once considered the final phase of the Renaissance, because classically inspired forms were still used. However, despite the difficulties with precisely defining the moment of the beginning of a new era, the baroque is independent, separate style. Politically, its origins are inextricably linked with Rome, city, which with the splendor of new buildings wanted to reflect the sense of arrogant self-confidence, gained with the advent of the Counter-Reformation. Architecture was to express both the ceremonial and the mystery of the religious views propagated at that time. Architects created bold spatial effects, they rendered movement with wavy lines and brilliant luminous tricks and rich decorations, painting and sculpture were an integral part.
The first architect, who used the full range of new forms was Carlo Maderno (1556-1629). His reputation suffered as a result of complicity in the great architectural deception - the completion of St.. Peter, consisting in adding the nave and the facade, which destroyed the balance of the Greek cross plan and obscured the view of the dome. However, the wine only partially falls on Madeira: the clergy never liked the central plan because of its democracy. and the impulse for reconstruction came from the new hieratic spirit of the age. The highly original façade of the Church of Santa Susanna and the dome of SantAndrea della Valle prove it, that Maderna was a high-class architect . He also started building the most important 17th-century palace in Rome. Barberini Palace. which, however, was later completely changed.
The overall face of Baroque Rome is the work of Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). Like Michelangelo. Bernini took up architecture only in the middle of his career, previously earning the reputation of the leading sculptor of his time. The synthetism of the arts he promoted was to become a key feature of the Baroque. His main architectural achievements belong to the field of urban planning: designed Piazza Novona and Piazza Barberini. in the center of which he placed a monumental fountain of his own design. Bernini's most brilliant undertaking was the surprisingly simple transformation of the square in front of St.. Peter into an ellipse, with two ensembles of colonnades, which - like arms - embrace the church. The design of the nearby Scala Regia steps is just as clever. where the degrees, the columns and the vault decrease towards the top, giving a feeling of much greater majesty. than the limited space would allow.