Renaissance Architecture

Renaissance architecture, as its name suggests, first appeared in the 15^th century, during the Renaissance period in Italy, and replaced the Gothic style. With its breathtaking appearance and detailed craftsmanship, this architectural style remains as magnificent today as it was in its heyday. So, what lies beneath this magnificent architecture? 

Let’s start from the very beginning. The event that triggered the true revival of the Renaissance was the Ottoman Empire's conquest of Constantinople. Artists, architects and scholars living in Constantinople at the time migrated to Eastern Europe bringing their knowledge of Ancient Greek art, architecture, and science. When enlightened circles in Eastern Europe reached the knowledge of immigrants from Constantinople, this contributed to the emergence of Renaissance art.  

The thing that actually led to the revival of art, architecture, and science was the Italian word “Renaissance”, meaning “rebirth”, primarily in Europe and eventually around the world. Renaissance in Italy was so powerful at the time that most communities in Europe knew it as the “Italian Renaissance”. Besides that, Italy was the financial center of the Renaissance. 

As a result of the increased wealth during the Renaissance period, people’s focus shifted from God and religion toward human nature. The concept of Humanism stepped in here and this human-centered philosophy based on Ancient Greek and teachings of Socrates, began to spread among people.

When it comes to the detailed craftsmanship of Renaissance architecture, ancient Roman forms such as columns, round arches, and domes stand out. 

Proportion is the main element of the beauty in the Renaissance architecture, the artists and architects paid close attention to it. Alongside the attention to proportion, they used simple geometrical shapes like cubes and parallel planes as the exterior of the buildings, which helped to balance the proportions throughout the structure. Moreover, they used circular and square forms in the architecture of churches, as these forms were believed to symbolize God’s perfection. Also, the golden ratio was used during the Renaissance period, meaning that the ideal proportion systems in architecture at that time were based on the perfect proportions of the human body.

The main material of the buildings was stone, but besides that, bricks was used for domes, and marble was used for the columns and decorations. Alongside the harmonious look of stone and bricks, the marble adds an impressive yet simple touch to the unity of Renaissance architecture.

Let's not forget that we cannot overlook the role of lighting in the architecture of the time. As in art and sculpture, architects used light to highlight certain details in Renaissance architecture, giving the viewer a sense of emotion and depth. Lighting is one of the key factors that gives meaning to the architecture we observe.

Painting and sculpture have been used in many areas of architecture, adding emotion and giving the structures a more aesthetic appearance. As expected, they also played a key role in Renaissance architecture. Paintings are mostly used inside buildings; you could see them on the ceilings, walls and even the interiors of domes. These paintings reflected the state of society and the natural world of their time. When it comes to sculptures, they were used to decorate the exteriors of the buildings, attracting attention with their beauty. These fascinating sculptures highlighted the elegance and glamour of the buildings.

To sum up, what makes Renaissance architecture truly remarkable is the art behind it, along with the sense of emotion and depth it evokes.