Architecture from the Greek ἀρχι- (archi), meaning first, prime, or chief, and τέκτων (tekton) meaning builder. It is a multi-disciplinary field, including within its fold mathematics and geometry, science, art, technology, social sciences, politics, history, philosophy, and so on. The first architect known by name was Imhotep from ancient Egypt. According to the Roman architectural writer Vitruvius "Architecture is a art, arising out of many other arts, and adorned with much and varied learning: by the help of which a judgement is formed of those works which are the result of other arts". He added that an architect should be well versed in fields such as music, astronomy and philosophy. That holds true to this day. "Architectural philosophy" is frequently used to describe the approach of an architect; for example, modernism, rationalism, empiricism, minimalism, postmodernism are some of the philosophical directions influencing architecture. On a more prosaic level, the architect is an all-rounder who must arbitrate and balance cultural priorities with the harsh realities of finance and technology.
 El Escorial, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real (also known as the Monasterio de El Escorial or simply El Escorial) is located about 50 km (31 mi) northwest of the Spanish capital. El Escorial comprises two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural significance: El Real Monasterio de El Escorial itself and La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five km away. These sites have a dual nature; that is to say, during the 16th and 17th centuries, they were places in which the temporal power of the Spanish monarchy and the ecclesiastical predominance of the Roman Catholic religion in Spain found a common architectural manifestation. El Escorial was, at once, a monastery and a Spanish royal palace. Originally a property of the Hieronymite it is now an Augustinian monastery. Philip II of Spain, reacting to the Protestant Reformation sweeping through Europe during the sixteenth century, devoted much of his lengthy reign (1556-1598) and much of his seemingly inexhaustible supply of New World gold to stemming the Protestant tide. His protracted efforts were, in the long run, partly successful. However, the same counter-reformational impulse had a much more benign expression, thirty years earlier, in Philip's decision to build the complex at El Escorial. Philip engaged the Spanish architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo, to be his collaborator in the design of El Escorial. Juan Bautista had spent the greater part of his career in Rome, where he had worked on the basilica of St. Peter's, and in Naples, where he had served the king's viceroy, whose recommendation brought him to the king's attention. Philip appointed him architect-royal in 1559, and together they designed El Escorial. On November 2, 1984, UNESCO declared The Royal Site of San Lorenzo of El Escorial a World Heritage Site. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction, often visited by day-trippers from Madrid. (more…)
 7 World Trade Center, Angkor Wat, Baden-Powell House, Belton House, Borobudur, BP Pedestrian Bridge, Bramall Hall, Matthew Brettingham, William Bruce, Buckingham Palace, Buildings and architecture of Bristol, Buildings of Jesus College, Oxford, Buildings of Nuffield College, Oxford, Building of the World Trade Center, Catherine de' Medici's building projects, Chicago Board of Trade Building, Deconstructivism, John Douglas, Heian Palace, Holkham Hall, IG Farben Building, El Lissitzky, House with Chimaeras, Hoysala architecture, City of Manchester Stadium, St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, Mosque, Michigan State Capitol, Benjamin Mountfort, New Orleans Mint, Oregon State Capitol, Oriel College, Oxford, Palazzo Pitti, Palladian architecture, Pennsylvania State Capitol, Francis Petre, Point Park Civic Center, Sanssouci, Scottish Parliament building, Shotgun house, Sicilian Baroque, Templon, John Vanbrugh, Vkhutemas, Rudolf Wolters, West Wycombe Park
Featured lists
Chicago Landmarks, Pritzker Prize, Grade I listed buildings in: Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip, North Somerset, Sedgemoor, South Somerset, Taunton Deane, West Somerset, List of tallest buildings in: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Dubai, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Miami, Philadelphia, Providence, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Toronto, Tulsa, Vancouver
 108 North State Street, 5th Avenue Theatre, Akhtala monastery, Akshardham Temple, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Algonquin Hotel, Andriyivskyy Descent, Architecture of Houston, Architecture of Leeds, Architecture of Norway, Architecture of the Song Dynasty, Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England, AT&T Corporate Center, Ballard Carnegie Library, Baths of Zeuxippus, Beaumont House, Benjaminville Friends Meeting House and Burial Ground, Blackstone Library, Buildings and architecture of Bath, Buildings and architecture of Bristol, Buildings of Jesus College, Oxford, The Casbah Coffee Club, Central Troy Historic District, Chana School, Chicago Spire, Chicago Theatre, Chrysler Building, Churche's Mansion, Cityscape of Ashland, Kentucky, Crown Fountain, Dolphinarium, Dunstaffnage Castle, Édifice Price, Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier, Elgin Cathedral, Ellwood House, The Exchange, Bristol, Forbidden City, Fort Greble, Fort Pasir Panjang, Golubac fortress, Grade I listed buildings in Somerset, Great Mosque of Gaza, Haapsalu Castle, Halton Castle, Harold Washington Cultural Center, Heller House, Historic Michigan Boulevard District, Hull House, Hurva Synagogue, Imbrex and tegula, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos, Joffrey Tower, Joseph F. Glidden House, Kaunas Fortress, Leonardo da Vinci, Manila Hotel, Marquette Building (Chicago), Mezhyhirskyi Monastery, National Gallery, London, National Police Memorial, New Bedford Historic District, Old Louisville, Old St Paul's Cathedral, One Bayfront Plaza, Onion dome, Oregon Public Library, Pavillon de Flore, Presidio of Santa Barbara, Queen's Pier, Rancho Camulos, Robot Building, Rock N Roll McDonald's, Roman Baths (Bath), Rookery Building, Roslin Castle, Senate House (University of London), Shamrock Hotel, Singapore Changi Airport, Smederevo Fortress, Sycamore Historic District, St Mary's Church, Acton, St. La Salle Hall, St Thomas the Martyr's Church, Oxford, Sunol Water Temple, Taipei 101, Taj Mahal, TCF Bank Stadium, Thomas Jefferson, University Mall (Little Rock, Arkansas), University of Illinois Observatory, University of Virginia, Valley of the Kings, Via della Conciliazione, Vilnius Castle Complex, Waller Hall, Walls of Constantinople, Walls of Dubrovnik, Millennium Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre.
Purge server cache
|
