European architecture has several architectural styles that have changed slowly over the centuries.
Unlike other styles, such as fashion or furniture design, architectural styles change much more slowly over the centuries.
However, the architectural style of a building can also tell us about the period in which it was built.
Chronology of European architectural styles
- Romanesque – late 10th to 12th century
- Gothic – 12th to 16th century
- Renaissance – early 15th to early 16th century
- Baroque – late 16th century in Italy and continued in Germany and colonial South America until the 18th century.
- Rococo – 18th century
- Classicism – 1750 to 1830 – 18th century and early 19th century
- Historicism – 19th century and early 20th century
- Art Nouveau – 1890 to 1910
- Modern – 1930s to early 1960s
Each style has its own characteristics that make it easy to recognise and distinguish it from other architectural styles.
At the same time, of course, there is overlap between certain elements of historical architectural styles.
Depending on the region, different styles predominated at different times.
Architectural styles and characteristics
Arquitetura Românica02:41
Arquitetura Gótica25:49
Arquitetura Renascimento25:49
Arquitetura Barroca08:04
Arquitetura Rococó25:49
Arquitetura Neoclássica25:49
Let’s give you a brief overview of the eras and their architectural characteristics.
1. Romanesque architecture
The Romanesque period in Germany began in the early Middle Ages and can be roughly divided into three periods:
- Early Romanesque: from 900 to 1070
- High Romanesque: from 1070 to 1170
- Late Romanesque: 1170 to 1240
The Romanesque style can still be found in buildings such as churches, monasteries and castles.
Buildings in this style are often massive and dark.
Although their facades are fairly simple, the areas above the windows and doors are elaborately designed.
These openings in the masonry are usually topped by semi-circular arches. In addition, there are sometimes so-called rose windows and numerous decorations, such as figures or faces.
Romanesque architecture is characterised by massive buildings with semi-circular arches in the windows and openings.
Sacred buildings such as churches, monasteries and castles were built in the Romanesque style.
Thick walls and small windows are characteristic of this style. The massive, dark buildings tend to have simple facades.
Semicircular arches are used for windows, doors and openings in the masonry.
The round arch frieze, a decorative element of semi-circular arches, was used to decorate wall surfaces and facades.
In addition, Romantic buildings feature elaborate wall and floor mosaics with geometric patterns in marble.
2. Gothic architecture
The Gothic period followed the Romanesque period and was replaced by the Renaissance in the 16th century.
Gothic buildings are usually characterised by the following features
- usually tall buildings
- Filigree work
- pointed arches
- tracings
- external reinforcements
- Open exterior walls
- Finely framed stained glass windows
- Window Roses
- Gargoyles
The skeleton structure with cross-ribbed vaults characterises the interiors and allows the walls to be opened up.
There is also an elaborate system of buttresses, which makes it possible to build tall cathedrals.
3. Renaissance architecture
The Gothic period was replaced by the Renaissance, which also marked the beginning of the modern era. It began in the first third of the 15th century and ended in the middle of the 16th century.
The term Renaissance comes from the French and means rebirth.
General characteristics:
- Rationality,
- human dignity
- scientific rigour
- Humanist ideal
- Reuse of Greco-Roman arts
- In Renaissance architecture, the building’s occupation of space is based on mathematical relationships (geometry, perspective).
In addition to the revival of ancient Greco-Roman culture, this period saw many advances and countless achievements in the arts, literature and sciences that surpassed the classical heritage.
The ideal of humanism, with the valorisation of man and nature as opposed to the divine and the supernatural, concepts that had permeated medieval culture.
During this period, architecture was modelled on ancient buildings. In particular, elements of Roman architecture were copied.
The architects of this period were very careful to maintain symmetry and strict proportions.
The elements used were often based on geometric shapes.
During this period, sacred places were transformed. Churches, for example, were used as meeting places. Buildings were often faced with light-coloured marble.
4. Baroque architecture
Baroque art originated in Italy (17th century), but soon spread to other European countries and to the American continent, brought by Portuguese and Spanish colonisers.
Baroque architecture, which covers the 17th and 18th centuries, was sponsored by the Catholic Church, which invested in rich and sumptuous works in an attempt to win back the faithful lost to Protestantism.
The Baroque sought to reaffirm Catholic sovereignty, and the art of the period is characterised by the glorification of God and the Church.
Features of Baroque architecture:
- Strong presence of oval spaces and shapes that convey the idea of centralisation
- the use of the Greek cross, which identifies Christianity
- convex or concave facades, which reinforce the idea of movement
- the use of curved columns and arches
- Very lavish decorative elements and strong presence of gilding
- plaster or stucco effects
- A sense of infinity and grandeur
- Murals and ceiling paintings
- Use of lighting to create a sense of mystery
- Exaltation of God and Christ as the main figures
- Strong contrasts of light, colour and form
- Many elaborate paintings
The Baroque was briefly overtaken by the Rococo, which was then replaced by Neoclassical architecture.
See also History of Baroque Architecture in Northeast Brazil and Minas Gerais.
5. Rococo architecture
Rococo architecture (1700-1790), often referred to as late Baroque, is a highly ornamental and theatrical style of architecture.
While Baroque architecture began in Rome as an expression of religious mystery, Rococo architecture developed in Paris as a secular style.
Rococo art and decoration combine symmetry, delicate use of light colours, broad curves, gilding, sculptural mouldings and trompe-l’œil frescoes to create an illusion of drama and movement.
Rococo is primarily a style of domestic interior decoration.
The characteristics of Rococo architecture create a sense of dramatic emotion with energy and action.
Features of Rococo architecture:
- Rich textures/finishes
- light colour palette
- asymmetrical spaces
- curved/compressed shapes – especially domes
- twisted elements
- Irregular or complex shapes
- Concave and convex surfaces to imitate waves
- grand staircases
- exaggerated grandeur
- Use of the oval, both in plan and in ornament.
- Trompe l’oeil treatments in interiors – a technical-artistic means of creating an optical illusion.
- Groupings of columns and niches
- luxurious and dramatic paintings on ceilings and walls
- Pictures that create optical illusions
- Rococo ornament is derived from natural forms – shells, flowers and seaweed, especially when they are double S-curves.
6. Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture, the renewal of classical architecture during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Features of Neoclassical architecture:
- Rows of columns
- large scale
- Rectangular or square floor plans
- little ornamentation
- Porticos, friezes and other elements of Greek and Roman design
- Vaulted, flat and gabled roofs, depending on the style.
- The architecture was once again more oriented towards antiquity.
However, unlike the Renaissance, it was based mainly on models from Greek antiquity.
In particular, columns were often used as a design element in classical buildings.
In most cases there is also a portico, which is a gallery whose roof or vault is supported by columns or an arcade.
These stylistic elements can be seen in the White House in Washington D.C., for example. According to the classification, the period of construction is between 1770 and 1840.
Classicist architecture was inspired by the Greek temples of antiquity. At this time, architecture expressed a desire for monumentality, pomp and grandeur.
The domed structure supported by columns was very popular. The classic basic shapes of triangles, circles, columns and squares were also increasingly used.
7. Historicist architecture
Historicism, also known as Romanticism, which developed mainly in the 19th and early 20th centuries, concentrated all its efforts on recovering the architecture of the past.
It was about imitating architectural styles from other eras and incorporating some of the cultural characteristics of that century, while eclectic architecture was dedicated to mixing styles to create something new.
Like Neoclassicism before it, Historicism drew inspiration from previous architectural eras.
There are many stylistic subtypes of Historicism:
- Neo-Romanesque
- Neo-Gothic
- Neo-Byzantine
- Neo-Baroque
The style of construction sometimes depends on the function of the building.
For example, you’ll often find churches built in the Gothic style, while townhouses are more likely to be in the Renaissance style, and representative buildings are more likely to be in the Baroque style.
Nowadays, many buildings are in the Historicism style, sometimes due to the strong building boom of the period, triggered by the Industrial Revolution.
8. Art Nouveau architecture
In the history of architecture, Art Nouveau emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The style is also known as L’Art Noveau, the Secession style or the Modern style.
It should be noted, however, that Art Nouveau was not originally a distinct style, but rather the current definition evolved from several styles.
Inspired by the natural world, Art Nouveau is characterised by sinuous, sculptural and organic forms, arches, curved lines and sensual ornamentation.
Decorative elements found inside and outside buildings included intricate mosaic work, coloured and curved glass and decorative wrought iron.
What these different styles had in common was that they were a departure from the historicism that had previously prevailed.
Characteristics of Art Nouveau include
- Common motifs include stylised versions of leaves, flowers, vines, insects, animals and other natural elements.
- Figures
- Curved, sculptural and organic forms, arches, curved lines and sensual ornamentation.
- Away from symmetry
- Design based on “art and life”.
It should be noted, however, that due to the variety of styles, not all of the features need to be present together.
9. Classical Modern Architecture
Around 1900, along with Expressionism, Futurism and Cubism, the period of Classical Modernism began.
The buildings of modern architecture were based on reason, logic and pure functionality.
This meant that representative details and conspicuous ornamentation were dispensed with.
The materials used in buildings were industrially produced.
The characteristics of Classical Modernism include
- Functionality
- No ornamentation
- Open, functional and fluid floor plans
- exposed structure
- Use of modern materials such as reinforced concrete, glass and steel
- Innovative use of traditional materials
- Open floor plans
