Classicism is an architectural movement inspired by the building arts of ancient Greece and Rome, with an emphasis on symmetry, proportion, columns and classical ornament. The style emerged during the Renaissance (15th century) and reached its peak in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Characteristics
Classicist architecture is recognisable by:
- Symmetry — strictly symmetrical facades and floor plans
- Columns and pilasters — with classical capitals (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian)
- Pediments — triangular gable ends above entrances or windows
- Horizontal articulation — clear division between basement, piano nobile and cornice
- Restrained decoration — refined but understated ornament
Periods
- Renaissance (15th-16th c.) — rediscovery of the classical vocabulary
- Baroque classicism (17th c.) — monumental, as at Versailles
- Neoclassicism (18th-19th c.) — strict return to Greek and Roman forms
- Palladianism (17th-18th c.) — elegant villas and country houses inspired by Andrea Palladio
Application
Classicist buildings are found worldwide:
- Palaces — Versailles, the White House
- Public buildings — museums, courthouses, universities
- Town houses — canal houses in Amsterdam (Dutch classicism)
- Churches — churches with columned porticos and domes
Related terms
- Architectural style
- Column
- Order
- Renaissance
- Neoclassicism
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