User:Factpurr00949/Spanish Renaissance architecture

[Katie]

Spanish Renaissance architecture emerged in the late 15th century as Renaissance ideals reached Spain, blending with existing Gothic forms. Rooted in Renaissance humanism and a renewed interest in Classical architecture, the style became distinguished by a synthesis of Gothic and renaissance elements, creating uniquely Spanish phases of both rich ornamentation and restrained minimalism. The period saw contributions from the patronage of noble families, notably the House of Mendoza, and architects like Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia, whose works in places like the Colegio de Santa Cruz incorporated Tuscan-Roman motifs alongside Gothic forms.

In the northern regions, architects like Francesco ad Jacopo Florentino furthered Italian influences, while local schools combined French, Flemish and Lombard styles in highly ornamental designs, seen in landmarks such as the façade of the Universidad de Salamanca. The distinctive Plateresque style also emerged, with decorative forms mimicking silversmith techniques. Meanwhile, the integration of Islamic decorative methods with Gothic structures developed into the Mudéjar style, particularly in Aragón, Castile, and Andalusia.

During the reign of King Felipe II (1556-1589), Renaissance influence spread across Spain, aided by architecture treatises from figures such as Vitrubio, Alberti, Serlio, Palladio, Vignola and Sagredo, among others. Spanish Renaissance architecture thus became defined by an eclectic fusion of local and imported influences, shaping an architectural identity that resonated across the Iberian Peninsula.

Characteristics

Brief History (c. 1500-1600) [Katie]

Between 1500 and 1600, Spain experienced an architectural transition from the Gothic to Renaissance styles. It was characterized into two distinct phases: excessive ornamentation and severe minimalism. Despite a general consensus on these phases, there has been little consistency in terminology, as Renaissance architecture is characterized by a variety of styles. Spanish Renaissance architecture does not follow a single, unified style or cohesive development. It is displayed by a mix of influences, with elements from both Gothic and Plateresque styles continuing into the 16th century.

Proto-Renaissance [Katie]

In the late 15th century, Proto-Renaissance architecture in Spain began to reflect Italian influences, primarily through decorative elements brought by the Mendoza family's patronage. Architect Lorenzo Vázquez of Segovia, in service of Cradinal Pedro González de Mendoza, contributed works such as the Colegio de Santa Cruz (1486-1494) and the Palacio Medinaceli (c. 1492-1495). His subsequent projects include: the palace of Antonio de Mendoza in Guadalajara (before 1507), the Monastery of San Antonio de Mondéjar (1489-1509), and the early phase of La Calahorra Castle in Granada (begun in 1492). Tuscan-Roman decorative motifs were applied to doorways, while cloister supports featured Gothic proportions combined with psuedo-classical pilasters.

The arrival of Italian architects Francesco Florentino (c. 1517) and Jacopo Florentino (1520-1526) introduced further Tuscan Roman stylistic elements, notably in their work on the tower (1521) and Capilla de Junterones (c. 1525) of Murcia Cathedral. Around the same time, the Alcarreña school emerged in the northern peninsula, characterized by a distinctive decorative style that blended French and Flemish influences with Lombard ornamentation. The school's approach applied these embellishments, often prioritizing visual impact over strict morphological accuracy. Examples include the portal of Santa Engarcia in Saragossa (c. 1512-1515) by Gil de Morlanes, Casa Desplá and Casa Gralla in Barcelona, and serveral works by Felipe Vigarny, Francisco de Colonia, and Hanequín de Cuéllar. The façade of the Universidad de Salamanca (1519-1525) further demonstrated this decorative experimentation, as it integrated elements into Gothic structures like retable-portals and "fachadas-tapiz" (carpet-façades) that were regarded as modern for Late Gothic Spanish architecture.

Groin vault in the Church of La Asunción in Almansa, Spain

Geometric Perspective [Liv]

In the Renaissance setting, a relationship between geometry and architecture created a method of architectural reasoning. In the sixteenth century there was a significant transformation of design approaches and construction techniques. The use of geometric perspective made elements like coffered ceilings and groin vaults a new visual approach to architecture.

Italian Influence [Liv]

The Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara, Spain

Partal Palace in the Alhambra in Granada, Spain

In the 1520s, despite the continued influence of Gothic style, a new Italian-inspired approach was emerging in Spain. This design incorporated classical orders on facades and interiors, a style previously unseen in Spain, and introduced a new approach to decoration based on Italian architectural elements rather than the typical Plateresque design. Palace interiors adopted Italian styles, incorporating features like vaulting, stucco, and frescoes. One of the best examples of this is at the Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara, Spain. During this time, a new generation of architects began to emerge, such as Diego de Siloé, who had traveled to Italy, returned with direct experience of the early sixteenth century architecture from Rome and Naples. Siloé combined elements, merging domed, centralized structures with longitudinal designs. Along with him, Pedro Machuca, having studied in Italy under Raphael, returned to Spain in 1520 and designed the Palace of Charles V in the Alhambra. Construction began in 1533 in Granada to attempt to bring the style of a Roman palace into Spain.

Isabelline architecture [Liv]

Artesonado in Monasterio de San Juan De Los Reyes in Toledo, Spain

During the Renaissance, political power came through the form of architecture, specifically, through palaces. Court style had many practices that shaped the function and design of architecture. Ferdinand and Isabella's court style took architectural features from their own heritage along with influences from the regions they conquered under Spanish rule. Juan Guas (c.1430-1496) was a prominent Spanish architect for Queen Isabella I of Castile. Along with rich decoration, Guas was known for his ability to blend architectural traditions and techniques from different cultures in the Iberian Peninsula, a technique known as mudéjar. This style can be seen in the San Juan de Los Reyes in Toledo, Spain. One technique Juan Guas used was artesonado, which was a term for wooden ceilings with intricate design used in derived from North African and Spanish building techniques that was continued to be used in the fifteenth and sixteenth century.

Plateresque [Katie]

Main article: Plateresque

The origin of the term 'Plateresque' remains unknown, though it emerged within early Spanish Renaissance vocabulary to describe the meticulous architectural ornamentation mirroring the work of silversmiths which characterized this period's architectural style. Initially, this new style was solely applied to ornamentation, but later expanded to architectural facades. The style was applied to old Moslem preoccupation, along with silver, stone, and ivory. The term is first credited to Christóbal de Villalón in 1539 within his panegyric Comparacíon, where he discussed the Gothic Cathedral of of León and likened its ornamental style to the refined craftsmanship of silversmiths. Without using the specific words platero and plateresco, Villalón compared their work to obras de platas (silver works), in which he implied that silversmiths were like "miniature architects" due to the similarities in architectural standards and perfection of expertise in both crafts. In Madrid, craftsmen were known as "plateros deyeso", or, silversmiths in Stucco. This label appeared within Lope de Vega's comedy Sembrar en buena tierra, contributing to the confusion surrounding the definitive aspects of the term.

By the 17th century, the Plateresque style was widely recognized among craftsmen, a statement made by Don Diego Ortiz de Zúñiga (1633-80). In his 1677 work, Zúñiga used the term to describe the Casa de Ayuntamiento, highlighting its exelente dibuxo (excellent drawings), delicadeza (delicacy), and bellísima aparencia (beautiful appearance). This style is also discussed in relation to the Capilla de los Reyes Nuevos, a cathedral in Seville started by Martín de Gainza, and then later completed by Hernán Ruiz and Asenio de Maeda in 1575. Their work, deviating from classical Roman standards of ornamentation by allowing greater decorative freedoms, featured "fantasías platerescas" (Plateresque fantasies). This approach corresponds with a definiton found in the Spanish Royal Academy's Dictionary of the Castilian language (1726-1739), refering the Plateresque style to a layered ornamental freedom reminiscent of silverwork--a concept possibly influenced by Ortiz's writings.

The Renaissance relationship between metal-smithing and architecture in Spain is shown by Juan de Arfe, a silversmith working under Philip III and Philip VI.

Mudéjar [Katie]

Main article: Mudéjar

History

The Iberian Peninsula's history is marked by waves of settlement and cultural synthesis. This begins with the arrival of Indo-European settlers around 1100 BCE, consisting of Phoenician, Greek, and Punic colonies established along the coasts. While, the Balearic Islands came under the influence of Iberian and Celtic tribes. Between the 6th and 1st centuries, these cultures further synthesized, a process solidified under the Roman rule after the conquest of the peninsula in 29 BC. By the 3rd century AD, Christianity had taken root, formulating a cultural and religious shift. This cultural blending persisted in various forms across the centuries, with certain practices and artistic traditions, such as clothing, cuisine, and city planning, retaining a sense of continuity despite political upheavals.

Following Christianization, the peninsula experienced Germanic invasions that cumulated in the formation of the Visigothic monarchy, bringing political unification by 585 and religious unification by 589. However, with the Moorish invasion from 711 to 716, Muslim rule was established across the peninsula. Crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, Lord Tariq led Arab forces as they conquered the Visigothic Kingdom, and later advancing towards the Frankish Empire. The first Muslim emirate emerged in 756, followed by the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba from 929 to 1031. In Asturias, the "Hispano-Moorish" style began to emerge among unconquered territories, while Christians in the North initiated a campaign to reclaim the South. The trend emerging in the Asturias was seen as an aspect of Christian triumphalism, interpreted through the appropriation of Islamic-inspired elements by Christian rulers reclaiming territory in the South. The 10th and 11th centuries saw the rise of Christian kingdoms in León, Castile, Asturias, Navarre, Aragón, and Catalonia, leading to the development of the Mozarabic style.

Romanesque art appeared in the nothern regions during the 11th century, influenced by European aesthetics, especially after the conquest of Toledo in 1085. By 1200, Gothic styles began to emerge, initially following French models but soon adapted to Spanish forms. As Christian forces conquered regions in the South, Andalusia saw a blend of local and imported styles, particularly within the Mudéjar tradition. This style integrated Hispano-Moorish and European elements, continuing into the architectural landscape of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granda in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1478, a framework for religious tolerance began to take shape toward the end of the Inquisition. From this, two new religious classes emerged between Christians and Muslims. These classes were known as Moriscos, referring to Muslims who were willing or forced to convert to Christianity, and Mudéjares, who remained unconverted but worked for Christian patrons. With relative tolerance, the conquered populations were allowed to continue their religious observance, allowing for both King Fernando III (1217-1252) and Alfonso X (1252-1284) to name themselves as "King of the Three Religions".

Application

From the 12th to the 16th centuries, the Mudéjar style flourished, primarily in Castile, Aragón, and Andalusia. Derived from the term mudajjan, meaning "domesticated" or "subjugated", Mudéjar describes an artistic style resulting from a unique demographic situation born of the Reconquest. This style is viewed as a synthesis of Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance elements. This was seen in the preservation of aspects found in Islamic artistry after Christian rulers took former Muslim lands. This style utilized Arabic forms and techniques, influenced by Christian ecclesiastical architecture, and evolved from Romanesque Mudéjar to Gothic Mudéjar over time. By the mid-13th century, Gothic Mudéjar incorporated Gothic layouts with Islamic decorative motifs, seen in churches such as Santa María la Blanca, Nuestra Señora de Tránsito, San Tomé, San Miguel, and San Leocadia. Bishops and Christian nobles embraced these Islamic motifs, integrating them into palaces and church treasuries, a symbolic yet functional coalescence of two cultural realms.

In Aragón, Mudéjar elements adorned both the interiors and exteriors of buildings, as seen in the Saragossa Cathedral, La Seo, and San Martín, particularity notable in their polygonal towers. In Andalusia, Mudéjar features were most visible in coffered ceilings and cloister vaults set on squinch arches, reflecting not only architectural ingenuity but also the interwoven social fabric, as various cultural practices--including marriage traditions, clothing, and everyday economies--continued to bridge communities even amid political s

hifts. This architectural synthesis culminated in a Spanish style that endured, making the ongoing integration of Islamic designs in non-Muslim contexts and the social unity maintained despite territorial changes.

Purism section [Liv]

Main article: Purism (Spanish architecture)

Under the rule of Charles V, Renaissance architecture became more conservative in the later half of the sixteenth century. The decoration became more scare compared to Plasteresque, which decoration applied around the openings of the doors and windows. The court relied on local architects like Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón to achieve this restrained style of architecture. Hontañón served as the Master of the Works at several cathedrals including, Segovia, Salamanca, Palencia, Plasencia, and Astorga.

Colegia del Arzobispo Fonseca in Salamanca, Spain

Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón was another leading architect of the 16th-century, known for evolving from the Hispano-Flemish Gothic style of his father, Juan Gil de Hontañón, to incorporating Italian Renaissance influences around 1533. [1] He served as the Master of the Works at several cathedrals including, Segovia, Salamanca, Palencia, Plasencia, and Astorga.[1] He also contributed to renowned projects such as the Colegio del Arzobispo Fonseca, the Palacio de Monterrey in Salamanca, and the Palacio de los Guzmanes in León. [1] His designs skillfully blended Gothic and Renaissance elements across religious, civic, and academic buildings.[1] Religious architecture after 1550 seamlessly merged achieved Renaissance and Gothic elements in wall-pillar churches by substituting Gothic supports with classical columns and pilasters, notably large-scale Doric, Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian designs.

List of notable architects [Liv]

• Juan de Herrera
• Juan Guas
• Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia
• Juan Bautista de Toledo
• Diego de Siloé
• Pedro Machuca
• Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón
• Andrés de Vandelvira

Notable Architecture

The Escorial [Jack]

The Escorial was a stone stronghold nestled in Sierra de Guadarrama, in a small village called El Escorial. The premise for King Phillip II 's build was a mansion in a wooded countryside, while also being very different architecturally from most structure's that were designed by rich patrons during this time. King Phillip II wished for the Escorial to have two programs: a royal residency and a monastery. King Phillip II's goal through this building was to become a monk and a ruler. The King's aspirations along with his previous experiences touring feudal Europe influenced the design of the Escorial.

The structure itself is sometimes referred to as a stronghold or King Phillip's prison because of the buildings stature. The Escorial was three stories tall, around 358,792 square feet, two large interior towers, and a dome at the apex of the building. The circulation of the Escorial was a series of gridirons and crosses. It was strictly orthogonal and we can trace this design element back to King Phillip's admiration of the Ospendale Maggiore.

Mosque of Cordoba [Jack]

Main article: Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mosque of Cordoba is an architectural case study of cultural hybridity, an idealogical and architectural intersection of Christianity and Islam. The building was initially a mosque but after Spain was reconquered by Christian royalty the mosque underwent the transformations we see today. The mosque is building of stylistic patchwork. At a birds eye view the building has courtyards of orange trees, the building itself is facing mecca, and in the facade of the building we see countless horseshoe arches. All things that make the building appear very Islamic in style. Yet there is a chapel in the middle of the structure, which was one of the many christian transformations that happened to the mosque. The Mosque of Cordoba stands as an architectural repository of power struggles in Spain.

What makes the building partially spanish renaissance architecture is the cathedral in the middle of the building. This cathedral had a long vaulted ceiling covering a choir space. The wood used around the choir was highly ornamented.