Spanish Renaissance architecture emerged in the late 15th century asRenaissance ideals reached Spain, blending with existing Gothic forms. Rooted in Renaissance humanism and a renewed interest inClassical architecture,[1] the style became distinguished by a synthesis ofGothic and Italian Renaissance elements. The style is a creation of uniquely Spanish phases notable because of both rich ornamentation and restrained minimalism.[2] The period saw contributions from the patronage of noble families, notably theHouse of Mendoza, and architects likeLorenzo Vázquez de Segovia, whose works in places like theColegio Mayor Santa Cruz [es] inValladolid, incorporated Tuscan-Roman motifs alongside Gothic forms.[2]
In the northern regions, Italian influences expanded, while local architectural styles (or schools) combined French, Flemish and Lombard styles in highly ornamental designs, seen in landmarks such as thefaçade of theUniversidad de Salamanca.[2] The distinctivePlateresque style also emerged, with decorative forms mimicking silversmith techniques.[3] Meanwhile, the integration of Islamic decorative methods with Gothic structures developed into the Mudéjar style, particularly inAndalusia,Aragón, andCastile.[2]
During the reign ofPhilip II of Spain (r. 1556–1589), Renaissance influence spread across Spain, aided by architecture treatises from famous architects, includingVitruvius,Leon Battista Alberti,Sebastiano Serlio,Andrea Palladio,Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola andDiego de Sagredo [es], among others.[1] 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.[2]
Between 1500 and 1600, Spain experienced an architectural transition from theGothic style toRenaissance one.[2] The style was characterized by two distinct phases: the first with elements of excessive ornamentation and then the second, characterized by a more severe minimalism.[2] Despite a general consensus on these phases, there has been little consistency in terminology, Spanish Renaissance architecture does not follow a single, unified style or cohesive development and is ultimately characterized by a variety of styles.[2] The style comprises a mix of influences, with elements from bothGothic andPlateresque styles continuing into the 16th century.[2]
From the 12th to the 16th centuries, the Mudéjar style flourished, primarily in Castile, Aragón, and Andalusia.[2] Derived from the termmudajjan, meaning "domesticated" or "subjugated", Mudéjar describes an artistic style resulting from a unique demographic situation born of the Reconquest.[4][5] This style is viewed as a synthesis of Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance elements.[4] This was seen in the preservation of aspects found in Islamic artistry after Christian rulers reconquered former Muslim-controlled lands in Spain.[5][6] This Mudéjar style utilized Arabic forms and techniques, influenced by Christian ecclesiastical architecture, and evolved from Romanesque Mudéjar to Gothic Mudéjar over time.[2] By the mid-13th century, Gothic Mudéjar incorporated Gothic-inspired plans mixed with Islamic decorative motifs, seen in buildings such as theSynagogue of Santa María la Blanca,Synagogue of El Tránsito andSan Tomé.[2] Bishops and Christian nobles embraced these Islamic motifs, integrating them into palaces and church treasuries, a symbolic yet functional coalescence of two cultures.[5]
In Aragón, Mudéjar elements adorned both the interiors and exteriors of buildings, as seen in theCathedral of the Savior of Zaragoza, La Seo de Zaragoza, particularity notable in their polygonal towers.[2] In Andalusia, Mudéjar features were most visible incoffered ceilings andcloister vaults set onsquinch arches.[2] These features reflected not only architectural ingenuity, but also the interwoven social fabric as various cultural practices, including marriage traditions, clothing, and everyday economies that continued to bridge communities even amid political shifts.[2][5] 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.[5]
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.[2] ArchitectLorenzo Vázquez ofSegovia, in service ofCardinal Pedro González de Mendoza, contributed works such as the Colegio de Santa Cruz (1486–1494) and thePalacio Medinaceli (c. 1492–1495).[2] Vázquez's subsequent projects include: thePalace of Antonio de Mendoza in Guadalajara (before 1507), the Monastery of San Antonio de Mondéjar (1489–1509), and the early phase ofLa Calahorra Castle inGranada (begun in 1492).[2] All of these buildings demonstrate his use of cloister supports, or composite columns, featuring Gothic proportions combined with pseudo-classicalpilasters.[2]
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.[2] The approach of architects in this style applied embellishments, often prioritizing visual impact over strict accuracy and preciseness.[2] Examples of the Alcarreña style include the portal of Santa Engarcia in Saragossa (c. 1512–1515) by Gil de Morlanes, Casa Desplá and Casa Gralla inBarcelona by Felipe Vigarny, Francisco de Colonia, and Hanequín de Cuéllar.[2] The façade of theUniversidad de Salamanca (1519–1525) further demonstrates this decorative experimentation, as it integrates elements into Gothic structures like retable-portals and "fachadas-tapiz" (carpet-façades) that were regarded as modern for Late Gothic Spanish architecture.[2]
In the 1520s, despite the continuing influence of the Gothic style, a new Italian-inspired approach was emerging in Spain.[2] This design incorporated the use of the classical orders on facades and in interiors, a style previously unseen in Spain.[2] A new approach to decoration was introduced based on Italian architectural elements rather than the typicalPlateresque design.[2] Palace interiors adopted Italian styles, incorporating features likevaulting,stucco, andfrescoes.[2] One of the best examples of this is at thePalacio del Infantado inGuadalajara, Spain.[2] During this time, a new generation of architects began to emerge, such asDiego de Siloé, who had traveled to Italy and returned to Spain with direct experience of the early sixteenth century architecture fromRome andNaples.[2]Diego de Siloé combined elements, mergingdomed, centralized structures with longitudinal designs.[2] Along with him,Pedro Machuca, having studied in Italy underRaphael, returned to Spain in 1520 and designed the Palace ofCharles V in theAlhambra inGranada. Construction began in 1533 in an attempt to bring the style of a Roman palace into Spain.[2]
In the Spanish Renaissance style, a relationship between geometry and architecture created a method of architectural reasoning.[7] In the sixteenth century there was a significant transformation of design approaches and construction techniques.[7] The use of geometric perspective made elements likecoffered ceilings andgroin vaults part of the visual approach to architecture.[7] Both foreign and local innovations led to techniques like timbrel and round barrel vaults.[2] These developments led to the transcription of architectural manuscripts that recorded the mathematic, tectonic, and constructional principles that architects of the Spanish Renaissance were using in their designs.[2]
During the Spanish Renaissance, political power was expressed through the form of architecture, specifically, through palaces.[8] Court styles had many practices that shaped the function and design of architecture.[8] For example,Ferdinand and Isabella's court style took features such asheraldic motifs along withIslamic architectural influences from the regions they had reconquered and were now under Spanish rule.[8][9]Juan Guas (c. 1430–1496) was a prominent Spanish architect forQueen Isabella I of Castile.[8] Along with rich decoration, Juan Guas was known for his ability to blend architectural traditions and techniques from different cultures in the Iberian Peninsula, a technique known as Mudéjar (see above section).[8] The Mudéjar style can be seen in the Monastery San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo, Spain.[8] One technique Juan Guas used was artesonado, a term the denotes wooden ceilings with intricate design derived from North African mixed with and Spanish building techniques that was continued to be used in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.[8]
The origin of the termPlateresque 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.[6][3][10] Initially, this new style was solely applied to ornamentation, but later expanded to architectural facades.[6] The style was applied to buildings that had been built during the Muslim occupation of Spain, along with silver, stone, and ivory.[6] The term is first credited toCristóbal de Villalón in 1539 within his panegyricComparacíon, where he discussed the Gothic Cathedral of León and likened its ornamental style to the refined craftsmanship of silversmiths.[10][3] Without using the specific Spanish wordsplatero (silversmith) andplateresco (plateresque), Villalón compared their work toobras 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.[3] InMadrid, craftsmen were known as "plateros deyeso", or plaster silversmiths.[3] The term plateresque also appeared withinLope de Vega's comedySembrar en buena tierra, contributing to the confusion surrounding the definitive aspects of the term.[3]
By the 17th century, the Plateresque style was widely recognized among craftsmen, a statement made byDon Diego Ortiz de Zúñiga (1633–1680). In his 1677 work, Zúñiga used the term to describe the Casa de Ayuntamiento in Madrid, highlighting itsexelente dibuxo (excellent drawings),delicadeza (delicacy), andbellísima aparencia (beautiful appearance).[3] The style is also discussed in relation to the Capilla de los Reyes Nuevos, a chapel located in theSeville Cathedral, started by Martín de Gainza, and then later completed byHernán Ruiz the Younger and Asenio de Maeda in 1575.[3] Their work, deviating from classical Roman standards of ornamentation by allowing greater decorative freedoms, featured "fantasías platerescas" (Plateresque fantasies).[3] This approach corresponds with a definition found in theSpanish Royal Academy'sDictionary of theCastilian language (1726–1739), referring the Plateresque style to a layered ornamental freedom reminiscent of silverwork--a concept possibly influenced by Ortiz's writings.[3]
The Renaissance relationship between metal-smithing and architecture in Spain is also demonstrated in the work ofJuan de Arphe y Villafañe, a silversmith working under KingPhilip III of Spain (r.1598–1621) andPhilip IV of Spain (r. 1621–1665).[3]
In Spain, the elaboratePlateresque and richMudéjar was rejected byPurist architecture.Purist architecture favored simplified and classical designs, like thePalace of Charles V inGranada.[11] These designs followed the struct classical principles from Italy, focusing on refinement and seriousness.[11] The style emphasizes individual architectural elements such asentablatures,niches witharchivolts, andkeystones, rather than an overall decorative scheme.[11] This style relies heavily on classical vocabulary, adhering to principles of "correctness" outlined in classical treaties and the first Renaissance architectural treatise in Spanish byDiego de Sagredo.[11] A notable architect,Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, served as the Master of Works at several cathedrals including,Segovia,Salamanca,Palencia,Plasencia, andAstorga.[2] He also contributed to renowned projects such as theColegio del Arzobispo Fonseca, thePalacio de Monterrey in Salamanca, and thePalacio de los Guzmanes inLeón.[12] Religious architecture after 1550 seamlessly mergedRenaissance andGothic elements in wall-pillar churches. This was achieved by substituting Gothic supports with classical columns andpilasters, notably large-scaleDoric,Tuscan,Ionic, andCorinthian designs.[2]
A final phase of the Spanish Renaissance style emerged with the work ofJuan Bautista de Toledo, andJuan de Herrera inthe Escorial: the Herrerian style.[13][14] TheEscorial would be the flagship architectural piece of this new style as it spread throughout Spanish institutional buildings and even into new world colonies.[13] TheHerrerian style stemmed from a desire to extend the influence of Spain's new Christian monarchy after thereconquista and represent the architecture of government institutions in a more striking way.[13] TheHerrerian style can be characterized as extremely sober and naked.[13] Herrerian style isutilitarian and uses a lot of horizontal symmetry.[13] Ornamentation is no longer present; ratherHerrerian style architecture relies on its austerity and typically tall facades to alter the urban scales, making the structure's stature feel imposing to whoever walks past it.[13] Herrerian style can also be characterized by frequent use of graniteashlar masonry work. Spanish architects during this time (specifically, the years 1559–1567), differed from the traditional Renaissance model of architecture in two fundamental ways: it associated design and building within a continuum and it assigned responsibility for design entirely to a professional who would remain involved with the building's construction.[15]
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![El Escorial, completed in 1584, by Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera[16]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aEl_escorial_blick_von_oben.jpg)
Media related toRenaissance architecture in Spain at Wikimedia Commons
