Juan de Herrera | |
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| Born | 1530 (1530) |
| Died | 15 January 1597(1597-01-15) (aged 66–67) |
| Alma mater | University of Valladolid |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Buildings | El Escorial Royal Palace of Aranjuez Valladolid Cathedral |
Juan de Herrera (1530 – 15 January 1597) was a Spanisharchitect,mathematician andgeometrician.
One of the most outstanding Spanish architects in the 16th century, Herrera represents the peak of theRenaissance in Spain. His sober style reached full development in buildings like the Monastery ofSan Lorenzo de El Escorial. TheHerrerian style was named after him, and was representative of the architecture of the Spanish Empire ofPhilip II and his Austrian successors.
Herrera was interested in many branches of knowledge. HisDiscurso sobre la figura cúbica (Discussion of the Cubic form) tells us about his notable knowledge about geometry and mathematics. He participated in the military campaigns ofCharles V inGermany,Flanders andItaly.
Juan de Herrera started his architectural career in 1561 with theRoyal Palace of Aranjuez. In 1562 he also made some drawings for theLibro del saber de astronomía (The Book of Astronomical Knowledge).
In 1563 he started to work underJuan Bautista de Toledo in the construction ofEl Escorial. After the death of de Toledo in 1567, Herrera became the director architect of the works, enlarging the plan, building the monumental western façade, the central Basilica and the pavilion of thePatio de los Evangelistas (Court of the Evangelists), and modifying the construction techniques and roofing. Stylistically, he changed the image of the façades and introducing his personal sober style in accordance to the wishes of King Philip. The main keys of his design are the impressive horizontal unified composition and the use of bare granite, omitting the classical orders for large surfaces. This style introduced in the monastery influencedSpanish architecture for over a century, becoming known as theHerrerian style.
TheCathedral of Valladolid and the todayArchivo General de Indias building were also designed by Herrera. He was the original designer for thePlaza Mayor in Madrid.
As instructed in his 1584 will, after his death, his sepulchre was transferred from Madrid to the Church of San Juan Bautista inMaliaño,Cantabria.[1]
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