The 10 most beautiful buildings of baroque architecture in the world

Before investing the cities of France, architecturebaroquewas created in Italy at the beginning of the 17th century. Breaking with rationalism and humanism of the Renaissance (themselves inspired by antiquity), this style advocates the use of no longer straight, but wavy, dynamic, in order to promote the play of light and movement. Ornementation is much less minimalist, and on the contrary opulent, exuberant, ostentatious - until overload -, in order to endow the buildings with greater theatricality. For this, the architects use different artifices, such as the trompe-l'oeil, the most representative example of which is certainly the famous prospect of Borromini ofPalaisSword to rome.

The stake of baroque architecture? Impress, in order to establish the power of the Catholic Church, then loss of speed. This is how it spreads through Europe and its many colonies, mainly in Latin America.

1. Basilica Saint-Pierre de Rome (Vatican)

The Saint-Pierre Basilica of Rome (1626), in the Vatican, is considered to be the first baroque achievement in history. It is also the last building signed by Michelangelo. Its monumentality makes it a precursor specimen for the baroque buildings which will follow in Italy and Europe. His rich ornaments, notably the "Solomon columns" of Bernin, were many times copied. Beyond the building, thePlace Saint-Pierreis also a date in terms of baroque town planning: its elliptical plan and two colonnades wings form a very imposing forecourt for the time.

2. Palais du Luxembourg, Paris (France)

If Italy has invented Baroque architecture, France brought it an essential element: the castle with three building, which replaces the model of thepalazzoItalian more sober. One of the first French baroque buildings is the Luxembourg Palace (1631), which developed this type of structure many times taken up later. He is the work of Queen Marie de Médicis and her architect Salomon de Brosse. This example mixes French (decorated roofs) and Italian (stone facing roofs, asPitti palace in Florence, to replace the brick then in force).

3. Hôtel des Invalides, Paris (France)

The Hôtel des Invalides (1677) is also one of the canons of Baroque architecture in France. Its golden dome, in particular, is emblematic of constructions of the same style. Erected by Liberal Bruand (also author of La Pitié-Salpétrière) and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, he takes up the plan of the Royal Residence of Escurial, in Madrid, which has no less than five courses.

4. Château de Versailles (France)

The model ofVersailles(1623) is the last architectural representation of monarchical grandeur, on the scale of the castle as of the whole city. It represents the "ideal city", where the central palace and its immense spaces, as far as the eye can see, concentrate all the eyes towards the sovereign. Its geometry and opulent ornaments make it, also, an icon of baroque architecture. In this same approach of grandeur, Louis XIV and Louis XV will built the Champ-de-Mars, Place Vendôme and Place de la Concorde in Paris.

5. Cathedral of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostela (Spain)

After having conquered France, the baroque architecture extends its aura on the Iberian peninsula, to Portugal. Like in France, thebaroqueSpaniard creates a proper sub-series, named "Churrigueresque" in reference to the family influence of architects Churriguera. The city of Salamanca is entirely imbued with this aesthetic overloaded with decorations. The cathedral of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostela (1750), in Galicia, is one of the best illustrations, with its facade with countless details.

6. MEXICO ZÓCALO (MEXIQUE)

Under the influence of its Spanish settlers, Latin America pushes the Churrigueresque baroque to its climax, even more loading the buildings of details and paring entire places of this same aesthetic. They are called Plaza Mayor, like in Madrid; they bring together political buildings andreligiousin the same place. This is the case of the Zócalo de Mexico (built over several centuries), particularly grandiose.

7. Saint-Charles-Borromée de Vienne church (Austria)

To display its power, the Germanic Empire also usesl'architecturebaroque. In Vienna and Prague, in particular, an “imperial” style develops thanks to the eminent architects Lukas von Hildebrandt and Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, whose spirit already brushes almost the Rococo aesthetics (the logical suite of the barrel). The typical example is that of the Saint-Charles-Borromée church in Vienna (1737), which mixes various historical references.

8. Greenwich hospital, London (England)

In the 17th century, England also deployed its own interpretation of Baroque architecture under the influence of the architect Christopher Wren, who draws 53 London churches after the devastating fire of 1666. The Greenwich military hospital (1692), in London, is one of its most beautiful achievements. Its proportionsmonumentalAnd his opulent decorations make him one of the emblems of the British baroque.

9. Blenheim Palais, Woodstock (England)

Apart from Christopher Wren, we also owe some baroque masterpieces to British architects John Vanbruugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. They are at the origin of the Palais de Blenheim (1705) in Woodstock, near Oxford, whose geometric masses, the central portico and the cylindrical tower make it an architectural gem.

10. Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg (Russia)

Royal residenceRussian from 1732 to 1917, the Saint Petersburg winter palace (completed in 1754) is also the symbol of the size of the monarchs. For this, the many architects asked designed huge volumes (1,786 doors, 1,945 windows, 1,500 rooms and 117 stairs), as well as an assertive baroque appearance; colorful, here of white and green, it represents thestyleBaroque Élisabethain, Russian version of the baroque aesthetics introduced in Italy in the previous century.