Italian Renaissance Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pienza

The entire project consisted mainly in the creation of a single piazza, and the construction of the Palazzo Piccolomini, the Cathedral, the Town Hall, and the Bishop's Residence, all overlooking the square. Bernardo Rossellino was the appointed architect. Since the hill on which the entire village was built did not allow the creation of a large piazza, Rossellino designed the two main buildings (Palazzo Piccolomini and the Bishop's residence) on the sides of the cathedral slightly tilted, so as to create an optical illusion making the whole square look bigger and deeper than it actually is.

Answer: San Pietro in Montorio

San Pietro in Montorio was built inside one of the courts of the Spanish Academy in Rome. It is especially known for the perfect disposition and proportions of the classical elements used by Bramante, which reveal the full and complete masterhip of the Italian architect in the study of Classical architecture. San Pietro in Montorio is considered by most as a fully developed preparatory study for the early planning of the much larger and later Cathedral of San Pietro.

Answer: Piazza del Campidoglio

The Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the Roman Capitol Hill, was planned starting from two existing side buildings, slightly diverging. At the far end, defining the perspective view, rises the newly planned Palazzo dei Conservatori (present-day city hall).

The star-like pavement decoration of the piazza ideally represents the center of Rome as the center of the universe. A long and open air stair connects the piazza to the city below. The equestrial statue at the center of Piazza del Campidoglio is 'kilometer zero' for the whole Italian road network.

Answer: Filarete

Filarete started his activities in Florence as a sculptor, but moved to Milan in 1451 where he was asked to work on the construction of the Castello Sforzesco, the Duomo and the Ospedale Maggiore. His best known work is though a literary one: a treaty, the 'Trattato di Architettura', in which Filarete plans the construction of a circular ideal city to be built on the flat lands of Lombardy according to the principles of Classical architecture.

Answer: Filippo Brunelleschi

Started in 1417, the completion of the dome of the florentine Duomo is considered by some the first explicit and tangible act of a new and revolutionary era. When completed, the dome was the largest contemporary vaulted structure in the western world, and represented the technical and cultural supremacy of Florence over the whole European continent.

Answer: Sabbioneta

This existing model of a Renaissance 'ideal city' is today little more than a large village surrounded by imposing fortications. Within the walls the city was divided into four distinct sectors, as a large central square, directly connected to the two main city-gates, was avoided for clear defensive reasons.

In the first quadrant a main square was planned to become the center of the city's municipal life. The second quadrant is dominated by the castle and has mainly defensive purposes. The remaining quadrants are occupied by the citizens' dwellings.

Answer: Buonarroti

Answer: Biblioteca Laurenziana

Answer: Palazzo Te, Mantua

Palazzo Te was built by Giulio as a suburban residence for the Gonzaga family just a few miles out of the city of Mantua. Palazzo Te was designed according to the principles set, centuries before, by Roman architect Vitruvius.

Answer: Andrea Palladio

Author of 'The Four Books of Architecture' (edited in Venice in 1570), Andrea Palladio planned several villas on the mainland surrounding Venice, the most renown being the Rotonda (1569), Villa Trissino (1553) and Villa Barbaro (1560). Palladio also designed, planned and built several urban pieces of architecture in the city of Vicenza: Palazzo Thiene (1555), the Loggia del Capitaniato (1571) and Palazzo Valmarana (1565).

The architectural composition principles set by Palladio will later have great influence on British 17th century and American 18th century architecture.