History of Architecture

History of Architecture, The Historical timeline of Architecture

History of Architecture

The record of mankind’s effort to build beautifully, tracing the origin, growth and decline of architectural styles across lands and ages.

Historic Styles of Architecture

A particular method or characteristic manner of design that prevails at a certain place and time.

Geographical Influence

Effect of a site’s location, topography and surroundings on its architecture.

Geological Influence

Impact of available building materials on local architectural forms.

Climatic Influence

How temperature, rainfall, wind and sunlight shape building design.

Religious Influence

Effect of spiritual beliefs and ritual needs on architecture.

Social Influence

Influence of class structure, customs and lifestyle on buildings.

Historical Influence

Past events or traditions that guide later architectural development.

Post-and-Lintel

Constructive principle using vertical supports (posts) and horizontal beams (lintels).

Arch-and-Vault

System that spans space with curved masonry, distributing loads into supports.

Corbel or Cantilever

Method of projecting stones or beams beyond a support to span space.

Trussed Construction

Lightweight framework of triangulated members carrying roof or bridge loads.

Menhir

Single, large upright monolith set for religious purposes.

Dolmen

Pre-historic tomb of standing stones capped by a horizontal slab.

Cromlech

Circular enclosure of huge stones planted upright, e.g., Stonehenge.

Tumulus / Passage Grave

Earthen mound with interior passage leading to an underground chamber.

Wigwam (Tepee)

Conical dwelling of poles covered with mats or animal skins.

Ziggurat

Mesopotamian stepped temple-tower with a small summit shrine.

Megaron

Near-Eastern rectangular hall entered from one short end, precursor of Greek temple plan.

Mastaba

Early Egyptian flat-topped, sloped-sided funerary mound above an underground tomb.

Pyramid

Massive Egyptian royal tomb of stone with four triangular faces meeting at an apex.

Batter Wall

Wall that diminishes in thickness toward the top for stability (Egyptian).

Pylon

Monumental, sloping-walled gateway to an Egyptian temple.

Obelisk

Tall, square-shafted monolith tapering to a pyramidion, sacred to the sun-god.

Hypostyle Hall

Large interior space roofed by rows of closely-spaced columns.

Lotus Capital

Egyptian column head stylised from the lotus flower symbolising fertility.

Papyrus Capital

Egyptian column capital imitating bundled papyrus stems.

Palm Capital

Egyptian capital decorated with palm fronds.

Avenue of Sphinxes

Processional way flanked by lion-bodied, human- or ram-headed guardians.

Greek Doric Order

Sturdy column without base, fluted shaft and simple abacus-echinus capital.

Greek Ionic Order

Slender column on a base, with volute (scroll) capital and three-fascia architrave.

Greek Corinthian Order

Ornate order with acanthus-leaf capital and deep entablature.

Entasis

Subtle convex swelling of a column shaft to correct optical illusion of concavity.

Crepidoma

Stepped platform forming the base of a Greek temple.

Architrave

Lowest horizontal member of an entablature, resting directly on columns.

Frieze

Middle horizontal band of an entablature, often sculptured.

Cornice

Projecting top section of an entablature, providing weather protection and finish.

Agora

Open marketplace and civic centre of an ancient Greek city.

Stoa

Long, colonnaded shelter or portico lining Greek public spaces.

Temenos

Sacred precinct enclosing a Greek temple complex.

Propylaea

Monumental gateway to a Greek sanctuary or acropolis.

Apadana

Elevated audience hall of Persian palaces, roofed on tall columns.

Forum

Central open space of a Roman city, surrounded by public buildings.

Basilica (Roman)

Oblong hall with aisles and apse, used for law courts and later adapted as Early Christian church type.

Thermae

Grand Roman public bath complexes with sequential hot, warm and cold rooms.

Domus

Private single-family house of ancient Rome, centred on an atrium and peristyle court.

Insulae

Multi-storey Roman apartment blocks housing urban population.

Circus

Long, U-shaped Roman arena for chariot racing (e.g., Circus Maximus).

Triumphal Arch

Freestanding monumental arch erected to commemorate military victory.

Aqueduct

Elevated masonry conduit carrying water to Roman cities.

Barrel (Tunnel) Vault

Continuous semicircular vault formed by extending an arch along a given length.

Cross Vault (Groin)

Vault produced by the perpendicular intersection of two barrel vaults.

Hemispherical Dome

Half-sphere vault used over circular or polygonal spaces.

Opus Incertum

Roman walling technique of small irregular stones set in mortar.

Opus Quadratum

Regular Roman ashlar masonry of rectangular blocks.

Opus Reticulatum

Net-like Roman wall facing of diagonally-set square stones.

Early Christian Basilica

Longitudinal church with nave, aisles, clerestory and apse, based on Roman basilica prototype.

Catacomb

Subterranean burial chamber network used by early Christians.

Baptistery

Separate centrally-planned building for Christian baptism rites.

Pendentive

Curved triangular surface transitioning from a square plan to support a dome.

Simple Dome

Dome and pendentives cut from the same spherical surface (Byzantine).

Compound Dome

Dome of a different curvature or set on a tall drum above pendentives.

Hagia Sophia

Byzantine masterpiece in Constantinople combining basilica plan with massive central dome.

Mosque

Islamic place of communal worship and Friday prayer.

Mihrab

Niche in a mosque wall indicating the kibla (direction of Mecca).

Minaret

Tall slender tower of a mosque from which the call to prayer is proclaimed.

Kibla

Principal axis of a mosque oriented towards Mecca.

Sahn

Arcaded courtyard at the centre of a mosque complex.

Stupa

Buddhist hemispherical reliquary mound symbolising the universe.

Vihara

Buddhist rock-cut monastery with cells around a hall or court.

Chaitya

Buddhist rock-cut prayer hall with apsidal end and internal stupa.

Sikhara

Towering curvilinear spire over the sanctum of a Hindu temple.

Mandapa

Pillared porch or hall preceding the inner sanctuary of an Indian temple.

Pai-lou

Monumental Chinese ceremonial gateway of timber or stone with curved roofs.

Pagoda

Multi-storey East Asian tower derived from the stupa, housing relics.

Torii

Freestanding Japanese gateway marking the entrance to a Shinto shrine.

Great Wall of China

3,700-mile fortification of ramparts and towers built to defend northern China.

Tatami

Japanese floor mat module (1.8 m × 0.9 m) governing room proportions.

Torana

Ornate freestanding stone gateway of Indian Buddhist stupas.

Bauhaus

German school (1919-33) integrating art, craft and technology; pioneer of modern architecture.

Curtain Wall

Non-load-bearing exterior wall hung from a structural frame, often glass.

Five Points of New Architecture

Le Corbusier’s design manifesto: pilotis, free plan, free façade, horizontal windows/roof garden.

Pilotis

Columns elevating a building above ground, freeing the footprint.

Roof Garden

Flat-roofed terrace returning green area lost to building footprint.

Free Plan

Interior layout unrestricted by structural walls, enabled by frame construction.

Art Nouveau

Late-19th-century style using fluid, plant-like ornament and new materials.

Jugendstil

German variant of Art Nouveau distinguished by sinuous linear patterns.

Sezessione

Austrian Art Nouveau movement centred in Vienna.

Stile Liberty

Italian expression of Art Nouveau, named after London’s Liberty store.

Modernismo

Catalan-Spanish version of Art Nouveau, exemplified by Antoni Gaudí.

Arts and Crafts Movement

British design reform stressing handcrafted quality and medieval guild ideals (ca. 1860–1910).

Flying Buttress

Arched exterior support transferring vault thrusts to detached piers (Gothic).

Pointed Arch

Ogival arch characteristic of Gothic architecture, allowing greater height and flexibility.

Rose Window

Large circular Gothic window with radiating tracery.

Tracery

Stone or wooden bars forming patterns in Gothic window openings.

Campanile

Freestanding bell-tower, Italian in origin, associated with cathedrals.

Belfry

Bell-tower attached to a church structure.

Baroque Architecture

17th-century exuberant style emphasizing movement, contrast and dramatic spatial effects.

Rococo

18th-century ornate style with light colours, shell-like scrolls and delicate decoration.

Early Renaissance

15th-century period of studying and reviving Classical Roman forms.