Der Kirchliche Zentralbau der Renaissance in Italien

Central-plan buildings, i.e. churches constructed on a ground plan that is circular, square, polygonal or in the shape of a Greek cross, etc., have been among the central paradigms of the architecture of the period in Renaissance studies since Jacob Burckhardt. The present study examines the reasons for the extraordinary popularity of this design, examines the mechanisms of its currency in architectural practice and theory, and also examines more generally the categories of architectural typification of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italy. One important conclusion to be noted is that there was not one consistent central-plan-building ideal during this period. Instead, it is possible to identify overarching criteria of the architecture of this time that had a lasting impact on the issemination of central-plan building types.