Architecture of the Italian Baroque

Italian Baroque architecture originated in Rome. It is characterized by dynamic spaces, dramatic twists and curves, and an intentional use of light to engage the visitor directly and forcefully. Key figures like Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini pioneered this style, breaking from Renaissance constraints. Bernini designed interiors that fused painting, sculpture, and architecture. Borromini created pulsating geometric structures via undulating walls that alternated concave and convex curves to force a dynamic relationship.