The Architectural History of Venice (revised and enlarged edition)

This book is the indispensable guide to the history of architecture in Venice, encompassing the city's fascinating variety of buildings from ancient times to the present day. Completely updated, this edition of Deborah Howard's classic volume, first published in 1980, is filled with splendid new illustrations. Howard writes in a highly accessible style, inviting those who visit Venice in person, armchair travelers, and all students of Venetian art and architecture to look more closely at the unique architecture of one of the world's most beautiful cities. Believed to have been founded by refugees at the fall of the Roman Empire, Venice became a semi-independent outpost of Byzantium and eventually an independent republic. The city flourished for centuries as a trading center between east and west, and its visual traditions were continually enriched by the exposure to outside influences. When the long-lasting republic fell to Napoleon in 1797, many attempts at modernization followed. Howard traces the entire evolution of Venice's architecture, placing special emphasis on the political, social, and economic framework that supported it. She highlights the achievements of such individual architects as Sansovino, Palladio, Longhena, Massari, and Selva. Throughout the book, the author stresses the visual qualities of the buildings themselves, enhancing our appreciation of individual structures built in Venice and providing a spectacular view of the city that inspired their creation.