“It is a very interesting exercise to look at architecture from a historical perspective.”

The cities and architecture of Europe
Connecting diverse eras and spaces to the present day

A History of European Architecture: Roman vs. Non-Roman

Sometimes, when I walk around the city, I suddenly wonder.
“Why are there buildings like this here?” “How did the current cityscape come to be?” 『Yang Jin-seok’s European Architecture Class』 is a book that started from these very questions.
This book is an urban humanities book that reads the layers of time and cultural flow that human life has accumulated through architecture.
It presents a perspective that interprets the technology and art hidden within classical architecture, such as pillars, domes, arches, and spires, as well as the spirit of the times and human thought that lie beyond them.
From ancient temples to experimental modern architecture, architecture has always mirrored its times.


And within it, we glimpse the very fabric of life and the direction of civilization. Architect Yang Jin-seok, famous for the TV program "Love House," explores the origins of Greek and Roman architecture, exploring why ancient temples were more than mere temples and how they were inherited in modern architecture. Focusing on the two axes of "Roman tradition" and "non-Roman innovation," he examines the architectural styles of each era and their corresponding historical and cultural backgrounds.
This book is also a compilation of lectures originally given to CEOs.
As such, there are many social figures who are paying attention to this book.
Professor Emeritus Hong Seong-tae of Hanyang University said, “I am surprised and proud that a book like this was published in Korea.
He praised the depth and breadth of this book, saying, “A vast amount of information, encyclopedic in scope, is condensed into one volume.”
In addition, prominent architects, actors, CEOs, influencers, and other figures from all walks of life have recommended this book.

To see if Greek and Roman architecture are truly similar, let's first look at Athens, Greece.
Athens can be seen as the starting point of the European community in the 5th century BC, 2,500 years ago, but in fact, at this time, ancient Greece was nothing more than a collection of small Mediterranean city-states called Polis.
That is, until the Greco-Persian Wars, which could be called the 'clash of Eastern and Western civilizations', broke out.
But after this long war, which determined the course of world history, ended, the Greek city-states began to look different than before.

For the Greeks who won the war, the concept of community changed from what it had been before.
City-states that had been simple unions took on the collective identity of 'Europe' and 'Europeans' and literally enjoyed a 'golden age' of civilization.
As the city grows richer from victorious wars, its citizens are freed from the burden of making a living and are able to enjoy sophisticated arts such as sports, theater, and music.
Accordingly, various classes and occupations were created in the fields of academia, education, and the arts.
In addition, it was possible to actively promote maritime trade and commerce with various ethnic groups and to establish a democratic system.
The Socratic school, which became the cornerstone of European scholarship, also began its activities during this period.
During its golden age, Athens built many buildings of great architectural and historical significance, including the Acropolis, a citadel built into the rocky terrain.
The Parthenon, which can be said to be the pinnacle of ancient Greek architecture, was also built at this time.
--- From "Athens, Greece, the Beginning of European Architecture"

A major characteristic of Byzantine architecture is that the interior space changed as much as the exterior dome.
Mosaic patterns emerged and fresco decorations were added.
It is the influence of the East.
The pillars also feature a classicist pattern, with craft techniques that appear to have been influenced by the East.
This was something that could not be seen in classical architecture, such as the Roman Catholic Church.
Looking at the paintings on the inside of the dome and on the walls, you can see at a glance that it has Byzantine characteristics, and that it has applied Eastern artistic sensibilities.

The building that is considered to best embody the architectural beauty of the Byzantine style is Hagia Sophia, currently located in Istanbul.
'Hagia' means sacred in Greek, and 'Sophia' means wisdom.
Constantine II, who succeeded to the throne, promoted the construction of the Hagia Sophia, and when the First Council of Constantinople was held in 381, the city was recognized as an important city comparable to Rome.
As the center of the Eastern Roman Empire, Hagia Sophia also experienced doctrinal conflicts with the Vatican.
At that time, Alexandria also grew into an important ecclesiastical center, and competition for authority and doctrine between the two cities intensified.
--- From "Byzantine style of Eastern Rome representing the Middle Ages"

Romanesque architecture can be found primarily in castles, monasteries, and churches.
The vault used in the Roman Pantheon, which we looked at earlier, developed into a magnificent structure in the Romanesque period.
A vault is a ceiling structure based on an arch. It has the advantage of distributing the weight of the roof evenly across the building, making it more stable when constructing tall buildings such as cathedrals.
Furthermore, thick buttress walls were built to ensure stability of the circular arch and vault structure of the ceiling.
The degree of fusion between Byzantine and Germanic craftsmanship varied from region to region.
The circular arch roof and the highly stable vault structure had a great influence on the development of post-Romanesque styles, especially in regions with excellent shipbuilding technology such as England and Northern Europe.
The vaulted worship space, which boasts the largest area within the building, was called the 'Nave', a Latin word meaning 'ship'.
--- From "Romanesque and Monastic Architecture Characterized by Vault Structure"

The term 'Gothic' is said to have been first used by Renaissance critics to ridicule the fact that the architecture of the period did not conform to classical Greek and Roman standards.
Gothic originally meant 'the style of the Goths, the style of the barbarians.'
At the time, Italians, who were proud of being descendants of the Roman Empire, used the word 'Gothic', which was synonymous with 'barbaric' at the time, to describe Germanic culture in order to make their own culture stand out more.
It was thought that the architecture of this era originated from the barbarian Goths, but this was of course a mistake.
Interestingly, the Gothic architecture of the 'barbarians' is neither barbaric nor technically inferior to Roman architecture.


Rather, the innovative architectural techniques that the Italians of the time were unable to implement were abundantly displayed in this Gothic style.
This Gothic style spread throughout Western Europe, centered around the Frankish Kingdom, where present-day France is located.
The Gothic style originated in the 12th century in the Île-de-France region near Paris (meaning "Island of France," referring to the central part of the north-central Paris Basin) and eventually spread to England, Germany, the Benelux countries, Central Europe, Spain, and, most of all, Italy.
--- From "The Beginning and Main Characteristics of Gothic Architecture, Which Implemented Innovative Architectural Techniques"

Brunelleschi, a sculptor and architect from Florence, is known as the first person to invent perspective, which brought about great changes in modern art.
Brunelleschi's perspective greatly influenced Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) when he designed the dome of the Basilica of Saint-Pierre de Rome.
Brunelleschi left behind various works, including the Florentine Orphanage, the Pazzi Chapel, and the Church of the Holy Spirit.
Brunelleschi, the first architect of the Renaissance, established the Renaissance architectural style early on and incorporated classical elements from the previous era into his architecture when he built the Florence Cathedral.
One of his masterpieces as an architect is the dome of the Duomo of Florence Cathedral.
This Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore means 'Virgin Mary with Flowers', and Duomo means 'House in Heaven'.
This cathedral was originally designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, but was completed as a masterpiece by Brunelleschi.
--- From "Florence, the Home of the Renaissance"

Borromini was an Italian architect of Swiss origin who introduced flat curves, which had not been well used in the Renaissance style, into architecture, and had a great influence on the establishment of the Baroque style.
Among the masterpieces he designed is Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza.
The ceiling of this Santibo Cathedral actively uses circles and curves to create a dramatic yet new beauty.
You can experience a different dimension of geometric fun that you have not seen in existing forms.
The Basilica of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, built by Borromini, is also considered a masterpiece of Roman Baroque architecture.
This cathedral has a very unique spire, which, instead of rising in a straight line as is typical, rises in a circular motion all the way to the top of the spire.
You can see that it shows a clear difference from the Renaissance style of expression.
Baroque architecture thus breaks away from the rigidity of the ancient Renaissance and reveals a more splendid, dynamic, and free appearance.
--- Among the representative works of the Baroque style

Tadao Ando's work can also be considered a trend in that it expresses simple, sculptural beauty that retains regional characteristics in architecture.
His early works, such as the Church of Water and the Church of Light, which were made using extremely limited materials in simple geometric forms, are representative of his simple forms and restrained spatial architecture.
This work, made using exposed concrete, clearly reveals the original properties of concrete.
In doing so, it created an image that was connected to nature rather than a concrete apartment in the city.
When Tadao Ando looked at history, he thought that Oriental architecture was situated in a harmonious relationship between nature and humans.
Through architecture, he sought to find the lost harmony between nature and humanity, and to express the light of nature and the relationship between humanity and nature without embellishment.

--- From "The Beginning of Modern Architecture"