User:OnBeyondZebrax/sandbox/German architecture

The Roman Empire once extended over much of today's German Federal Republic and the remains of many Roman buildings can be seen, such as forts and military camps, spas, bridges, and amphitheatres. The Pre-Romanesque period in Western European art is usually dated from either the emergence of the Merovingian kingdom in about 500 or from the Carolingian Renaissance in the late 8th century, to the beginning of the 11th century Romanesque period. German buildings from this period include Lorsch Abbey. The Romanesque period, from the 10th to the early 13th century, is characterised by semi-circular arches, robust appearance, small paired windows, and groin vaults. Many churches in Germany date from this time, including the twelve Romanesque churches of Cologne. Gothic architecture flourished during the high and late medieval period. The first Gothic buildings in Germany were built from about 1230. Renaissance architecture belongs to the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different parts of Europe, when there was a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and culture. The earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Germany is the Fugger chapel in St. Anne's Church, Augsburg

Baroque architecture began in the early 17th century in Italy, reinventing the humanist Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. The Baroque style arrived in Germany after the Thirty Years War. The Baroque architecture of the German government royal and princely houses was based on the model of France, especially the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. Examples are the Zwinger Palace in Dresden built by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann from 1709 to 1728. Classicism arrived in Germany in the second half of the 18th century. It drew inspiration from the classical architecture of antiquity, and was a reaction against the Baroque style, in both architecture and landscape design. The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous monuments of classicism in Germany. Historicism (historismus), sometimes known as eclecticism, is an artistic and architectural style that draws inspiration from historic styles or craftmanship. An important architect of this period was Gottfried Semper, who built the gallery (1855) at the Zwinger Palace and the Semper Opera (1878) in Dresden. German Art Nouveau is commonly known by its German name, Jugendstil, uses precise and hard edges.

The Bauhaus style of modern architecture eliminated unnecessary ornaments from buildings. After the Second World War it became the dominant architectural style for institutional and corporate buildings for three decades. During the Allied strategic bombing campaign of World War II, the historic city centres of most cities suffered severe loss to architectural heritage, with cases of almost total destruction. The reconstruction efforts after the war varied considerably between East and West Germany, and between individual cities. In most cities some of the more significant landmarks were restored or reconstructed, often in a simplified manner. In general, the cities were rebuilt in a functional, modernist style.