Chapter 1
The Italian spark and the Spanish soul
Chapter 2
Stone and soul: Plateresque and Herrerian architecture
Chapter 3
Courtly splendor and the Golden Age painters
Chapter 4
Literature and the mind of the Spanish Renaissance
YOUR GOAL
Master of The unique glow of the Spanish Renaissance
Ch 2 · Stone and soul: Plateresque and Herrerian architecture
andy Plateresque and Herrerian Architecture
We traded silver carvings for a wall of quiet stone
andy A tiny stone frog carved onto the University of Salamanca's Plateresque facade has sparked centuries of student myths and tourist searches.
Fun Fact
El Escorial's shape: Legend says the grid layout of El Escorial represents the grill upon which Saint Lawrence was martyred by fire.
Glossary
plateresque (adjective)
Relating to an ornate, decorative style of architecture with lavish carvings resembling the work of silversmiths. The University of Salamanca features a famous sandstone facade carved in this ornate style around 1529.
Relating to an ornate, decorative style of architecture with lavish carvings resembling the work of silversmiths. The University of Salamanca features a famous sandstone facade carved in this ornate style around 1529.
Quiz
What is the name of the austere, geometric architectural style named after the main architect of El Escorial?
Quiz
What did the carved frog sitting on a skull at the University of Salamanca originally symbolize to Renaissance students?
Quiz
What primary building material gives the walls of El Escorial their severe, gray, and imposing appearance?
Quiz
In which famous medieval Islamic palace complex did Emperor Charles V build his circular Renaissance palace in 1527?
Quiz
Which Spanish university features the most famous Plateresque facade, complete with a hidden carved frog?
Quiz
Which king of Spain commissioned the construction of the massive, fortress-like El Escorial monastery in 1563?
Quiz
Who was the Renaissance architect who designed the unique circular courtyard inside the Palace of Charles V?