Spanish Renaissance architecture
[2] The period saw contributions from the patronage of noble families, notably the House of Mendoza, and architects like Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia, whose works in places like the Colegio Mayor Santa Cruz [es] in Valladolid, incorporated Tuscan-Roman motifs alongside Gothic forms.
[2] Derived from the term mudajjan, meaning "domesticated" or "subjugated", Mudéjar describes an artistic style resulting from a unique demographic situation born of the Reconquest.
[2] These features reflected not only architectural ingenuity, but also the interwoven social fabric as various cultural practices, including marriage traditions, clothing, and everyday economies that continued to bridge communities even amid political shifts.
[2][5] This architectural synthesis culminated in a Spanish style that endured, making the ongoing integration of Islamic designs in non-Muslim contexts and the social unity maintained despite territorial changes.
[5] In the late 15th century, Proto-Renaissance architecture in Spain began to reflect Italian influences, primarily through decorative elements brought by the Mendoza family's patronage.
Around the same time, the Alcarreña school emerged in the northern peninsula, characterized by a distinctive decorative style that blended French and Flemish influences with Lombard ornamentation.
[2] During this time, a new generation of architects began to emerge, such as Diego de Siloé, who had traveled to Italy and returned to Spain with direct experience of the early sixteenth century architecture from Rome and Naples.
[2] These developments led to the transcription of architectural manuscripts that recorded the mathematic, tectonic, and constructional principles that architects of the Spanish Renaissance were using in their designs.
[8] For example, Ferdinand and Isabella's court style took features such as heraldic motifs along with Islamic architectural influences from the regions they had reconquered and were now under Spanish rule.
[6] The term is first credited to Cristóbal de Villalón in 1539 within his panegyric Comparacíon, where he discussed the Gothic Cathedral of León and likened its ornamental style to the refined craftsmanship of silversmiths.
In his 1677 work, Zúñiga used the term to describe the Casa de Ayuntamiento in Madrid, highlighting its exelente dibuxo (excellent drawings), delicadeza (delicacy), and bellísima aparencia (beautiful appearance).
[3] Their work, deviating from classical Roman standards of ornamentation by allowing greater decorative freedoms, featured "fantasías platerescas" (Plateresque fantasies).
[3] This approach corresponds with a definition found in the Spanish Royal Academy's Dictionary of the Castilian language (1726–1739), referring the Plateresque style to a layered ornamental freedom reminiscent of silverwork--a concept possibly influenced by Ortiz's writings.
[11] A notable architect, Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, served as the Master of Works at several cathedrals including, Segovia, Salamanca, Palencia, Plasencia, and Astorga.
This was achieved by substituting Gothic supports with classical columns and pilasters, notably large-scale Doric, Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian designs.
[13] The Herrerian style stemmed from a desire to extend the influence of Spain's new Christian monarchy after the reconquista and represent the architecture of government institutions in a more striking way.
[13] Ornamentation is no longer present; rather Herrerian style architecture relies on its austerity and typically tall facades to alter the urban scales, making the structure's stature feel imposing to whoever walks past it.
