The Villa Armerico-Valmarana otherwise known as the Villa Rotonda was a building which was well developed. The Villa Rotonda has many magnificent aesthetics that it’s very hard to just choose one out of the many. Just by looking at the façade the Villa Rotonda has many of the best architectural elements. Which in a way they were dissected from the Pantheon. The Pantheon took some of the parts from the Parthenon so in a way the Villa Rotonda is a super hybrid. The façade has porticos which is placed on all of the four entries. The Villa Rotonda uses one of the famous classical orders of architecture. From the oculus to the stylobate there are many different elements. The Villa Rotonda also has some remarkable sculptures which are very well detailed to the hair line follicle. These sculptures are places all over the entries from the pediment to the stairs. The Villa Rotonda inspired many building from the England to the United States.
The three Greek classical orders were each from a different time they were not all made at the same time. The first classical order which was designed was the Doric. The Doric is known to be the noblest monuments that was made. There is not quite an origin story to where the Doric first originated from. There are those who say that the Doric came from the 6th cent B.C. The Doric can be found in Sicily and also at Paestum Italy. By the time it was used in Athens the design of the Doric was finalized. One of the places that use the Doric is in the Hephaesteum, the Parthenon, and the Propylaea. The second classical order is the Ionic it is said that it was influenced in Asia. The style has some hardships the reason it has hardships is that it has a slim shape for being a column. The Ionic also contains carvings which at the same time the carvings give it a sense of supremacy. A building that has used the Ionic classical order is the Erechtheum which is located in Athens. The last Greek classical order is the Corinthian. The Corinthian was a classical order that reached it potential it beautiful look was in the mid-4th cent. B.C. The sad part is that it was one of the classical orders which wasn’t used as much as they hoped for. A few of the buildings who did use the Corinthian was the Athens.
Aside from the three classical orders there where two more that where developed. In The Four Books of Archtecture he states, “The Tuscan order, according to VITRUVIUS, and¬ as in effect it appears, is the most simple and plain of all the orders in architecture, because it retains something of the former antiquity, and is deprived of those ornaments that make the others so sightly and beautiful” (Palladio 82). This allowed the space to be wider than usual because it allowed the architraves to be made of different materials. Then there is the Composite which is a combination of the Ionic and Corinthian order. He gave new features to the Composite order for it can go along with the buildings he designed. He saw it as the best composed and most beautiful.
The Rotonda has many magnificent architectural features from the oculus to the stylobate. The Rotonda use one of the three classical orders. The classical order which is used is the Ionic. Which is in between from being simple to complicated. The reason it’s the one in the middle is because its more decorative than the Doric but it’s not as much as the Corinthian. The Rotonda also uses the pediment. The pediment is the part that is on top of the building which is surmounting a portico of columns. In Parthenon it indicates, “a colonnade of fluted, baseless columns with square capitals stands on three-stepped based and supports an entablature, or roof structure, consisting of a plain architrave or band of stone” (Ed. Britannica 1). Which is was makes the portico of columns. These elements that were described are the elements are some of the elements that help define a temple front. In Villa Rotonda it states, “columned entrance porch. When topped by a pediment, a temple-front portico is formed” (sgira 1). Which is was used more for an advantage in the Pantheon than in the Parthenon.
Stepping aside from the Parthenon’s elements which where used the Rotonda also uses the elements of Roman architectures in the Pantheon. In La Rotonda The Perfect fusion of nature and architecture it mentions, “This particular room is covered with a domed vault illuminated by a central oculus, and it gives the famous name of La Rotonda to the whole building” (Ariza 4). The elements which were used from the Pantheon are used in the same way to help illuminate the room. It helps the room feel grand it lets you see it in a different way. This part of the room is different from the other room. It’s a place where one will go to and just feel some peace. In Villa Rotonda it states, “The shape of the dome as Palladio designed it resembles that of the Pantheon in being shallow and stepped on the exterior and hemispherical on the interior” (sgira). So not only did the Villa have a dome in the center of the building but it took the shape of the dome that was used in the Pantheon. The porticos used in the Villa are similar to the ones used in the Parthenon. The only difference is that the building is taller and wider. All of these similarities go on proving how Palladio was very influenced by the Pantheon and it shows the extent he takes when he develops an idea.
When looking at the architectural beauty marks of the Villa it quite hard to choose which one is the best. The first one is the entasis which has been used and not change because in a way it’s like a signature of a column. The entasis is used to trike the eye into thinking that there is something there that its actually not. In Sculpture it mentions, “Sculpture can be made from almost any organic or inorganic substance” (1). Another addition they make to their buildings that make you go wow is the beautiful sculptures that are added. You can see the little details they add to make their sculptures just express their power. This is shown throughout all the elevations of the Villa there is at least 14 sculptures. The sculptures are used to show how much power and how important the people are who live in it. In The Palladian Traveler it reveals, “The centerpiece, the symbolic centerpiece of La Rotonda‘s interior is, believe it or not, a decorative air-duct cover on the floor, directly underneath the frescoed cupola” (Traveler). Instead of having a normal air-duct it has this marvelous image that is symbolic to the Villa.
The Villa used many wonderful methods of construction. Somewhere from what previous buildings used and some where a development from what made those previous buildings had. In Architecture it mentions, “When masonry materials are stacked vertically, they are very stable; every part is undergoing compression. The real problem of construction, however, is spanning” (1). This was solved by using the herringbone pattern throughout the whole Villa. This pattern that was used can be seen only in the inside of the building since he didn’t really want to show it from the exterior views. In Architecture it states, “dome construction. In post-and-lintel construction, lintels, or beams, are laid horizontally across the tops of posts, or columns; additional horizontals span from beam to beam” (1). The method of post and lintel is used in the Villa which uses the arches and walls to support the dome. The walls in this case are doing more of the support than the arches.
Going along with the methods of constructions the materials used in the Villa Rotonda were well thought of. He uses both simple and complex materials that allows it to be such a magnificent building to look at. In History Villa it mentions how the typical materials for the Villa was brick which was used to have the sense of been able to distinguish between a more decorative feature. The parts of the house that used brick were the walls. Which then were covered with stucco. The reason behind using bricks and then covering it was because it was more of a structure element. The most fines material that was used was stone. The material was used for the most detailed and most outstanding elements. It was used on the capitals on the columns to show the defined details the Ionic column had. It was also used on the frames on the windows This material was chosen to also show the smoothness and richness of the material. This material shows the beauty of these elements to not only be noticed from a close distance but also from a far distance.
When looking at the floor plan of the Villa Rotonda it goes along with the main focus of what he was going for. In Palladio, La Rotonda it mentions, “Palladio was concerned with harmony and mathematical consonance and used the square and the circle as essential, yet elegant forms” (Berzal 3). This is not only shown to show how elegant it is but to allow the movement throughout the house simple but at the same time not that obvious. In any type of path, you chose to go on it still keeps in consideration the purity of the forms he used which was the square and the circle. At no point there is some random path that is not going in relationship to the form. The circle is used to enclose and its used as the central element where one finally goes to and can see it throughout any of the entrances. Which at the same time the circle holds the dome above keeping the purity of the circle intact. In Villa Capra Rotonda it states, “The design is for a completely symmetrical building having a square plan with four facades, each of which has a projecting portico. The whole is contained within an imaginary circle which touches each corner of the building and centres of the porticos” (Archibald 1). Stepping aside from the purity of the forms and how its shown throughout the floor plan. He uses the elegant forms to make a connection with symmetry. This sense of connection and use of symmetry is shown not only throughout the elevations but as well throughout the floor plan. The use of symmetry allows the house to have a sense of balance.
The Villa Rotonda has inspired many buildings throughout time. In The Influence of Ancient Greek Architecture it reveals, “Greek architectural style that heavily influenced later architecture is type colonnade” (Bunny 3). A colonnade is a row of columns which help support an entablature. It's a wonderful method to use when having a long narrow space. It was to create the illusion that a room was bigger than they assume. This was used in all of the four entries on the Villa Rotonda. What helped create this illusion more was the scale of the sculptures that proved that the building was enormous. Also the way the portico was used in the Pantheon was how he used it for the Villa Rotonda. In Renaissance Art and Architecture it implies, “More than any other of his buildings, the Villa Rotonda was the inspiration for Palladianism, the English architectural movement that dominated building design in the 18th century in England and its American colonies” (1). The architectural styles that were influenced were Neo-Palladian, Palladian, neo-classical, and classical.
The Villa Rotonda influenced the neo-Palladian and Palladian in England. One of the well-known neo-Palladian and Palladian architecture is the Chiswick House and the Mereworth Castle. An example of the neo-classical and classical is the Królikarnia and Skórzewski in Poland. Another example is the House of Palestine in Palestinian. An example of neo-classical and Palladian was the Monticello in the United States.
The Chiswick House was built in 1729 which is located in Burlington Lane, England. The house uses the elevated platform with the stairs. Instead of leading them just straight it’s more like a zig zag. It also has the famous dome in the middle of the building. The Mereworth Castle was built in 1725 which is located in Mereworth, Kent England. The castle has the same front as the Rotonda. It’s like an identical image of it. It has the same number of columns and the same classical order which was used. It used the Ionic classical order. It also has the dome in the middle of the castle. It also has the four entries which each give different views around the area. Which also uses the landscaping as focal point it doesn’t ignore it.
Then there is the Królikarnia also known as the rabbit house which was built in 1786 and is located in Warsaw, Poland. The palace is somewhat identical to the Rotonda. It uses the same Greek front and the same classical order which is the Ionic. It also has the dome in the center of the palace. The difference is that the dome is a bit higher than the one in the Rotonda. The sides are where its more different it still has the Greek front except that it more on the wall. It doesn’t have the same expression the front where you have the grand stairs that show you where is the entry. Then there is the Skórzewski which was built in 1795 which is located in Lubostroń, Poland. The palace has the same entrance as the Rotonda. It uses the Ionic classical order. The guiding stairs that lead you to the entrance of the palace. The dome is also located in the middle of the palace. This palace also takes advantage of the surroundings. It has a beautiful landscaping that guides you to the palace. The only difference is that there is no side entrance there are just windows. From a far distance you might think that there is other front but what then reminds you there isn’t is that there are no stairs guiding you where is then entrance.
Then there is the House of Palestine which was built around 1970 and is located in Palestinian, East Jerusalem. This house looks like and exact replica of the Rotonda. It has the same entrance look. It also has the four entries that let you see different views of the location. It also has the same exact Ionic classical order. It also has the dome located in the middle of the house. The only difference is that it has one color throughout the whole house. It also takes advantage of the view since it’s on a hill top. The difference is that the dome is 18 meters high while the Villa is 14 meters high.
Then there is the Monticello which was built in 1809 and is located in Albemarle, Virginia. This building may have the same components has the Villa Rotonda but it’s quite different. This building is more squared and has more housing space than the Villa. That is why in a way it looks like multiple clusters of the Villa instead of just one cluster. Even the dome that is on the building it’s in a way loses the purity of the circle. The dome is more like a hexagon form.
In conclusion, I believe that the Villa Rotonda was one of the architectural buildings that was both influenced and influence other architecture styles. The Villa separates itself from other buildings by having four façades. Each of the façades took well advantage of the site around it. Every side has the element of the columns incorporated to help make the portico stand out. Even the type of column used for the Villa was just perfect it didn’t have to much detail but at the same time it was not to simple. The one used was the Ionic column. Which when well in sync with the Villa. The sculptures can be seen from any location you are viewing the building. Each of the sculptures was different from each other. The sculptures were also in a way used to guide the people on to where to enter and what to look at. Then there is the magnificent dome that was taken from the similar idea they have when it was used in the Pantheon. The materials that were used where carefully chosen to give every part of the Villa a different view. The materials also helped bring out the best of every element that was used in the Villa. The stone to bring out the profound details used on the columns and the window frames. The use of brick was used to help have a strong lasting Villa. The extra support that was needed for the Villa was done by using the herringbone pattern that didn’t allow the bricks to slide from natural movement. All of these elements that made the Villa so unique allowed for new architectural styles to derived from it. It influenced the Chiswick House in England to the Monticello in the United States.