History1lcb: Spanish Renaissance

Although the Spanish Renaissance was influenced in part by the Italian Renaissance, the artists and architects at the time created a style that was all its own and unique to the Spanish culture. Many of the art, interiors, and buildings during this time were a fusion of Spanish and Moorish cultures, which contributed to the uniqueness of their style. It wasn't until the Moors were finally expelled from Spain that Moorish design fell into disuse.

Alhambra - last palace built by Moors before their expulsion

Spain has more castles than any other country in Europe, and their castles have all of the qualities you think of when picturing a castle. Moats, drawbridges, huge fortresses, you name it and the Spanish castles of this time have it. Spain was never a place that I pictured to have castles, usually I think of England, Ireland, or other European countries in that area, so I found it very interesting to learn that castles were so prominent within the Spanish culture during their Renaissance.

La Mota

Cathedrals were a mix of Gothic and Renaissance, with features of both used to create a cohesive space that fused together two very different time periods. The Spanish, especially during the Plateresco phase, when these type of cathedrals were built, created elaborate designs through the use of carvings, plaster, and grille work. In fact, grille work would become a major factor in all facets of Spanish design, and would have a lasting impact on design style throughout the centuries and the globe. The Plateresco phase differed greatly from the Desornamentado phase, which was characterized by austerity and defined proportions.

Cathedral of Seville Facade

Cathedral of Seville Interior

Spanish design is still widely used today, and could probably be called one of the top used styles around the world. I found the video we watched about modern Spanish design to be very interesting, because I recognized many of those products but didn't know that they were all from Spain. There is something about Spanish design that is extremely appealing, and whether it is home, commercial, or product design you can see Spanish influenced design all around.