In Italia, where it was born at the end of XIV

century, and like in others countries of Europe

where  it spread after, the style of the

Renaissance which replace the Gothic style

which was on the top the last years of the

Middle Ages.

The Renaissance came back to a reverse

approach : the style didn’t depend anymore of

possibilities of the technique, it was founded

on esthetics principles, abstracts concepts :

the symmetry, the proportions, and on the use

of a language purely  regulate in its vocabulary

and its syntax : the orders system.

This style put the beauty in the respect  of this

principles in spite of all other consideration. It

came back at the vault in bower, at a static

conception of the construction, refrain from all

performance, the excessive elevation of the

volume, the reduction of sides, the opening at the

light. In this direction, it represented a real decline.

Reverting to the style of the Antiquity, the

Renaissance obeyed to several generals

rules which should preside all architectural

creation. We must realize that this basics

principles represented a change and, in the

same time, a reaction against the old

practices of the Middle Ages.

The regular  plane : rigorous lines, straight fronts,

right angles.

Egality of spans : regularity in the rhythm of the

openings. For example, the frontages of the hospital of

Innocents, the Médicis’ palace and the Rucellai’s

palace.

Alignement of bays at a same level.

The symmetry : similitude between the two halfs of a

building in comparison to its meridian axis.

The proportion were one of the predominants worries

of the Renaissance : all the dimensions of a building

must be multiples of a basic module to be harmonious.

The Renaissance an architecture speak

for by new forms learned of the antic art

who are like  the words of a new

language and amass its style. The orders,

at the same time system of proportion

and decorative language, are the

founding principles.

 The column, feature  elements of the antic

architecture, is putting back ah the honor.  Sit

on top of a capital,  it brought an horizontal

entablement composed of three elements : an

architrave, a frieze and a salient cornice.

The cupola on pendants and the vault on

pendants contain news.

The tambour, the dome and the lantern : at

the XVI century, we interject between the

pendants and the cupola a cylinder-shaped

tambour by the windows from which we could

light the crossroads.

The vault in pendants introduce by

Brunelleshi at the portico of the hospital of

Inoocents. It is composed by the gather of four

pendants which give him the form of a (calotte)

failing again in bill-like in the angle.

The ornament : in base of geometrical pattern

or taxidermist.

The boss, that the Middle-Ages has reserved at

the military arhitecture, was introduce in the

civil architecture.

The architecture of the Renaissance has

been divide in Europe until France. We

decided to choose three buildings which

represent this architecture. The Grignan’s

castle, The Liviers’ castle and the castle

of Ventadour.

Located at 2,5 km next to Privas, since the XI century, the old castle was inhabited

by the Rostaing of Liviers Family. In 1427, the noble Lancelot of Mars was the

captain of Tournon. He was in charge of the castle’s

garrison. It was probably him who modernised the

medieval building and added some parts in Renaissance style. (fenêtres à meneaux,

escalier à vis…).

TheVersas castle is located in the town of

Sanilhac in the department of Ardeche. In the same time there is

the tower of Brison, a very old fortificationand

the ruins of Brison’s castle, a XVII century’s

building, devastated during the Revolution.

The castle has got a Renaissance’s façade which dominated the

valley. It was built in the XVI century and had been modified between 1594

and 1603.

Grignan castle was build in the XII century, in Grignan, in Drôme-Provençale. It was changed into a fortress in

the XIII century by the Adhémar family. Between 1478 and 1495, Gaucher Adhémar extended the room , he created some

residential districts and he shook up the façades of the

former fortress of the Middle-Age. It is probably

the weeding between Gaucher Adhémar and Diane of Monfort which

permited to introduce new architectural styles.

The Castle of Joyeuse was built on the place of

an old fort in 1540 By Jean de Saint Sauveur, Viscount of Joyeuse.

Nowaday, there is also a wing in direction of the North because the other was destroyed between

the Revolution and 1832.

Of Renaissance style, he was modified at the XIX century. Its court was

increased by the supply of three bigs hoops.

The castle of Alba la Romaine

The castle of Aubenas

The castle of Châteaudouble

The castle of Suze-la-Rousse