istoryworld
Events relating to architecture
Ictinos, the architect of the Parthenon, blends Doric and Ionic elements in a way which will later influence many other Greek temples
The Greeks develop the three classical styles of column, the Doric, the Ionic and the Corinthian
Artemisia, widow of Mausolus, builds him a tomb at Halicarnassus so spectacular that his name provides a new word - mausoleum
The theatre at Epidaurus is the earliest and best surviving example of a classical Greek stage and auditorium
A great lighthouse, subsequently one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is built on the island of Pharos, off Alexandria
The Qin emperor joins up earlier fortifications to create the Great Wall of China
The earth drawings of the Nazca people, known now as the Nazca Lines, are some of the largest works of art ever created
Antipater, a Greek author living on the Phoenician coast, lists the seven wonders of the world
Roman author Vitruvius writes De Architectura, now generally known as The Ten Books of Architecture
The Romans construct the massive Pont du Gard to bring water to the city of Nîmes
The Pantheon, roofed with the most spectacular dome of antiquity, is built in Rome by Hadrian
The rock tombs of prosperous Petra, now incorporated in the Roman empire, are carved in the cliffs as classical temples
Constantine founds several churches in Rome, among them the first St Peter's
Constantine's new churches in Rome introduce an important element in church architecture, the transept
The first church of Santa Sophia in Constantinople, begun by Constantine himself, is completed
The squinch, soon followed by the more sophisticated pendentive, proves a great boon to builders of domes
Belisarius, conquering the Vandals in north Africa, pioneers the strategic concept of the castle
The great domed church of Santa Sophia, rebuilt on the orders of Justinian, is completed after only five years of construction
The vast dome of Santa Sophia in Constantinople is supported on a square of four arches, making the most sophisticated use so far of the pendentive
Prince Shotoku Taishi, an enthusiastic patron of Buddhism, builds the Horyuji temple and pagoda at Nara
The Dome of the Rock is completed as a Muslim shrine on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem
The style of architecture of early medieval Europe is Romanesque, in the sense of deriving from Roman examples
Pope Leo III consecrates Charlemagne's new palace chapel in Aachen, modelled on San Vitale in Ravenna
During refurbishment of the mosque at Kairouan, in north Africa, a high fluted dome is added
With the end of inconoclasm, the screen between the nave and the altar sanctuary becomes covered in icons in Orthodox churches
