Welcome to an introduction to the history of architecture designed for anyone interested in architecture and art. This course will focus on Western architecture and its development from prehistoric to present day times. During this course, students will learn basic concepts of architecture, discover different movements and styles and the way they changed over time, and also become familiar with the most iconic buildings and structures of these periods.

Architecture is the art of building. But it is much more than that. Buildings reflect the way of life, culture, and beliefs of the people who construct them. For the purposes of this course, “Western architecture” implies to architecture in Europe as well as in regions that share a European cultural tradition. So, our timeline dates relate to Western architecture. This course illustrates how each new movement builds on the one before. However, historic periods do not start and stop at precise points on a map or a calendar. Periods and styles sometimes flow together, sometimes invent new approaches, and often re-invent older movements. Dates are always approximate—architecture is a fluid art.

We know the history of architecture mainly through the buildings which continue to stand today, including those that are thousands of years old. Historians also study buildings, which have been destroyed, through written records or archaeological excavations. Let us start our journey through the history of buildings people constructed throughout the centuries.