The Baroque Palace of Versailles in France

Baroque
started in the late 16th century in Italy ; means a misshapen pearl; certainly was extravagant an emotional style of architecture .

Important features of Baroque architecture include:

Large-scale ceiling frescoes Dramatic or uniform use of light Dramatic central projection on the external faade Opulent use of ornaments, such as plaster or stucco, marble or faux finishing Use of the interiors as a shell for painting and sculpture (especially during the late Baroque) Use of columns, domes, towers and oval windows

Precusor of Baroque Style

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican

Two main architects of the Baroque era were:

Francesco Borromini
(25 September 1599 3 August 1667 )

Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini

(7 December 1598 28 November 1680 )

Baroque in Latvia
From the 17th to the end of the 18th century

Rundale Palace in Latvia by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli

Popular Baroque buildings in Latvia : Rundales Palace

Jelgavas Palace

Baroque buildings in Riga : Church of Maria-Magdalen

The church has been rebuilt and renovated in 1746 by architect Vasiljev who incorporated Baroque style in this building.

Cinema "Riga"

This cinema building is rich in forms and elements of Baroque and Rococo.

St.Peter Church
At the end of the 17th century the main facade of the Church gained a Baroque look by city building master R.Bindenschuh.

Reitern House

This is the most beautiful merchant living house in Riga, a wonderful monument of Baroque.

Dannenstern's house
House of Dannenstern is one of the most impressive examples of the baroque style architecture.

References
Internet http://library.thinkquest.org http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/architecturehistory.htm http://architecture.about.com http://www.rigacityonline.com http://www.buzzle.com/articles/baroquearchitecture.html http://en.wikipedia.org http://www.kultura.lv http://www.essentialarchitecture.com/STYLE/STY-Baroque.htm http://www.sacred-destinations.com http://factoidz.com/the-baroque-architecture-ofrome/ http://www.rundale.net http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.c om