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Vitruvius
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (c. 90 - c. 20 BCE), better known simply as Vitruvius, was a Roman military engineer and architect who wrote De Architectura (On Architecture), a treatise which combines the history of ancient architecture and engineering...

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A Visual Glossary of Classical Architecture
Abacus - a large slab placed above the column capital to support the architrave or an arch placed above it. Akroterion - a decorative piece added to the roof of a temple at the apex and corners, usually made of clay or bronze and often in...

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Santa Maria Novella, Florence by Alberti
The Santa Maria Novella church in Florence. The facade was designed by the Italian Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472 CE). 1458-70 CE.

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Facade of Basilica of S. Andrea, Mantua by Alberti
The facade of the Basilica of S. Andrea in Mantua, Italy. Designed c. 1470 CE by the Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472 CE).

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Tempio Malatestiano, Rimini by Alberti
The facade of the Tempio Malatestiano church in Rimini. It was designed by the Italian Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472 CE). Mid-15th century CE. Its design is influenced by the triumphal arch of ancient Rome.

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Palazzo Rucellai, Florence by Alberti
The Palazzo Rucellai, Florence. It was designed by the Italian Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472 CE). Mid-15th century CE.

Definition
Kabbalah
The term Kabbalah refers specifically to the form of Jewish mysticism that became widespread in the Middle Ages. However, in recent decades it has essentially become a generic term for the entirety of Jewish mystical thought. Literally meaning...

Definition
Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (c. 1500-1542) was a Spanish conquistador who fought in Panama and Nicaragua and accompanied Francisco Pizarro (c. 1478-1541) in the conquest of the Inca civilization in Peru. He famously explored North America, including...

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Cibola - The Seven Cities of Gold & Coronado
The Seven Cities of Cibola are the mythical lands of gold that the Spanish of the 16th century believed existed somewhere in the southwest of North America, comparable to the better-known mythical city of El Dorado. No sites matching the...

Definition
Triumphal Arch - A Roman Exercise in Architectural Vanity
The triumphal arch was a type of Roman architectural monument built all over the empire to commemorate military triumphs and other significant events such as the accession of a new emperor. Celebrated surviving examples of triumphal arches...