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Roaming Rome: Architects as tourists in the Eternal City

• What are the key features of Rome's architecture?
• How has Rome inspired architects and architecture?
• How can a survey of drawings help us better appreciate Rome's architecture, and approaches to drawing?

Workshop overview

To the Romans, the city was the Caput Mundi, the head of the world; ever since, Rome has figured as a key site of world history. From the epicentre of Roman culture and administration; to the seat of the Roman Catholic Church; to dynamic style capital, Rome has always been a city without comparison.

This is best expressed in the remarkable architectural melange of the city. Rome is a palimpsest, a bewildering jumble of time periods. Medieval palaces cling to Roman ruins; Renaissance and Baroque churches compete for attention with Roman temples; Fascist parade grounds carve arrogantly through ancient fabric. Together, this seems more theatre than city. Individually, many of its buildings are the most talked about in the world.

For architects, Rome has long set a certain standard above other cities. A marker of high culture, from the sixteenth century onwards, with their patrons, they undertook the Grand Tour. Over the past two centuries or so, as people have enjoyed increasing opportunities to travel, they have been joined by hoards of tourists. Rome's historical pedigree ensures that it remains perennially popular as a must-see destination.

Workshop selection

Unsurprisingly, this selection of drawings is dominated by the spectacular fragments of Classical buildings. However, the architecture of other epochs is included, including prime examples of Byzantine, Romanesque, Mannerism and Baroque styles.