Michele Sanmicheli

Born 1484 in Verona; died there in 1559. Italian architect of the High Renaissance.

Sanmicheli studied in the circle of Bramante and Guliano da Sangallo in Rome. From 1509 to 1527 he worked in the Pope’s service. In 1528 he was charged with supervising the construction of fortifications in cities of the Republic of Venice, including Brescia, Bergamo, Kerkira (on the island of Kerkira), and Iraklion (in Crete).

Sanmicheli proceeded from the traditions of Bramante, enriching the elder architect’s system of orders with complex ornamental details. He also designed innovative models for pa-lazzi. Their major dynamic element was the composition of their stately facades, which displayed rich sculptural forms while adhering to strict architectural principals. Sanmicheli’s constructions in Verona largely determined that city’s appearance. They include the Palazzo Bevilacqua, the Porta Palio in the city fortifications (1557), and the centrally domed church of Madonna di Campagna near Verona (begun in 1559). Sanmicheli also built structures in Orvieto and Venice (Palazzo Grimani, 1556–72).