CENTRAL PLAN

Central plan: translation

An architectural plan that is circular, polygonal, or square. The earliest central plan structure of the Renaissance wasFilippo Brunelleschi's Santa Maria degli Angeli inFlorence, built in 1434-1437 for the Camaldolite Order. Centrally planned buildings are often capped by adome.Donato Bramante's Tempietto inRome(c. 1502-1512) is such an example, inspired by Early Christianmar-tyriathat mark the spot where saints were martyred. Brunelleschi'sPazzi Chapel, Florence (1433-1461), is a square-domed central structure flanked by a rectangle at either side. A central plan can also be shaped like aGreek crosswith arms of equal length, like Bramante's design for NewSt.Peter's(1506), which became the basis for Michelangelo's final version of the structure (fin. 1564).