The Greek colonists of Paestum, in southern Italy, build the first of their three superb temples

Roman author Vitruvius writes De Architectura, now generally known as The Ten Books of Architecture

The Pantheon, roofed with the most spectacular dome of antiquity, is built in Rome by Hadrian

Constantine founds several churches in Rome, among them the first St Peter's

Constantine's new churches in Rome introduce an important element in church architecture, the transept

Work begins on the exquisite palace chapel in Palermo, built for the Norman kings of Sicily

The authorities in Siena publish strict regulations for the design of the buildings around a new central piazza, the Campo

In places such as Siena and Orvieto, Italian architects add a blaze of colour to the more restrained northern pattern of Gothic

The Doge's Palace, begun in its present form in this year, is only one of the spectacular beauties of Venetian Gothic

The bridge now known as Ponte Vecchio is constructed in Florence (replacing an older old bridge)

Filippo Brunelleschi begins studying the ruins of classical Rome, with a view to rediscovering classical architecture

A competition is launched for an architect to construct a dome above Florence's cathedral, and is won by Brunelleschi

Work begins in Florence on Brunelleschi's Pazzi chapel, which encapsulates in miniature the new ideals of Renaissance architecture

The new pope, Sixtus IV, secures his name in history, establishing the Sistine chapel and the Sistine choir

Julius II, together with the architect Bramante, lays the foundation stone for the new St Peter's

Palladio publishes I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura ('The Four Books of Architecture'), which include his influential designs for villas

The dome of St Peter's is finished, completing nearly a century of construction on Europe's largest church

The Teatro Farnese in Parma is the first to have a proscenium arch, framing perspective scenery painted on flat wings

The sculptor and architect Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini is given the task of adding the drama of baroque to the newly completed St Peter's in Rome

Bernini's great curving colonnade is completed, to form the piazza in front of St Peter's

The monastery and town of Monte Cassino are left in ruins after the Allies finally break through the German defences