What are balustrades?
A balustrade is a row of balusters topped by a rail. Balusters are small posts often shaped like a vase or a partially opened flower that support the upper rail of a railing. Windows, balconies, porches, decks and staircases often feature balustrades.PalacesBalustrades have traditionally been made of wood or metal. Some of the earliest examples of balustrades, built as window balustrades, were found in Assyrian palaces. Baluster forms used in chair and table legs were visible on Roman bas-reliefs.St. Peter’s BasilicaEarly Renaissance examples of balustrades were found in the palace balconies at Venice and Verona. Michelangelo used balustrades in his work, and they were widely used in 16th-century architecture. Balustrades were installed during the building of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome.Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson had balustrades built in his homes in Poplar Forest and Monticello. Local blacksmiths fashioned iron balustrades for the iron fences so popular during the Victor
