Why was classical architecture a key principle of the Renaissance?
Because it was so different from Gothic architecture- vastly different. In a Gothic cathedral, man was supposed to feel small and insignificant in the eyes of God. The ceilings reached hundreds of feet into the heavens to remind people where their focus in life should be. Renaissance architecture was more classical (based on Greek and Roman styles) and much more to the scale of man. One example of this is the Pazzi Chapel in Florence- it is even hard to find- it is so small! A man walks in and is not swept into the heavens, but struck by the simplicity and symmetry- making a man feel like he matters here on Earth.
