Key Buildings from Prehistory to the Present

Book excerpt: The latest in this successful series, this book features around 150 of the most important buildings in the history of world architecture – from the pyramids and Parthenon to some of the most significant works by recent architects. The buildings are organized by type – from places of worship and public buildings to houses – and are divided into nine chapters, each with an informative introduction that surveys the history of that type. For each building there are numerous, accurate scale drawings showing a combination of floor plans, elevations and sections as appropriate, all specially redrawn for this book. The quality and number of the line drawings, together with the authoritative text by a renowned architectural historian, allow all the buildings to be understood in detail and make this an invaluable resource for students.