Beautiful Baroque: history's most lavish period
All about this very ornate time in history
We may not realize it, but when we see a church or hear some music and we are floored by its complexity and beauty, it is probably Baroque. The Baroque movement took place from the beginning of the 16th century until around 1740. Although it is a cultural movement, influencing architecture, music, art, and even garden design, it started as a political religious movement.
The Baroque arose from the Catholic Church's efforts to quash the Protestant Reformation. They wanted to create places of worship that would make the devout feel connected to God, and therefore not disobey the Catholic Church. From this pledge, they started a whole cultural movement that spread across Europe.
In this gallery, you'll find all you need to know about the Baroque period. Click through to discover more.
LIFESTYLE Olympic games
TRAVEL United kingdom