Domenico Fontana (1543-1607) was an Italian architect from Canton Ticino, who made significant contributions to late Renaissance architecture in Rome and Naples under Pope Sixtus V. He was the first Ticinese architect to gain major recognition in Roman architecture, establishing a lineage of Ticinese builders who dominated the Roman scene for nearly two centuries, contributing significantly to the construction of Baroque Rome alongside names like Carlo Maderno and Francesco Borromini.
Moving to Rome at the age of twenty in 1563, before Michelangelo's death, Fontana studied the works of ancient and modern masters. He became closely associated with Cardinal Felice Peretti, later Pope Sixtus V, who in 1584 entrusted him with constructing a dome-shaped side chapel in Santa Maria Maggiore, the Sistine Chapel (not to be confused with its Vatican namesake). This Greek cross structure showcased Fontana's technical prowess, incorporating Arnolfo di Cambio's Chapel of the Crib using complex construction machinery without compromising the architectural scheme.
Fontana's work is noted for its slight Gothic tendencies, especially in the dome's shape. He served Sixtus V as the architect of St. Peter's, adding the lantern to its dome and proposing interior extensions. His civil constructions, like the Palazzo del Laterano, reflect a strong Vignola influence, emphasizing structural principles with a consistent architectural solution approach.
In 1586, Fontana famously re-erected the Vatican Obelisk in St. Peter's Square, demonstrating his mastery of statics, a feat that astonished contemporaries. His career in Rome ended amid controversy, leading him to Naples in 1592, where he undertook significant urban and engineering projects, including the design of the new Royal Palace, started in 1600. Fontana's legacy is marked by his architectural innovation and his pivotal role in shaping Renaissance and Baroque Rome and Naples.
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