Architectureistheartandscienceofdesigningbuildingsandstructureslikegates,bridges,andotherthingsthatarebuilt.Sometimes,theareassurroundingthebuilding,suchaspathsandgardens,areincludedinthedesigntoo.

　　Peoplewhodesignbuildingsarearchitects.Theymayneedskillsinmanyfields,forexample:mathematics,science,art,technology,socialsciences,politics,history,andphilosophy.

　　TheColosseum,Rome,ItalyPeopleindifferentcountriesandperiodsofhistoryhavedesignedbuildingsindifferentstyles.Thismaydependontheclimate,thematerialsavailableforbuilding,andfashion.

　　Theearliestarchitecturewasthebuildingofsimpleshelters,hutsandhouses.

　　Aspeoplefirstbegantolivetogetherintownsandcities,typesofarchitecturebecamemorecomplex.SomeoftheoldestbuildingsthathavebeenfoundincludethepyramidsinEgyptandthezigguratsinMesopotamia,andotherearlytemples.Thehousescommonpeoplelivedinwerefairlysimple,smallandclosetogether.

　　ThearchitectureoftheAncientGreeksandRomansiscalledClassicalarchitecture.Someimportantclassicalbuildingshavestonecolumnswithcomplexdesigns.Greekcolumnshavebeamsplacedacrossthem,butRomansdevelopedthearchintheirarchitecturewhichwasspreadacrosstheRomanEmpire.

　　Indianarchitectureisfamousforthestonecarvingofitstemplesandpalaces.DifferentarchecturalstylesdevelopedinChina,Japan,SoutheastAsia,Africa,Mexico,andCentralandSouthAmerica.

　　PeopleinWesternEuropeintheMiddleAgesmadeRomanesquearchitecture,thenGothicarchitecture.Gothicbuildingshavetall,pointedwindowsandarches.ManychurcheshaveGothicarchitecture.WhentheNormansinvadedEnglanditwasnoticedthattheEnglishlikedsmallhouseswithalotofthingsinthem,whiletheFrenchlikedbighousesthatwerealmostemptyoffurniture.Manycastleswerealsobuiltatthistime.InEasternEurope,theByzantineinfluencemeantthatchurchesusuallyhavedomes.

　　Mosquesmayalsohavedomeswhichareawayofbuildingawideopenspacewhichcanholdalotofpeople.Thisisimportantforreligiousbuildings.

　　TheIndustrialRevolutionledtonewtypesforbuildingsformachinesandforpeopletoworkin.Industrialarchitectureisthearchitectureoffactories,mills,andotherworkingbuildings.

　　Modernarchitecturewasanewtypeofarchitecturecreatedinabout1900.Modernbuildingsoftenhavelittledecoration(designstomakesomethingmorebeautiful)andareoftenmadeofsteel,glass,andconcrete.