An introduction and overview on architecture as a manifestation of political power. Rome's great fora and imperial heritage; the triumphal arch and the apotheosis of the emperor; the Colosseum and public displays of munificence. From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance : the great cathedrals and then the palaces; the power of God and the power of man; the Renaissance city; imperial legacy : the Topkapı Palace and the imperial mosques of İstanbul. Absolutism and revolution : Louis XIV and Versailles; new ideals and new virtues; public monuments. The Modern era : urban development; the city as a reflection of absolute order; colonialism and assertions of power; international corporate architecture and visions of the future.
