Air Travel Consumer Report

Aviation Consumer Protection Home Page Español/Spanish Organization & Functions | Air Travel Problems/Complaints | Air Travel Consumer Report | Rules & Guidelines Travel Tips & Publications | Airline Customer Service Plans | Service Cessations | Safety/Security Information Air Travel Service Problems How complaints are handled The Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD) operates acomplaint handling system for consumers who experience air travelservice problems. Consumers with concerns about airline safetyshould call the Federal Aviation Administrationtoll-free at 1-800-255-1111. Consumers withconcerns about aviation security should register their comments with theTransportation Security Administration at www.tsa.gov/public/contactus . Consumers can call, write or e-mail the ACPD to register theirconcerns about airline service. You may call the ACPD 24 hourseach day at 202-366-2220 (TTY 202-366-0511) to record your complaint. Calls are returned Monday through Friday, generally between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm Eastern time. Letters ande-mails will be reviewed and acknowledged andwill be forwarded to an airline official for furtherconsideration. Our mailing address is: Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75 U.S. Department of Transportation 400 7th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20590 Our e-mail address is airconsumer@dot.gov Whether you call, write or e-mail, please be brief and concisein the description of your problem and be sure to include thefollowing information: your name address daytime phone number (including area code) name of the airline or company about which you are complaining flight date flight number origin and destination cities of your trip. If you write, you should also include a copy of your airlineticket (not the original) and any correspondence you have alreadyexchanged with the company. If your complaintconcerns accessibility problems experienced by a passenger with a disability, oralleged discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion orancestry, please click here for information on where to file your complaint. If you determine from that document that yourcomplaint should be filed here with DOT’s Aviation Consumer ProtectionDivision, use the link in that page or your browser’s “Back” button toreturn to this page. If you are filing an accessibility or discriminationcomplaint with us, we have optional complaint forms for these two types ofcomplaints that you may download and/or print if you wish. Complaints of thistype may be filed on the appropriate form, or by letter or e-mail. Click here for additional information about filing a complaint about accessibility problemswith an airline that were experienced by a passenger with a disability. Clickhere for additional information about filing acomplaint about alleged discrimination by airlines based on race, color,national origin, sex, religion or ancestry. All complaints are entered in DOT's computerized aviation industry monitoring system, and are charged to the company in question in the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report . This report is distributed to the industry and made available to the news media and the general public so that consumers and air travel companies can compare the complaint records of individual airlines and tour operators. These complaints are reviewed to determine the extent to which carriers are in compliance with federal aviation consumer protection regulations. This system also serves as a basis for rulemaking, legislation and research. The Department of Transportation produces an annual Report to Congress summarizing complaints that air carriers receive about disability-related issues. Click here to see this report. The ACPD publishes a number of booklets and fact sheets on air travel consumer protection issues. Organization & Functions | Air Travel Problems/Complaints | Air Travel Consumer Report | Rules & Guidelines Travel Tips & Publications | Airline Customer Service Plans | Service Cessations | Safety/Security Information Additional information may be obtained by contacting airconsumer@dot.gov . Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 4107 Washington, DC 20590 http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov

family vacation reviews, ideas,

Florida family vacations - family travel files: vacations Search Family Travel Files family vacations, family vacation reviews, ideas, travel articles, news, deals and specials Wednesday, December 28, 2005 Family Travel Ezine Vacation Reviews News Articles & more Family Travel News Family Vacations Ideas and Options Vacations On File Family Events Field Trips Vacation Reviews Vacation Advice Teen Takes Vacation Deals Site Map Free Newsletter Trip Planner Vacation Reviews Ideas Options Deals USA Vacations World Vacation Guide Canada Vacations Mexico Vacations Central America South America Caribbean Vacations Europe United Kingdom Australia Vacations New Zealand Asia & Pacific Rim Family Vacations Directory USA Florida All Regions Capital city: Tallahassee Famous resident: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings the award-winning children's author best known for The Yearling as well as Secret River. Moment in history: In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon explored the area and named it. Trivia: In 1565 Pedro Menendez establishes St. Augustine for Spain. Best family event: Gamble Rodgers Folkfest in St. Augustine every May. Family Vacations Tip: Spaceport USA at Kennedy Space Center and turtle watching nearby. Wild Places: Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge Florida by Regions: All Regions Northwest Pensacola, Panama City, Beaches of South Walton, Destin, Sandestin North Central Tallahassee, Steinhatchee, Gainesville, Crystal River, Live Oak, Lake City Northeast Amelia Island, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Crescent Beach, Palm Coast Central West Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Sarasota Central Kissimmee/St. Cloud, Orlando, Lakeland, Ocala Central East Daytona Beach, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Stuart Southwest Ft. Myers, Naples, Sanibel/Captiva, Marco Island Southeast Jupiter, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami Beach, Miami, Key Largo, Key West Florida Related Ezine Articles: Field Trip Florida: Space Coast, Naturally Cool. Cocoa Beach Its where the good stuff is - from the technological wonders of NASAs Kennedy Space Center and the natural beauty of Merritt Island to miles of uncrowded beaches and awesome surf. Spanning the communities of Titusville, Palm Beach, Melbourne, Cocoa Beach and more the Space Coast offers everything to make a perfect family vacation. Need examples? Read on On File Florida: Naples, They Have It All. Naples Egrets and alligators, miles of shopping and fairways, friendly museums and toe tempting beaches, fine dinning and unbelievable sunsets -- they have it all in Naples according to Leona Wren-Faust. That is why it is a perfect vacation spot for her and it works for her whole family too. On File Florida: Key West and Lower Keys, Taking the Kids. Key West A vacation in the Florida Keys can be almost magical. The Overseas Highway (a.k.a. U.S. Route 1) is an extraordinary rolling field trip. Distance is measured by mile markers, the closer to Key West the smaller the number. Cross the Seven-mile Bridge and you will be in the Lower Keys. From Big Pine and Grassy Key all the way to Key West there are dozens of opportunities for mini adventures and plenty of stuff for building one-of-a-kind memories. On File Florida: Key Largo and the Upper Keys, Taking the Kids, Key largo Pack up and head south from Miami along US #1 (a.k.a. The Overseas Highway). Distance is measured by mile markers, the closer to Key West the smaller the number. The wows and cools start as Homestead fades in the rear view mirror. From Key Largo and Tavenier to Islamorada and Marathon the views are awesome and the opportunities for mini adventures endless. Field Trip Florida: Naples, Going to the Zoo Day or Night. Naples Caribbean Gardens, the Zoo in Naples offers families oodles of great activities in a tropical paradise. Comfortable and truly attentive to families, the grounds showcase a variety of endangered animals and provide excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing as well as interactive learning. It is an ideal setting for a family field trip with plenty of spaces for a picnic too. Field Trip Florida: Cocoa Beach, Taking the Kids Surfing. Cocoa Beach In the last decade the sport of surfing has evolved to include just about anyone who loves the beach. The combination of sunshine, seagulls, sunscreen, sand and surf create the ultimate backdrop for a family vacation at the beach with surfing as part of the fun.In Florida surfers thrive on the waves along the Atlantic Coast. Perhaps the premier surfing spot is Cocoa Beach, the home of Ron Jons Surf Shop. Field Trip Florida: Space Coast, Spacing Out on Vacation. Kennedy Space Center From our gathering point on the tranquil sandy beach the waiting seemed nearly unbearable. The youngest members of our group continued to dig canals to the-less-than-regal sandcastle. The rest of us passed the binoculars and waited. Field Trip USA: Tutankhamun Treasures Bring Ancient Egypt to Life. Fort Lauderdale Make plans to take the kids and go. It will be the field trip of the decade. Ft. Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia will host the Boy King between now and 007. Where else can you see firsthand the regal artifacts dating from 1550 B.C. and hear more about the mysteries surrounding the boy-king. On File Cruises: Florida, Launching from Port of Call Canaveral. Cruises: Florida, Port of Call Canaveral. Consider arriving early or staying on for the fun. One trip, two vacations, and twice the fun, the rich diversity of activity choices makes Canaveral a "bonus" port of call for families on vacation. It is the perfect launch spot for vacation experiences that span the gamut from high tech space tours, fine arts, and theatre to really wild experiences like turtle sighting, swamp skimming, bird watching and stargazing. Ideas and Options Florida: Fort Myers, Give the Gift of Sail Power. Few experiences in life are more rewarding than sailing or power boating with friends and family. Doing it well is a combination of learning a new skill and feeling safe and confident at all times. A gift of sail or power training is a perfect choice for the adventurer or dreamer on ones holiday gift list this year. Gift certificates in $100 increments can be purchased as a deposit for any course or clinic offered by Offshore Sailing School and its Power Cruise School. Family Vacation Ideas Registry Resort & Club Naples Create the perfect beach vacation. www.registryresort.com Related Article The Bahia Mar Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach Bahia Mar King Tut Exhibit Package Great seaside resort plus tickets to a world-class exhibition. www.bahiamarhotel.com Related Article Edgewater Beach Hotel Naples Vacation on the edge, toes in the sand. www.edgewaternaples.com Related Article Casa Marina Resort Key West Offering the best rate online guarantee. www.CasaMarinaResort.com Related Article Go Orlando Card Orlando Save waiting in line time and money. www.GoOrlandoCard.com Related Article Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa Destin An Emerald Coast beach resort paradise on the Gulf of Mexico. Were all-suite and full service making any family vacation a breeze. www.sandestinbeachhilton.com Related Article Go Miami Card Miami Take advantage of exclusive values and save up to 20% on shopping and dining throughout the city. www.goMiamiCard.com Related Article Home 1998-2005 Travel Communications Inc. privacy statement webmaster link to us about us Advertise Pressroom Contact Family Vacation Directory USA Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio family Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Virginia Beach Washington Washington D. C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Family Travel Files Ezine Family Adventure Vacations Family Beach Vacations Cheap Sleeps Family Cruises Family Vacations Mountains Theme Parks Links Use of Travel Communications, Inc. , websites constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use Best viewed using IE 6.0 or higher Revised12/07/05

Taiwan travel! TripAdvisor SmartDeals

Cheap vacations to Taiwan - discount hotel + air deals - TripAdvisor Taiwan vacation discounts and deals Sign in • Sign up Home > Asia > Taiwan > SmartDeals > Vacation packages Taiwan tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. Discount hotels | Hotel + air deals | All travel offers Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Taiwan Taiwan Overview Taiwan Hotels Flights to Taiwan Taiwan Deals Discount hotels Hotel + air deals All travel offers Taiwan Attractions Taiwan Forums Taiwan Maps Taiwan Discount Hotels Taiwan Vacation Packages e-mail this page to a friend Taiwan vacation packages Acapulco vacation packages Alaska vacation packages Amsterdam vacation packages Anaheim vacation packages Arizona vacation packages Aruba vacation packages Aspen vacation packages Atlanta vacation packages Atlantic City vacation packages Bahamas vacation packages Barbados vacation packages Belgium vacation packages Bermuda vacation packages Boston vacation packages Branson vacation packages Breckenridge vacation packages British Virgin Islands vacation packages Cabo San Lucas vacation packages California vacation packages Canada vacation packages Cancun vacation packages Caribbean vacation packages Colorado vacation packages Costa del Sol vacation packages Cozumel vacation packages Dallas vacation packages Daytona Beach vacation packages Dominican Republic vacation packages Florida vacation packages Florida Keys vacation packages Fort Lauderdale vacation packages France vacation packages Germany vacation packages Grand Canyon National Park vacation packages Greece vacation packages Grenada vacation packages Hawaii vacation packages Hilton Head vacation packages Ibiza vacation packages Ireland vacation packages Italy vacation packages Ixtapa vacation packages Jamaica vacation packages Kauai vacation packages Key West vacation packages Lake Placid vacation packages Lake Tahoe vacation packages Las Vegas vacation packages London vacation packages Los Angeles vacation packages Los Cabos vacation packages Maui vacation packages Mazatlan vacation packages Melbourne vacation packages Mexico vacation packages Miami vacation packages Montreal vacation packages Myrtle Beach vacation packages Nashville vacation packages Nassau vacation packages New York vacation packages New York City vacation packages Niagara Falls vacation packages Nova Scotia vacation packages Oahu vacation packages Orlando vacation packages Paris vacation packages Park City vacation packages Philadelphia vacation packages Phoenix vacation packages Pigeon Forge vacation packages Puerto Rico vacation packages Puerto Vallarta vacation packages Punta Cana vacation packages Quebec City vacation packages Reno vacation packages Rome vacation packages Salt Lake City vacation packages San Antonio vacation packages San Diego vacation packages San Francisco vacation packages Santa Fe vacation packages Scotland vacation packages Seattle vacation packages Spain vacation packages St. Croix vacation packages St. Lucia vacation packages St. Maarten/St. Martin vacation packages St. Thomas vacation packages Sydney vacation packages Texas vacation packages Toronto vacation packages Tucson vacation packages U.S. Virgin Islands vacation packages Vail vacation packages Virginia Beach vacation packages Washington DC vacation packages Whistler vacation packages Read more Taiwan tourism Hotel + air deals to Taiwan * Choose a specific destination Select one of the following destinations within Taiwan: --choose-one-- Taipei Featured specials - December 28, 2005 China Tour Discounts www.cruiseshopping.com 10 years of China cruise and tour values from CruiseShopping.com Special Vacation Package www.atlantis.com Visit Atlantis, Paradise Island - a unique resort experience. China Discovery Tours www.ChinaDiscoveryTours.com Early Booking - Book a China tour by 12/3/05 & save up to $200/person Tickets to Taipei www.malaysiaairlinesusa.com Only Malaysia Airlines makes 5-star service to Taipei affordable China Special from $ 1155 www.pacificholidaysinc.com Beijing - Shanghai from LAX 7 Days / 6 Nights - Air & Land All-Inclusive Resorts www.resortvacationstogo.com Great rates on the all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and Caribbean. China Vacation www.Explorica.com Fun & Exciting Student Tours to Thailand, China & other Asia locals ChinaPlus Tours www.chinaplustour.com U.S. Based China Tour Specialist. Small groups & personalized service Hotels (12) B&Bs / Inns (0) Other lodging (0) Sorted by popularity hotel name Grand Hotel Taipei , Taipei Popularity index: #1 in Taipei based on 9 sources Grand Hotel Taipei : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Grand Hotel Taipei : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Les Suites Taipei-Ching.Cheng , Taipei Popularity index: #2 in Taipei based on 8 sources Les Suites Taipei-Ching.Cheng : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Les Suites Taipei-Ching.Cheng : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Far Eastern Plaza Hotel , Taipei Popularity index: #3 in Taipei based on 11 sources Far Eastern Plaza Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Far Eastern Plaza Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Les Suites Taipei Da-An , Taipei Popularity index: #4 in Taipei based on 7 sources Les Suites Taipei Da-An : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Les Suites Taipei Da-An : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Sheraton Taipei Hotel , Taipei Popularity index: #5 in Taipei based on 10 sources Sheraton Taipei Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Sheraton Taipei Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Imperial Hotel Taipei , Taipei Popularity index: #11 in Taipei based on 3 sources Imperial Hotel Taipei : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Imperial Hotel Taipei : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Landis Taipei Hotel , Taipei Popularity index: #12 in Taipei based on 3 sources Landis Taipei Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Landis Taipei Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel United Hotel , Taipei Popularity index: #18 in Taipei based on 4 sources United Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! United Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Riviera Hotel , Taipei Popularity index: #19 in Taipei based on 1 source Riviera Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Riviera Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Westin Taipei , Taipei Popularity index: #20 in Taipei based on 5 sources Westin Taipei : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Westin Taipei : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Pages: 1 2 Read more about Taiwan travel! TripAdvisor SmartDeals are the best deals on the best hotels in Taiwan. Visit our SmartDeals page. TripAdvisor's Tourism page has the web's best articles on Taiwan travel . Our Taiwan hotels page presents hotels ranked by popularity - read traveler reviews and guidebooks. Looking for things to do in Taiwan? Try our Attractions page! Visit our Taiwan forums page to ask questions and get advice about Taiwan travel. TripAdvisor forums let you ask questions and get advice - post in our Taiwan forums . Our Maps, etc. page has maps and other travel information. Visit our Taiwan discount hotels page for great savings on Taiwan hotels, including TripAdvisor SmartDeals. Book a flight to Taiwan on our Flights page. To view all the specials, vacation packages, and other travel offers we've found, visit our All travel offers page. About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor lists cheap air + hotel deals to Taiwan, Asia. Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more! Visit TripAdvisor in another language: About Us | Membership | Site Map | Become an Affiliate | Top Cities | Hotel Reservations | Hotel Deals | TripAdvisor Gear Popular Hotels: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , by city TripAdvisor Recommends: Las Vegas hotels , London hotels , Paris hotels , Rome hotels , New York City hotels , Chicago hotels , Orlando hotels © 2005 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved. TripAdvisor Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . * TripAdvisor, Inc. is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site... ( more ) TripAdvisor, Inc. is not responsible for content on external web sites.

Europe Travel

Lonely Planet | Postcards | Europe worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links POSTCARDS africa Americas & the Caribbean Asia Australasia & the Pacific Europe Middle East Europe Albania Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia Britain Bulgaria Canary Islands Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Greenland Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia & Montenegro Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Lonely Planet receives thousands of letters every month from travellers who have ventured forth to every corner of the globe. As some paths are more well-trodden than others, some countries receive more feedback than others. However, we put up as much relevant and useful information as we can, so if somewhere hasn't had any new Postcards for a while, it's not that we're not taking care of the pages, it's that we haven't had any feedback lately that we think is of interest to travellers. If you're after a specific piece of information, try asking on the Thorn Tree , where there are tens of thousands travellers to give you the benefit of their knowledge, or if your guidebook needs a little updating with verified information, check out our online Upgrades . Best of all, if you know something that might help other travellers, send it through to us via the web form on the Feedback page and help us fill the gaps! More Resources WorldGuide Explore destinations Thorn Tree Forum Travel talk Shop Guidebooks & more Travel Services Make your booking text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Italy Travel

Vicenza, Italy - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger,Sheboygan, Wisconsin Vicenza townsquare Vicenza (ancient Vicentia ), city in northern Italy, capital of Vicenza Province, in Veneto Region, situated at the junction of the Bacchiglione and Retrone rivers. Vicenza is a commercial and manufacturing center. Products include textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, and processed food. The town is noted for its splendid churches, palaces, and other buildings, many of which were designed by the architect Andrea Palladio. Parts of a 13th-century wall that encircled the town are still standing. so-called Basilica, or town hall, of Vicenza. (renovations started by Palladio in 1549) Vicenza was originally a Ligurian town. A free commune in the Middle Ages, it was ruled by Venice from 1404 to 1797 and by Austria from 1797 to 1866. The city was badly damaged in World War II (1939-1945). Population (1990 estimate) 109,333. Palladio, Andrea (1508-80), Italian architect, one of the most influential architects in European history. Palladio was born November 30, 1508, in Padua (Padova), and trained as a stonemason. Originally named Andrea di Pietro dalla Gondola, he received the name Palladio when he joined the academy of the Italian poet Giangiorgio Trissino, who oversaw Palladio's architectural studies. Trissino took him to Rome, where Palladio studied and measured Roman architectural ruins; he also absorbed the treatises of Vitruvius, possibly the most important of the Roman architects. One outcome of these studies was Palladio's Antiquities of Rome (1554), the principal guidebook to Roman ruins for the next two centuries. Palladio's first work of major importance was the renovation (begun 1549) of the facade and exterior supporting structure of the so-called Basilica, or town hall, of Vicenza. In and near Vicenza he designed many residences and public buildings. The best known of these are the Barbarano, Chieregati, Tiene, Porto, and Valmarana palaces and the Villa Capri, or Villa Rotonda. From about 1560 to 1580 he built several churches in Venice, notably San Francesco della Vigna, San Giorgio Maggiore, and Il Redentore. His last great work was the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, completed after his death (in Vicenza) in August 1580. Villa Rotonda Although the historical antecedents of Palladio's style are the classically Roman-influenced High Renaissance works of architects such as the Italian Donato Bramante, Palladio's own use of classical motifs came through his direct, extensive study of Roman architecture. He freely recombined elements of Roman buildings as suggested by his own building sites and by contemporary needs. At the same time he shared the Renaissance concern for harmonious proportion, and his facades have a noteworthy simplicityalmost austerityand repose. Palladio was the first architect to develop a systematic organization of the rooms in a house. He was also the first to apply to houses the pedimented porticos of Roman templesformal porches defined by a shallow triangular gable supported by a row of columns. Both these features are exemplified in the Villa Rotonda. Palladio's buildings were highly functional, often ingeniously so. In the facade of the basilica, for example, the arches are supported on slender columns; between the columns and the vertical piers that separate the arches are narrow rectangular spaces. (This pattern of an arch flanked by rectangular spaces was so widely imitated that it became known as the Palladian motif.) The arrangement allows the piers between the arches to be narrow, rather than wide and massive, and it allows more light to pass into the main building while giving the facade an open, harmonious appearance. Palladio was the author of an important scientific treatise on architecture, I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura (1570, 2nd ed. 1580; trans. The Four Books of Architecture, 1571), which was widely translated and influenced many later architects. Its precise rules and formulas were widely utilized, especially in England, and were basic to the Palladian style, adopted by Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, and other English architects, which preceded and influenced the neoclassical architecture of the Georgian Style. Text by Microsoft Encarta building facade Fortress in Soave entrance courtyard carved stair post Return to Italy page Return to Europe page Return to People and Places