The Urban Development of Rome in the Age of Alexander VII

"Dorothy Metzger Habel suggests that Alexander VII masterminded a new conceptualization of the city, which was grounded in the architectural formulae of late-antique Roman Asia. Under Alexander's watchful eye, Habel argues, architects and builders paid careful attention to the physical characteristics of particular sites and drew relationships between buildings within the urban fabric. These planning methods contributed formally and iconographically to the architectural future of Rome."--BOOK JACKET.