MICHELE

SANMICHELE (1484-1559)  , Italian architect, was born in San Michele near Verona . He learnt the elements of his profession from his father Giovanni and his uncle Bartolommeo, who both practised as architects at Verona with much success . He went at an early age to Rome to study classic sculpture and architecture . Among his earliest works are the duomo of Montefiascone (an octagonal building surmounted with a cupola), the church of San Domenico at Orvieto, and several palaces at both places . He also executed a fine tomb in S . Domenico . He was no less distinguished as a military architect, and was much employed by the signoria of Venice, not only at home, but also in strengthening the fortifications of Corfu, Cyprus and Candia . One of Sanmichele's most graceful designs is the Cappella de' Peregrini in the church of S . Bernardino at Verona—square outside and circular within, of the Corinthian order . He built a great number of fine palaces at Verona, including those of Canossa, Bevilacqua and Pompei, as well as the graceful Ponte Nuovo . In 1527 Sanmichele began to transform the fortifications of Verona according to the newer system of corner bastions—a system for the advancement of which he did much valuable service . His last work, begun in 1559, was the round church of the Madonna di Campagna, 12 m. from Verona on the road to Venice .

Like most other distin- guished architects of his

time he wrote a work on classic architecture, I Cinque Ordini dell' architettura, printed at Verona in 1735 . See Ronzani and Luciolli, Fabbriche . . . di M . Sanmichele (Venice, 1832) ; and Selva, Elogio di Sanmichele (Rome, 1814) .