Key Moments in Architecture offers a spectacular tour through the world's cities, from approximately 9000 B.C. to the present day. This illustrated history uses specific buildings and cities to examine the architectural, geographical, social, and economic development of the metropolis. It presents breathtaking views of the world's most important sites--from the Neolithic settlements at Jericho; through the Parthenon and Colosseum of the Greek and Roman Empires, the mosques and minarets of Islam, and the awesome cathedrals of Medieval Europe and Renaissance Italy; to the modern skyscrapers of New York, and futuristic visions of the twenty-first century.This reference book is filled with informative fact boxes, including explanations of how arches, vaults, and domes were built, and how concrete, iron, and brick were used; mini-biographies of such architects as Filippo Brunelleschi, Georges-Eugène Haussmann, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Gropius, and Philip Johnson; and useful definitions of architectural terms. With 250 illustrations (over 200 in color), Key Moments in Architecture provides a magnificent overview of the world's monuments and their impact on the evolution of our urban environment.