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The Renaissance Plateresque style in Spain is purely one of architectural ornament. There was no change in structure; heavy walls were used with either Gothic ribbed vaults or intricately carved wooden ceilings (artesando) that indicated Moorish influence. Many of the elements of decoration also preserved the influence of Gothic and Moorish art, such as the Flamboyant Gothic pinnacle and pierced balustrade or coats of arms and bits of heraldry used as ornamental motifs. Richly coloured tiles created decorative patterns on the walls as in Moorish art. The richness of the Classical decoration imported from northern Italy blended effectively with the elements of the Moorish and Flamboyant Gothic styles to form the new Plateresque style. The luxuriance of its ornament was a fitting expression of the splendour-loving culture that Spain developed as the wealth of the Americas began to pour in during the early 16th century.
Perhaps the most outstanding example of the style is the Ayuntamiento, or town hall, of Sevilla (Seville) by Diego de Riaño, with Lombard paneled pilasters on the ground floor and half columns completely covered with relief sculpture on the second floor. Also in the Lombard manner are the numerous medallions spotted over the wall under the windows or between the pilasters.
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