Belvedere

A belvedere is an architectural structure sited to take advantage of a fine or scenic view, its name taken from the Italian for beautiful view. It can take the form of a turret, a cupola or an open gallery, and may also be a paved terrace or simply a viewpoint with no building at all, appearing as a room in the upper part of a building, a rooftop structure, or a separate garden pavilion. The fashion for belvederes began in the sixteenth century with the small pavilion Antonio del Pollaiuolo built above the Vatican Palace around 1480 to 1490 for Pope Innocent VIII, later connected to the palace by Donato Bramante to form the Cortile del Belvedere.