Glitz. Glamour. Bling. No matter the era, the lifestyles of the rich and famous are fascinating to those of us with a voyeuristic streak. During the Renaissance, Italy was rife with opulent homes filled with priceless art collections and owners who wanted to show them off. After the Middle Ages came an economic boom and a new reverence for classical culture, art and literature.

Princes of the church, popes, noble families, bankers and rich landowners built palaces inspired by classical Greek and Roman designs—square structures filled with columns, rounded arches, painted surfaces and symmetrical shapes. As time went on, other design styles were incorporated, including dramatic Baroque and Rococo flourishes. Today, many are open to the public and function as art museums.