The royal absolutism not only influenced art and architecture but also music and literature. It was partially encouraged by Louis XIV who called on the artistic talent of the age to glorify their power and magnificence. This adoration of the tyrannical rule was partly striking in the work of genius of structural design.

Baroque art and culture began to grow away from the Catholic Church in the 16th century. The papacy pushed emotional art which appealed to the senses. They wanted it to please the church-goers and declare the assurance and supremacy of the Catholic Reformation. The baroque style spread quickly in the 17th century throughout Europe. The dramatic palaces represent the age of absolutism just like Gothic cathedral symbolized the Middle Ages.

Rulers of eastern and central Europe were becoming obsessed with palaces by 1700. The baroque architecture was meant to overwhelm the people and prove the monarch's...