Michelangelo's late Roman buildings, particularly St. Peter's Basilica, may be considered precursors of baroque architecture, as the design of the latter achieves a colossal unity that was previously unknown. His pupil Giacomo della Porta continued this work in Rome, particularly in the facade of the Jesuit church Il Gesu, which leads directly to the most important church facade of the early baroque, Santa Susanna by Carlo Maderno. In the 17th century, the baroque style spread through Europe and Latin America, where it was particularly promoted by the Jesuits.

Important features of baroque architecture include:

long, narrow naves are replaced by broader, occasionally circular forms
dramatic use of light, either strong light-and-shade contrasts, chiaroscuro effects (e.g. church of Weltenburg Abbey), or uniform lighting by means of several windows (e.g. church of Weingarten Abbey)
opulent use of ornaments (puttos made of wood (often gilded), plaster or stucco, marble or faux marbling)
large-scale ceiling frescoes
the external facade is often characterized by a dramatic central projection
the interior is often no more than a shell for painting and sculpture (especially in the late baroque)
illusory effects like trompe l'oeil and the blending of painting and architecture
in the Bavarian, Czech, Polish, and Ukrainian baroque, pear domes are ubiquitous