What is this architectural style called?
ar-chi-tet-TO-ni-co — stress on fourth syllable. Seven syllables.
Ask when you notice a distinctive building style or want to name what you are seeing. Shows genuine architectural interest. Useful at any Italian ruin — from Greek temples to Roman arches to Byzantine mosaics.
Key architectural styles at Italian ruins: 'dorico, ionico, corinzio' (Greek orders), 'opus reticulatum' (Roman diamond-pattern brickwork), 'opus incertum' (irregular stonework), 'arco a tutto sesto' (Roman round arch), 'volta a botte' (barrel vault). Each has specific vocabulary in Italian.
Questo arco è tipicamente romano?
Is this arch typically Roman?
The round arch is indeed a Roman innovation — Greeks used lintels.
Che tipo di colonna è questa?
What type of column is this?
Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian — the three classical orders.
Questo materiale come si chiama?
What is this material called?
Romans used travertine, tufa, marble, brick — each with Italian names.
Roman building techniques were so advanced that many were not rediscovered or equalled for over a millennium. Roman concrete ('opus caementicium') with pozzolana volcanic sand is still being studied for its extraordinary durability — it actually strengthens in sea water, unlike modern concrete.