Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Italian design, which is often a gallery or corridor generally on the ground level, or sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall.
The loggia can also be an alternative to the portico. In this form it is most simply described as a recessed portico, or an internal room, with pierced walls, open to the elements. Occasionally a loggia would be placed at second floor level over the top of a loggia below, this was known as a 'double loggia'. Loggias sometimes were given significance in a facade by being surmounted by a pediment.
A 'Loggia can today be a small, often ornate, summer house built on the roof of a residence to enjoy cooling winds and admire the view. They are typical of Italian architecture and were especially popular in the 17th century. They are prominent in the skyline of Rome.
