The textbook is intended for students studying in the architectural and construction specialties of higher educational institutions and can be recommended by students of art schools and lyceums. The textbook contains an analysis of the styles of the eight main classical periods of the development of culture and art, starting from Ancient Egypt and ending with the era of European neoclassicism of the 18th century . It examines the reasons for the formation of styles of different eras, their rise and decay. The book contains a lot of historical material, a summary of some literary works, and fragments of poetic works. The textbook is supplemented with a large amount of illustrative material. All this helps to move away from dry academicism and give the textbook a fascinating character, conveyed in simple, accessible language. The textbook may also be of interest to any reader interested in the development of European culture. The CD and color insert are included only with the printed edition.