Inigo Jones (1573–1652) was an English architect and designer, widely regarded as the first significant practitioner of classical architecture in England. He is best known for introducing the principles of the Italian Renaissance, particularly those of Andrea Palladio, into English architectural practice.

Jones travelled extensively in Italy in the early 17th century, where he studied ancient Roman buildings and contemporary Renaissance architecture. These experiences shaped his commitment to proportion, symmetry, and classical order, which stood in marked contrast to the prevailing Gothic and vernacular traditions of England.

His architectural career was closely associated with the Stuart court. Appointed Surveyor of the King’s Works, Jones was responsible for a number of highly influential royal and aristocratic buildings. Among his most important works are the Queen’s House at Greenwich, the Banqueting House at Whitehall, and the design of Covent Garden Piazza, England’s first formally planned urban square.

In addition to architecture, Jones was a prolific designer of court masques, collaborating with playwrights such as Ben Jonson. His masque designs demonstrate the same classical discipline and theatrical control evident in his buildings, and they played a significant role in shaping early modern English visual culture.

Jones’s work marked a decisive shift in English architecture, laying the foundations for later classical architects such as Christopher Wren. His legacy lies not in the quantity of his buildings, but in the clarity with which he established classical architecture as an intellectual and artistic discipline in England.