In Roman mythology a genius loci (genitive genii locorum) is the protective spirit of a place, frequently represented in pagan iconography as a figure equipped with either a cornucopia, a pátera or fiala (little libation trays), or a snake. Since the empire of Octavian Augustus it was usually identified with the gods Lares "Lares (mythology)").

Among the peoples of Eastern Europe there is the Domovói") or Domovik (Ukrainian: Домовик, Domovík), (Russian: домовoй, Domovoy) is the household deity, who takes care of the life of the entire family living in the house. It literally means the spirit of the house in Slavic folklore. Today, this term generally refers to the characteristic or distinctive aspects of a place and not necessarily to a guardian spirit.

Alexander Pope made Genius loci an important principle in landscape and garden design in Epistle IV, to Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington. This principle consists of the adaptation of designs to the context in which they are located.

The philosopher Carlos Astrada, who studied with the great masters of German philosophy at the beginning of the century, and there was linked to both the phenomenology "Phenomenology (philosophy)") of Heidegger and that of Husserl, begins his book Land and Figure with a dissertation about genius loci and its importance in American thought in general. The American spirit is the one (genius loci) that has not been able to be erased from the continent and persists and insists behind the idiosyncrasy of each people on the continent, their beliefs. Spirit that emerges in one way or another, in the daily life and work of its people. From pre-Columbian culture and science to the traditions inherited from successive waves of immigration fused into a true American genius loci, from which Astrada sees the new man of the century emerge.

In certain theories of modern architecture, genius loci has implications in the planning of public spaces and is linked to the philosophical branch of phenomenology "Phenomenology (philosophy)"). This area of ​​architectural discourse is developed primarily by theorist Christian Norberg-Schulz in his book, Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture.