In a piezoelectric element 20, a first electrode layer 2 made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal is formed on a silicon substrate 1, and a piezoelectric layer 3 made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide (e.g., PZT) is formed on the first electrode layer 2 so that the piezoelectric layer 3 is preferentially oriented along the (001) plane.