How To Cite This Page: Architecture

During the Victorian period in England, there was a revival of classical, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural styles. The Houses of Parliament in London, designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin after a fire in 1834, exemplifies the Gothic revival in Victorian architecture. Modern technologies and non-European influences also played a role in Victorian architecture. The Crystal Palace built for the Great Exhibition in 1851 featured iron and glass construction, while the Royal Pavilion in Brighton was influenced by Islamic architecture. Victorian architecture both looked to the past for inspiration and pioneered Modern architecture, with some buildings combining these characteristics.

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How To Cite This Page: Architecture

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Victorian Architecture

During the Victorian period, there was a revival of classical (Greek and Roman), Gothic, Renaissance and
Baroque architecture. Romantic architects replicated Greek and Roman buildings, which were revered as
the ultimate examples of beauty (Sporre 487; Tansey 932). Increased nationalism in England also
sparked a revival of Gothic architecture. After the Houses of Parliament burnt down in London (1834), the
task of redesign the new building was assigned to Charles A. Barry and Augustus W. N. Pugin. Their
Gothic design of the new Houses of Parliament make it a prime example of Victorian architecture today
(Tansey 955).
It is important to recognize that Romantic architecture was not only a return to the past. Modern
technologies and materials, as well as non-European influences, also played a role. (Sporre 495-98;
Tansey 956). One example is the Crystal Palace designed by Sir Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition
in London (1851). Made of iron and glass, it was designed to be rapidly put together and taken apart.
Another noted architectural example of this period was John Nashs Royal Pavilion in Brighton (1815-18).
The design of this palace was greatly influenced by Islamic and Eastern architecture (Flynn; Sporre 49598; Tansey 956, 1014).
Victorian architecture was both a rediscovery of the past and the precursor of Modern architecture. Some
buildings embodied both of these characteristics. The Houses of Parliament and the Crystal Palaces
outside architecture had little to do with their functions and internal design. Their architects were
revolutionizing the world of architecture and ushering in the Modern era (Sporre 495-98).
Works Cited
Tansey, Richard G., and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through The Ages. 10th ed. Orlando: Harcourt
Brace, 1996. 926-1017.
Sporre, Dennis J. The Creative Impulse: An Introduction to The Arts. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River:
Prentice Hall. 478-511.
Flynn, Suzanne Johnson. "Victorian Aesthetics." Gettysburg University. 1998. 23 Jan. 2002 .