The former Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, built and dedicated between 141-161 AD provides an excellent example of how Western Civilization has responded to its ancient past. After falling into disrepair, it was converted into the church of San Lorenzo in Miranda, strangely occupying the center cella of the old temple. But at one time,…
Category: Architectural History
Posts of Historically significant buildings and concepts
New Architectural History Category
Starting tomorrow, I’m introducing a new type of post where I focus on the history of architecture, in particular focusing on monuments that influence the built environment of St. Louis. I’ll go back and add a couple of older posts into the new architectural history category, but for the most part, these will be new…
Neo-Classicism and Greek Revival: What is Really the Difference?
What is the difference between Neo-Classical architecture and the Greek Revival style? The key is in the proportions of the building; while the Romans certainly copied their architectural style from the ancient Greeks, they were also influenced by their northern neighbors, the Etruscans. Here is a primer on how to tell the difference. First, let’s…
Maritz and Young Lecture This Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 7:00 PM, Missouri History Museum
Update: This event has already passed. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a review copy of the Missouri History Museum’s publication, The Architecture of Maritz and Young: Exceptional Historic Homes of St. Louis, by Kevin Amsler and L. John Schott. If you’ve never heard of the firm of Maritz and Young, you’ll be interested to…
Firth of Forth Bridge, Scotland
The Nineteenth Century, in the midst of the Industrial Revolution, created some of the most iconic and innovative bridges of Western Civilization. While St. Louis pioneered the use of structural steel tubing in the construction of the Eads Bridge, in Scotland, two other engineers and architects, Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker, utilized the…
Barons’ Hall, Castel Nuovo, Naples, Italy
Up a long staircase in the courtyard of the Castel Nuovo in Naples, the Barons’ Hall is a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture – in southern Italy. With a massive groin vault, the ceiling is unique in that its keystone is actually open in the middle with a small skylight. I have seen many Gothic…
Portal, Castel Nuovo, Naples
One of the major sculptural monuments of Renaissance Naples is the portal to the Castel Nuovo. Francesco Laurana’s double triumphal arch features scenes of a parade through the streets of the city. Abandoning the stiff, unnatural poses of the Medieval era, Laurana’s sculpture looks back to classical art and motifs for inspiration.
Arch of Titus, Roman Forum
The Arch of Titus is one of the most famous of the many triumphal arches that still grace the city of Rome, but ironically, it originally was one of the smallest of the fifty or so of its type. The Arch of Titus was not built by the Emperor Titus, but rather by his successor…
Architectural Styles Homepage
A professor at a university in Arizona has an excellent page that details the major styles and periods of American architecture. It is a particularly valuable resource for anyone who gets lost when I use terms such as “Italianate” or “Second Empire.”