There were two phases of the Romanesque Revival style:
(1) Early Romanesque structures resembled Gothic
predecessors with Roman forms. Mainly for public buildings. Best example:
Smithsonian Institution building (1847-1855).
(2) Style of Henry Hobson Richardson: attended
Harvard, then to France to study architecture. Experimented with variety of
sources for his own unique style: polychromed walls, Syrian arches, sculpted
shapes, Romanesque forms. Became a truly American style. Became an almost
universal style for public buildings: churches, libraries, train stations,
courthouses, schools. Rare for houses due to massive construction
requirements, mainly for society's elite class.
Style includes round arches over windows and/or
entryways; thick, cavernous entryways and window openings; thick masonry
walls, rounded towers with conical roof; facades are asymmetrical; variable
stone and brick façade. On elaborate examples, polychromatic facades with
contrasting building materials.
Additional example of
this style in the Historic District
|
First Presbyterian Church |
