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Greek Revival

The Greek Revival style of architecture was a popularized by the British Architect Robert Adam in the late 18th century and became a dominant design of the 19th century. The style sought to use Classical, Ancient Greek and Roman architecture as inspiration for classic designs.The movement became popular in both Europe and America around the same time, but it eventually spread much more widely. The style is characterized by clean lines, minimal ornamentation, and a lot of columns, usually with a symmetrical layout.

Architectural historians have argued that the main characteristics of the Greek Revival style were derived from the Classicism movement that originated in Europe in the late 17th century. During this time, designers were inspired by the ruins of Greek temples, like the Parthenon in Athens, and the archaeological discoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy. This Classical theme seeped into art, literature, furniture, and even pottery made around this period. Architects began to adopt ancient Greek and Roman elements in their designs.

These designs are generally described as having simple details, with a lot of columns. These columns are frequently the Doric or Ionic style, which were two of the three Ancient Greek orders of architecture. Many of these buildings also incorporate pediments or entablatures, which are the horizontal beamlike feature at the top of a classical façade or doorway. Other design elements that became common in Greek Revival structures include elaborate cornices or roof decorations, geometric shapes, and vases motifs.

In America, the Greek Revival style was most popular in the early to mid 19th century. The style began to decline as modern architecture as we know it started to gain prominence, and by the late 19th century was rarely used in new American constructions. Its popularity had largely died out by the beginning of the 20th century. One of the biggest influences of the Greek Revival style is seen through government buildings, banks, and churches. Many city governmental buildings around the U.S. were constructed in the Greek Revival style, such as courthouses in New York City, Dallas, and even Philadelphia. A good example of this is the U.S. Custom House in New York City, which was built between 1833 and 1842 and remains a popular landmark. Many state capitols in the United States, such as Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia, were built in the Greek Revival style during the 19th century. The churches in America built in this style were typically constructed with white marble and had steeple rooflines and Corinthian capitals on the columns. Notable examples can be seen in the First Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia and the St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Philadelphia.

The Greek Revival style was also popular in residential buildings, especially among the wealthier class. This style was seen in the construction of grand manors, stately homes, and country villas. Greek Revival homes generally had symmetrical designs with large, columned porches or verandahs. Examples of this style can be seen in the Hermitage Mansion in Kentucky and the Crescent Park Mansion in New Jersey. Today, the Greek Revival style continues to be revived in both residential and non-residential buildings. The style has been present in large commercial structures such as the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg and the New York Stock Exchange. It has also been seen in many restaurants, hotels, and historic homes throughout the country.

The Greek Revival style has been an enduring influence in classical and modern architecture. Its legacy has been seen for centuries and will likely continue for many more. Greek Revival refers to the trend in 19th century neoclassical architecture, which draws influence from ancient Greek architecture. The style emerged during the beginning of the 19th century in Europe, as scholars began to look to the past for inspiration for their designs, and shifted initially from classical, Renaissance, and Baroque architectures to more simple neo-classical forms of the past. By the early 1800s, the style had become increasingly popular in the United States, becoming a staple of the American style of architecture.

The major distinguishing features of Greek Revival architecture include symmetrical building forms, temple-fronts, and columns. Columns are seen on façades, projecting porticoes, and in interiors. The use of these columns often mimics Greek architectures of the past, such as the iconic Greek temples. Greek Revival architecture emphasized verticality, and dark bold colors were often used to paint columns painted in tones of brown, yellow, green, and black.

Structures made with Greek Revival style often featured a square or rectangular plan with a pedimented porch supported by fluted columns, usually referred to as columns with the Greek Doric Order of architecture. They often had a formal balance in their floor plan with equal numbers of windows and doors on each side of the façade. Window details added to importance of the style include divided or single sash windows, as well as shutters. Furthermore, one of the hallmarks of Greek Revival was the pediment which topped the structure, containing sculptures or bas-relief ornaments.

Decoration for Greek Revival architecture typically includes ornamental decorations such as dentil molding, pilasters, eave cornices, friezes, and sometimes tympanum or other similar features. All of these elements evoke a sense of classic Greek and Roman style architecture, with a simplification of earlier Baroque and Rococo styles.

The most iconic structures of the Greek Revival period in the United States were inspired by ancient Greek temples. They incorporated features such as large domed roofs and entablatures in the form of a pediment supported by columns, and they were used to either house a library or a church. A famous example of a Greek Revival structure in the U.S. is the Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia, designed by William Strickland. Relatively large single-family homes also made use of the Greek Revival style, most commonly of the two-story variety.

Overall, Greek Revival Style was a popular and pervasive architectural trend in the 19th century. Its influence is still seen in high-end architecture today, as buildings like city halls, libraries, churches, and courthouses continue to draw inspiration from ancient Greek architecture. Its most popular features remain columns, pediments, lintels, dentils, and rooflines. This style stands out because it provided a departure from the highly embellished Baroque and Rococo styles that preceded it yet admirably replicated the detail and charm of ancient Greek architecture whose influence never fails to impress to the modern viewer. Greek revival is a style of architecture that continues to inspire and delight viewers of all kinds, in the United States and worldwide.