Gothic Revival or Neo-Gothic

Found throughout Europe and the United States

(mid-1700s into the 1900s)

Like other revivals, architects designing structures in the Gothic Revival style were greatly influenced by earlier structures. In this case, these architects looked back to to the original Gothic structures of medieval and early Renaissance Europe.

Building types:

Churches

Institutions (colleges, public schools)

Commercial buildings (including skyscrapers)

Residential buildings

Elements/features/characteristics:

Pointed arches (windows and/or doors)

Spires

Buttresses (including flying buttresses)

Carved stone designs
Emphasis on vertical lines and upward-pointing features

Examples in Europe and the United States

Victoria Tower from the south-west.
Photo by Damien Everett. CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized.

Victoria Tower. 1860.

In London, England.

Albert Memorial. Photo by David Iliff. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized.

Albert Memorial. 1872.

In London, England.

King's House. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2022.

King's House. Late 19th century.

Initially built in the Middle Ages, the earlier King's House was destroyed by fire when a French army bombarded the city in 1695. A new building was constructed after 1695 but authorities in the 19th century decided that the newer structure's foundations were not strong enough to support the building. After tearing down the 18th century structure, the new building was designed and built in a Gothic Revival style more ornate than the earlier Gothic building.

St. Patrick's Cathedral. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2018.

St. Patrick's Cathedral. Dedicated in 1879.

In New York City, this church was designed by James Renwick, Jr. It was dedicated in 1879 but has had later additions.

Cathedral of St. John. Photo by Kripaks. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Cathedral of St. John the Divine. 1892-.

Initially designed in a predominantly Romanesque Revival and Byzantine Revival style by the firm of Heins and LaFarge, much of the church was redesigned by Ralph Adams Cram in a Gothic Revival style when Cram took over the project in 1911. The church is yet to be finished.

In this video, NYC Media presents a history of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

Woolworth Building.
Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2018.

Woolworth Building. 1910-12.

In New York City, this skyscraper was designed by Cass Gilbert.

First United Methodist Church in Chicago.
Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017.

First United Methodist Church. 1923-24.

In Chicago.

Tribune Tower. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017.

Tribune Tower. 1923-25.

In Chicago.

Watch this video to see several of the possible designs for Tribune Tower.

Examples in Kansas and Nebraska

Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Topeka, KS. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017.

Grace Episcopal Cathedral. 1909-17.

In Topeka, Kansas, this church was inspired by English Gothic architecture and designed by the firm of Root and Siemens, the same firm that designed the Venetian Romanesque Revival Dyche Hall on the University of Kansas campus. You can read more about Walter C. Root (who created the firm with George M. Siemens in 1896) in an article prepared by Christy Davis on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.

St. Mark's Pro-Cathedral in Hastings, NE. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017.

St. Mark's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral. 1922-29.

St. Mark's Pro-Cathedral.
Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2020.

In Hastings, Nebraska. Designed by Ralph Adams Cram.

Topeka High School Building.
Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017.

Topeka High School Building. 1929.

In Topeka, Kansas, this building was designed by Thomas W. Williamson, the same architect who designed the Smith County Courthouse in Smith Center, Kansas. Ted R. Greist, a recent Kansas State graduate at Williamson's firm helped with the design. You can see the building's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.





Sources for more information:

McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guide to American Houses: The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America’s Domestic Architecture. Revised edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2015. This is the second edition of a classic book on American architecture with hundreds of drawings and photographs.

Sachs, David H. and George Ehrlich. Guide to Kansas Architecture. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996.