Romanesque Revival in North America
Types of Buildings:
Government (courthouses, city halls)
Churches
Institutions (museums, schools)
Commercial Buildings
Residential Buildings
Common features/elements/characteristics:
Rustication (textured finish left on stone)
Round (semicircular or Roman) arches
Recessed doorways
Round turrets or towers
Columns (often relatively short)
Romanesque-like column capitals
Carved floral or interlace designs
Carved floral or interlace designs
Throughout the 1800s and into the 1900s, architects in Europe and North America looked to the medieval European past for inspiration as they designed new buildings. Some architects found inspiration in the Gothic architecture of the late Middle Ages (c. 1150-1500). Others found inspiration in the Romanesque architecture of an earlier time (c. 1000-1200). Others combined features from both styles just as some medieval architects had when both styles were popular.
In the United States, Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-1886) began designing buildings inspired in part by the Romanesque architecture found in Spain and southern France from around the 12th century. Richardson had studied at Harvard University and Tulane University as well as the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. In 1869, Richardson designed a large asylum in Buffalo, NY, the first of his Romanesque Revival structures. He would go on to design Trinity College in Boston (1872-77), the Albany City Hall (1881-83) in Albany, NY, and several other Romanesque-inspired buildings during the 1870s and 1880s.
Richardson became such an influential figure in the architectural world, especially after a biography was published in 1888, that his style would become known as Richardsonian Romanesque and many of his design features would find their way into the buildings of other architects.
In the United States, Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-1886) began designing buildings inspired in part by the Romanesque architecture found in Spain and southern France from around the 12th century. Richardson had studied at Harvard University and Tulane University as well as the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. In 1869, Richardson designed a large asylum in Buffalo, NY, the first of his Romanesque Revival structures. He would go on to design Trinity College in Boston (1872-77), the Albany City Hall (1881-83) in Albany, NY, and several other Romanesque-inspired buildings during the 1870s and 1880s.
Richardson became such an influential figure in the architectural world, especially after a biography was published in 1888, that his style would become known as Richardsonian Romanesque and many of his design features would find their way into the buildings of other architects.
As you look at the examples below, ask yourself some questions: What was the building used for? What materials were used to build it? What features does it have? How does it fit into this period when Romanesque Revival architecture was popular?
Romanesque Revival
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| Smithsonian Institution Building from the south. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2016. |
Smithsonian Institution Building. 1849-55.
Also known as The Castle.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. 1900-04.
In Beloit, Kansas.
Dyche Hall. 1901-02.
Dyche Hall is on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. Influenced by Venetian Romanesque architecture, the building's entrance archway was directly influenced by the archway of St. Trophime in Arles, France. The architects were Walter C. Root and George W. Siemens. The carved stonework was created by the sculptor, Joseph Roblado Frazee.
Richardsonian Romanesque
The first four buildings below were designed by Henry Hobson Richardson. The remaining buildings were designed by other architects who drew or may have drawn inspiration from Richardson's work.
Trinity Church. 1872-77.
In Boston. Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.
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| Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2015. |
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis. 1869-82.
In Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Beloit, KS.
Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2019. |
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. 1900-04.
In Beloit, Kansas.
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| Dyche Hall. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Dyche Hall. 1901-02.
Dyche Hall is on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. Influenced by Venetian Romanesque architecture, the building's entrance archway was directly influenced by the archway of St. Trophime in Arles, France. The architects were Walter C. Root and George W. Siemens. The carved stonework was created by the sculptor, Joseph Roblado Frazee.
The first four buildings below were designed by Henry Hobson Richardson. The remaining buildings were designed by other architects who drew or may have drawn inspiration from Richardson's work.
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| Trinity College. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith. Public Domain. Resized. |
Trinity Church. 1872-77.
In Boston. Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.
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| Wolbach and Brach Building. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2016. |
Wolbach & Brach Building. 1879 with later changes.
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| Wolbach & Brach. Adams County Historical Society. |
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| Albany City Hall. Photo by UpstateNYer. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized. |
Albany City Hall Building. 1881-83.
In Albany, New York. Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.
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| Thomas Crane Public Library. Photo by Daderot. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized. |
Thomas Crane Public Library. 1881-82.
In Quincy, MA. Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.
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| The Glessner House. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
The Glessner House. 1886.
In Chicago. Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.
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| Potter Palmer Homes in Chicago. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2016. |
Potter Palmer Homes. 1889.
In Chicago.
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| West Park Presbyterian Church in NYC. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2018. |
West Park Presbyterian Church. 1889-90.
In New York City. Architect was Henry Kilburn.
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| Fine Arts Building in Chicago. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2016. |
Fine Arts Building. 1898.
In Chicago. Architect was Solon S. Beman.
Romanesque Revival and Richardsonian Romanesque in Kansas and Nebraska.
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| Davis Hall at Friends University. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Davis Hall. 1886-88.
At Friends University (formerly Garfield University) in Wichita, Kansas. The architects were Willis Proudfoot and George Bird.
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| Thacher Building in Topeka. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Thacher Building. 1888.
In Topeka. The architect was John G. Haskell. You can see the building's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.
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| 1889 First National Bank Building in Smith Center. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
First National Bank Building. 1889.
In Smith Center. You can see the building's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.
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| Old City Hall in Wichita. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Old City Hall Building. 1890-92.
In Wichita. The architects were Willis Proudfoot and George Bird. You can see the building's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.
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| Spooner Hall on KU Campus. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Spooner Hall. 1893.
On the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, this building was designed by the firm of Van Brunt & Howe. Henry Van Brunt was a friend of and admirer of Henry Hobson Richardson, and looked to southern French Romanesque architecture for inspiration for Spooner Hall. You can see the building's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.
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| Fillmore County Courthouse in Geneva, NE. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Fillmore County Courthouse. 1893-94.
In Geneva, Nebraska. Architect was George E. McDonald.
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| McPherson County Courthouse in McPherson, KS. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
McPherson County Courthouse. 1894.
In McPherson, Kansas, this courthouse was designed by John G. Haskell and J. F. Stanton. You can see the courthouse's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here. Haskell designed or co-designed numerous buildings throughout Kansas, including three buildings on this web page as well as the Neoclassical Kansas State Capitol Building.
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| John N. Roberts House. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
John N. Roberts House. 1894.
In Lawrence, Kansas. Designed by John G. Haskell. You can see the house's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.
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| Thayer County Courthouse in Hebron, NE. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Thayer County Courthouse. 1901.
In Hebron, Nebraska.
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| Douglas County Courthouse in Lawrence, KS. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Douglas County Courthouse. 1903-04.
In Lawrence, Kansas, this courthouse was designed by John G. Haskell and Frederick C. Gunn. You can see the courthouse's National Register of Historic Places nomination form on the Kansas State Historical Society's website here.
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| Osborne County Courthouse in Osborne, KS. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2017. |
Osborne County Courthouse. 1907-08.
In Osborne, Kansas, this building was designed by the firm of Holland Squires. You can see the courthouse'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.
