Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. Victorian refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era , during which period the styles known as Victorian were used in construction. However, many elements of what is typically termed "Victorian" architecture did not become popular until later in Victoria's reign, roughly from 1850 and later. The styles often included interpretations and eclectic revivals of historic styles (see Historicism ) . The name represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles for a reigning monarch. Within this naming and classification scheme, it followed Georgian architecture and later Regency architecture and was succeeded by Edwardian architecture .
41-546: The Bishop's Palace , also known as Gresham's Castle , is an ornate 19,082 square feet (1,772.8 m) Victorian -style house, located on Broadway and 14th Street in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas . The building was designed by Nicholas J. Clayton for Walter Gresham and completed in 1892. The Archidiocese of Galveston purchased the property in 1923 and used it as its headquarters for four decades, after which they opened it up for tours. In 2013,
82-527: A Pueblo (village) into a Victorian Downtown – now almost entirely demolished but with residential remnants in its Angelino Heights and Westlake neighborhoods. San Francisco is particularly well known for its extensive Victorian architecture, especially in the Haight-Ashbury , Lower Haight , Alamo Square , Western Addition , Mission , Duboce Triangle , Noe Valley , Castro , Nob Hill , and Pacific Heights neighborhoods. The extent to which any one
123-541: A gold rush and population boom during the 1880s in the states of New South Wales and Victoria . There were fifteen styles that predominated: The Arts and Crafts style and Queen Anne style are considered to be part of the Federation Period, from 1890 to 1915. Western influence in architecture was strong when Hong Kong was a British colony . Victorian architecture in Hong Kong: Georgian architecture
164-490: A cluster of houses or a village. Clayton constructed other exterior features from a variety of Texas stones, including granite and sandstone , all custom-cut on site. The Gresham mansion was made all of stone, and was sturdy enough to withstand the great hurricane of 1900 . The Greshams welcomed hundreds of survivors of the hurricane into their home. In 1923 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston purchased
205-500: A dumbwaiter in his mother's house in Brooklyn . A decade later, Chambers asked his nephew to retrieve them (which Chambers referred to as his "life preserver"). Handwritten and typewritten papers therein came from Alger Hiss and Harry Dexter White (and became known as the "Baltimore Documents"). Microfilm contained therein was subpoenaed and sensationalized (misnamed the " Pumpkin Papers " in
246-462: A kitchen. The term seems to have been popularized in the United States in the 1840s, after the model of earlier "dumbwaiters" now known as serving trays and lazy Susans . The mechanical dumbwaiter was invented by George W. Cannon , a New York City inventor. He first filed for the patent of a brake system (US Patent no. 260776) that could be used for a dumbwaiter on January 6, 1883, then for
287-597: A loud report. ... [T]he dumb-waiter is often negligently operated, by running it faster than necessary, and by letting it go down with a sudden fall. More recent dumbwaiters can be more sophisticated, using electric motors, automatic control systems, and custom freight containers characteristic of other kinds of elevators. Recently constructed book lifts in libraries and mail or other freight transports in office towers may be larger than many dumbwaiters in public restaurants and private homes, supporting loads as heavy as 450 kg (1000 lbs). Building codes have regulated
328-466: A meaningful way. Some styles, while not uniquely Victorian, are strongly associated with the 19th century owing to the large number of examples that were erected during that period: During the 18th century, a few English architects emigrated to the colonies, but as the British Empire became firmly established during the 19th century, many architects emigrated at the start of their careers. Some chose
369-414: A small homestead. Since Galveston experienced little population growth in the twentieth century, the high Victorian design of Bishop's Palace and other Clayton works from the 1890s characterize the town's architectural landscape. Clayton alternated medieval and Renaissance details onto the four towers, each rising four stories. In addition to these four towers, several chimneys combine to create an illusion of
410-531: Is more prominent in Ireland than Victorian architecture. The cities of Dublin, Limerick, and Cork are famously dominated by Georgian squares and terraces . Though Victorian architecture flourished in certain quarters. Particularly around Dublin's Wicklow Street and Upper Baggot Street and in the suburbs of Phibsboro , Glasnevin , Rathmines , Ranelagh , Rathgar , Rathfarnham , and Terenure . The colourful Italianate buildings of Cobh are excellent examples of
451-525: Is the "largest surviving example" is debated, with numerous qualifications. The Distillery District in Toronto, Ontario contains the largest and best-preserved collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. Cabbagetown is the largest and most continuous Victorian residential area in North America. Other Toronto Victorian neighbourhoods include The Annex , Parkdale , and Rosedale . In
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#1732851170132492-1146: The David Sasoon Library are some examples of Victorian Architecture in Mumbai. In Kolkata (Formerly called Calcutta) buildings like the Victoria Memorial , Calcutta High Court , St Paul's Cathedral , The Asiatic Society of Bengal are some examples of Victorian Architecture in Kolkata. In Chennai (Formerly called Madras) some examples include Madras High court , State Bank of Madras and St. Mary's Church . Many churches and colleges such as Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica Kochi , University College Trivandrum , Government College of Fine Arts Trivandrum , Napier Museum , State Central Library of Kerala , Government Victoria College Palakkad , CMS College Kottayam and SB College Changanasserry are some of finest examples of Victorian architecture in Kerala. Efforts to preserve landmarks of Victorian architecture are ongoing and are often led by
533-625: The Victorian Society . A recent campaign the group has taken on is the preservation of Victorian gasometers after utility companies announced plans to demolish nearly 200 of the now-outdated structures. Dumbwaiter A dumbwaiter is a small freight elevator or lift intended to carry food. Dumbwaiters found within modern structures, including both commercial, public and private buildings, are often connected between multiple floors. When installed in restaurants, schools, hospitals, retirement homes or private homes, they generally terminate in
574-547: The White House and his Monticello estate whenever she visited him at both places. She also wrote that these dumbwaiters were built to reduce the number of servants required near dining rooms, allowing more privacy in conversations which might include sensitive information. After defecting from the Soviet underground in 1938, Whittaker Chambers gave a stash of stolen documents to his nephew-in-law, Nathan Levine , who hid them in
615-515: The architecture of Aberdeen . While Scottish architects pioneered this style it soon spread right across the United Kingdom and remained popular for another forty years. Its architectural value in preserving and reinventing the past is significant. Its influences were diverse but the Scottish architects who practiced it were inspired by unique ways to blend architecture, purpose, and everyday life in
656-493: The 1920s, dumbwaiters were controlled manually by ropes on pulleys. Early 20th-century building codes sometimes required fireproof dumbwaiter walls and self-closing fireproof doors, and mention features such as buttons to control movement between floors and locks to prevent doors from opening unless the cart is stopped at that floor. Dumbwaiter lifts in London were extremely popular in finer homes. Maids used them to deliver laundry to
697-533: The Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) acquired the property. As of 2024, GHF continues to maintain the property and keep it open for public tours. The house was built between 1887 and 1892 by Galveston architect Nicholas J. Clayton for lawyer and politician Walter Gresham , his wife Josephine, and their nine children. Construction costs in 1892 are estimated at $ 250,000, while Clayton condensed many elaborate and eclectic design features onto
738-710: The US, the South End of Boston is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest and largest Victorian neighborhood in the country. Old Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky , also claims to be the nation's largest Victorian neighborhood. Richmond, Virginia is home to several large Victorian neighborhoods, the most prominent being The Fan . The Fan district is best known locally as Richmond's largest and most 'European' of Richmond's neighborhoods and nationally as
779-636: The United States, and is an example of an intact 19th-century urban neighborhood. According to National Register of Historic Places, Cape May Historic District has one of the largest collections of late 19th century frame buildings left in the United States. The photo album L'Architecture Americaine by Albert Levy published in 1886 is perhaps the first recognition in Europe of the new forces emerging in North American architecture. Canada's chief dominion architects designed numerous federal buildings over
820-543: The United States, 'Victorian' architecture generally describes styles that were most popular between 1860 and 1900. A list of these styles most commonly includes Second Empire (1855–85), Stick-Eastlake (1860– c. 1890 ), Folk Victorian (1870–1910), Queen Anne (1880–1910), Richardsonian Romanesque (1880–1900), and Shingle (1880–1900). As in the United Kingdom, examples of Gothic Revival and Italianate continued to be constructed during this period and are therefore sometimes called Victorian. Some historians classify
861-494: The United States, and others went to Canada, Australia , New Zealand, and South Africa. Normally, they applied architectural styles that were fashionable when they left England. By the latter half of the century, however, improving transport and communications meant that even remote parts of the Empire had access to publications such as the magazine The Builder , which helped colonial architects keep informed about current fashion. Thus,
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#1732851170132902-581: The archdiocese in 2013 for $ 3 million. Most of the purchase price was funded by two large grants, one from the Moody Foundation for $ 1.5 million and the other from the Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund for $ 350,000. GHF started a multi-million dollar renovation of Bishop's Palace in 2020, including a restoration of roof to its original copper tile construction and a renovation of the conservatory. Bishop's Palace has four floors. The raised basement which once housed
943-459: The architect Alexander Thomson who practised in Glasgow was a pioneer of the use of cast iron and steel for commercial buildings, blending neo-classical conventionality with Egyptian and Oriental themes to produce many truly original structures. Other notable Scottish architects of this period are Archibald Simpson and Alexander Marshall Mackenzie , whose stylistically varied work can be seen in
984-400: The ceiling made of oak veneer. The main hall leads to four rooms. To the left, through carved double doors are two parlors. To the left, through another set of carved double doors, are the dining room and library. Parlor Music Room Rotunda Staircase Library/Office The library is paneled in walnut and contains a marble fireplace and mantel. Dining Room The Dining Room
1025-490: The construction and operation of dumbwaiters in parts of North America since the 19th century. Modern dumbwaiters in the United States and Canada must comply with American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) codes and, therefore, have features similar to those of passenger elevators. The construction, operation and usage of dumbwaiters varies widely according to country. Margaret Bayard Smith wrote that former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson had kept dumbwaiters at both
1066-837: The course of the Victorian era. Thomas Fuller's completion of the Canadian Parliament Buildings in 1866, in particular, established a High Victorian Gothic influence over Canadian architectural design for several consecutive decades, producing many public buildings, churches, residences, industrial buildings, and hotels. Because India was a colony of Britain, Victorian Architecture is prevalent in India, especially in cities like Mumbai , Kolkata, Kerala and Chennai. In Mumbai (Formerly called Bombay) buildings like Municipal Corporation Building , Bombay University , Bombay High Court , Asiatic Society of Mumbai Building (Former Town Hall) and
1107-2095: The elements of several different styles and are not easily distinguishable as one particular style or another. Notable Victorian-inspired cities during this era include, Astoria in Oregon ; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania ; Washington, D.C. ; Boston in Massachusetts ; Alameda , Eureka , San Francisco , and Midtown Sacramento in California ; The Brooklyn Heights and Victorian Flatbush sections of New York City , Garden City on Long Island , and Albany , Troy , Buffalo , and Rochester in Upstate New York ; Asbury Park / Ocean Grove , Cape May , Deal , Flemington , Freehold , Hackettstown , Jersey City / Hoboken , Metuchen , Montclair , Ridgewood , Plainfield , Summit , and Westfield in New Jersey ; Chicago , Galena , and Winnetka in Illinois ; Detroit and Grand Rapids in Michigan ; Cincinnati and Columbus in Ohio ; Galveston in Texas ; Baltimore in Maryland ; Louisville in Kentucky ; Atlanta in Georgia ; Milwaukee in Wisconsin ; New Orleans in Louisiana ; Richmond in Virginia ; St. Louis in Missouri ; and Saint Paul in Minnesota . Los Angeles grew from
1148-491: The greatest exponents of iron frame construction was Joseph Paxton , architect of the Crystal Palace . Paxton also continued to build such houses as Mentmore Towers , in the still popular English Renaissance styles. New methods of construction were developed in this era of prosperity, but ironically the architectural styles, as developed by such architects as Augustus Pugin , were typically retrospective. In Scotland ,
1189-548: The house, and, situated across the street from the Sacred Heart Church , it served as the residence for Bishop Christopher E. Byrne. After the diocesan offices were moved to Houston, the diocese opened the mansion to the public in 1963, with proceeds from tours being used to help fund the UT medical school 's Newman Center , which operated in the basement. Bishop's Palace attained Recorded Texas Historic Landmark status in 1967. It
1230-412: The house. Coat Closet - The coat closet is tucked around the back side of the rotunda staircase and contains a Pullman sink from the famed Pullman railcars . Victorian architecture Although Victoria did not reign over the United States, the term is often used for American styles and buildings from the same period, as well as those from the British Empire . During the early 19th century,
1271-506: The influence of English architecture spread across the world. Several prominent architects produced English-derived designs around the world, including William Butterfield ( St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide ) and Jacob Wrey Mould (Chief Architect of Public Works in New York City ). The Victorian period flourished in Australia and is generally recognised as being from 1840 to 1890, which saw
Bishop's Palace (Galveston, Texas) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-460: The kitchen and servant's areas now contains the store. This basement is followed by three formal floors. Entryway Leading to the entryway are stairs cut from blue granite, framed by granite balustrades, and leading to an archway. The large doors are made of oak. Main Hall The entrance to the main hall is framed by marble pillars and two marble sculptures. Four polished marble pillars support
1353-620: The largest contiguous Victorian neighborhood in the United States. The Old West End neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio is recognized as the largest collection of late Victorian and Edwardian homes in the United States, east of the Mississippi . Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota , has the longest line of Victorian homes in the country. Over-The-Rhine in Cincinnati, Ohio , has the largest collection of early Victorian Italianate architecture in
1394-511: The later years of Gothic Revival as a distinctive Victorian style named High Victorian Gothic. Stick-Eastlake , a manner of geometric, machine-cut decorating derived from Stick and Queen Anne, is sometimes considered a distinct style. On the other hand, terms such as " Painted Ladies " or " gingerbread " may be used to describe certain Victorian buildings, but do not constitute a specific style. The names of architectural styles (as well as their adaptations) varied between countries. Many homes combined
1435-403: The laundry room, making it unnecessary to carry dirty laundry through the house, saving time and preventing injury. A legal complaint about a Manhattan restaurant's dumbwaiter in 1915—which also mentioned that food orders were shouted up and down the shaft—described its operation and limitations: [There is] ... great play between the cart of the dumb-waiter and the guides on which it runs, with
1476-448: The patent on the mechanical dumbwaiter (US Patent No. 361268) on February 17, 1887. He reportedly generated vast royalties from the patents until his death in 1897. A simple dumbwaiter is a movable frame in a shaft, dropped by a rope on a pulley, guided by rails; most dumbwaiters have a shaft, cart, and capacity smaller than those of passenger elevators, usually 45 to 450 kg (100 to 992 lbs.) Before electric motors were added in
1517-720: The regional Victorian style in Ireland. Further examples of Victorian architecture in the country include Dublin's George's Street Arcade , the Royal City of Dublin Hospital on Baggot Street and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital on Adelaide Road. During the British colonial period of British Ceylon: Sri Lanka Law College , Sri Lanka College of Technology , Galle Face Hotel and the Royal College Main Building. In
1558-430: The result that the running of the cart is accompanied by a loud noise. The rope which operates the cart of the dumb-waiter runs in a wheel with a very shallow groove, so that the rope is liable to and does at times slip off. ... The cart has no shock absorbers at the top, so that when it strikes the top of the shaft or wheel there is a loud report. ... [T]he ropes of the dumb-waiter strike such wall at frequent intervals with
1599-515: The romantic medieval Gothic Revival style was developed as a reaction to the symmetry of Palladianism , and such buildings as Fonthill Abbey were built. By the middle of the 19th century, as a result of new technology , construction was able to incorporate metal materials as building components. Structures were erected with cast iron and wrought iron frames. However, due to being weak in tension, these materials were effectively phased out in place for more structurally sound steel . One of
1640-542: Was listed with the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was added to the Galveston East End Historic District in 1975. The house is now owned by the Galveston Historical Foundation and self-guided tours are available daily. A portion of each admission supports the preservation and restoration of the property. The Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) acquired Bishop's Palace from
1681-436: Was surrounded by service rooms, with access from the kitchen, servant's hall, and butler's pantry. Conservatory Pantry Kitchen - This room was originally just a warming kitchen, but Bishop Byrne expanded the room. Servant's Hall The servant's hall was located at the rear of the house, behind the kitchen. It has access to a service stairway, and an elevator, which replaced the dumbwaiter originally installed in