Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

(1837–1901), called the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

, 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 Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarchs of the House of Han ...

and later

Regency architecture Regency architecture encompasses classical buildings built in the United Kingdom during the Regency era in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to earlier and later buildings following the same style. The period c ...

and was succeeded by Edwardian 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 The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

Victorian architecture in the United Kingdom

Gothic Revival

During the early 19th century, the romantic

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style was developed as a reaction to the

symmetry Symmetry () in everyday life refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance. In mathematics, the term has a more precise definition and is usually used to refer to an object that is Invariant (mathematics), invariant und ...

of Palladianism, and such buildings as Fonthill Abbey were built. By the middle of the 19th century, as a result of new

technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

, construction was able to incorporate metal materials as building components. Structures were erected with

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...

and

wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.05%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4.5%), or 0.25 for low carbon "mild" steel. Wrought iron is manufactured by heating and melting high carbon cast iron in an ...

frames. However, due to being weak in tension, these materials were effectively phased out in place for more structurally sound

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

. One of 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 Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( ; 1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival architecture ...

, were typically retrospective. In

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, the architect Alexander Thomson who practised in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

was a pioneer of the use of

and

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 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 a meaningful way.

Other Revival styles

* Jacobethan (1830–1870; the precursor to the British Queen Anne Revival style) * Renaissance Revival (1840–1890) * Neo-Grec (1845–1865) * Romanesque Revival * Second Empire (1855–1880; originated in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

) * British Queen Anne Revival (1870–1910) *

Scots Baronial Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival which Revivalism (architecture), revived the forms and ornaments of historical Architecture of Scotland in the Middle Ages, ...

(predominantly Scotland) * British Arts and Crafts movement (1880–1910) 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: *

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...

* Neoclassical File:Houses of Parliament.jpg,

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...

, Neo-Gothic completed in 1870. Designed by Sir

Charles Barry Sir Charles Barry (23 May 1795 – 12 May 1860) was an English architect best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsi ...

and

File:Royal Albert Hall, London - Nov 2012.jpg,

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

, London File:Victoria Clock Tower, Liverpool University - geograph.org.uk - 374422.jpg, The "Red Brick" Victoria Building at the

University of Liverpool The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a Public university, public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University (United Kingdom), Victoria University, it received Ro ...

, completed in 1893 in

style. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse File:The Oval Pavilion.jpg, The Victorian Pavilion at The Oval cricket ground in London File:Art&Science.jpg, Victorian School of Art and Science at

Stroud Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Sited below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

File:HardwickHouseEstate.jpg, House on the Hardwick House estate near

Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as ''Bury,'' is a cathedral as well as market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk District, West Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St. Edmunds an ...

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

File:Manchester town hall.jpg, Manchester Town Hall File:The John Rylands Library, Deansgate, Manchester.jpg, The

John Rylands Library The John Rylands Research Institute and Library is a Victorian era, late-Victorian Gothic Revival architecture, neo-Gothic building on Deansgate in Manchester, England. It is part of the University of Manchester. The library, which opened to t ...

in Manchester File:BirminghamUniversityChancellorsCourt.jpg, The Aston Webb building at the

University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university in Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingham (founded in 1825 as ...

, UK File:Birmingham - Lawcourt 2.JPG, Victoria Law Courts, Birmingham, UK File:University of Glasgow Gilbert Scott Building - Feb 2008-2.jpg, The Gilbert Scott Building of the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

, as viewed from Kelvingrove Park,

. An example of the

style File:North of Scotland Bank, 5 Castle Street, Aberdeen, Archibald Simpson, 1839-42.jpg, North of Scotland Bank in Aberdeen by Archibald Simpson 1839–42 File:Balmoral Castle.jpg, Balmoral Castle, completely rebuilt for Queen Victoria, an example of the Scots Baronial style File:Walsall Victorian Arcade.JPG,

Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located ...

Victorian Arcade, UK File:Barclay's Bank building, Sutton (Surrey), Greater London 03.jpg, Barclays Bank building,

Sutton Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to: Places United Kingdom England In alphabetical order by county: * Sutton, Bedfordshire * Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location * S ...

, Greater London File:Bridge III.jpg, Forth Rail Bridge, Firth of Forth, near Edinburgh, Scotland, UK File:Somerville College.jpg,

Somerville College, Oxford Somerville College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It was founded in 1879 as Somerville Hall, one of its first two women's colleges. It began admitting men in 1994. The colle ...

, UK

International spread of Victorian styles

During the 18th century, a few English architects emigrated to the colonies, but as the

became firmly established during the 19th century, many architects emigrated at the start of their careers. Some chose 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, 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 New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Australia

Winsbury Terrace 75-79 Kent Street Millers Point

The Victorian period flourished in Australia and is generally recognised as being from 1840 to 1890, which saw a

gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...

and population boom during the 1880s in the states of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

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 A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

Period, from 1890 to 1915. File:Royal exhibition building tulips straight.jpg,

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

's world heritage

Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage-listed building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between ...

, built in 1880 (Free Classical) File:General Post Office, Sydney.jpg,

General Post Office, Sydney The General Post Office (abbreviation GPO, commonly known as the Sydney GPO) is a heritage- listed landmark building located in Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The original building was constructed in two stages beginning in ...

, in the Free Classical style (1891) File:The Hotel Windsor, Melbourne, Australia.jpg, Hotel Windsor, Melbourne, 1885 File:St Peters Cathedral.JPG, St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide (Gothic Revival) File:SydneyTownHall gobeirne.jpg, Sydney Town Hall, in Second Empire style File:Sydney (AU), Queen Victoria Building -- 2019 -- 3580.jpg, Queen Victoria Building in Romanesque style (1898) File:South Melbourne Townhall.jpg, South Melbourne Town Hall in Second Empire style File:StMarysSydneyCathedral1.jpg, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, in Victorian Gothic architecture (1882) File:York Street, Sydney.jpg, Victorian Mannerist architecture lining a street in Sydney File:Melbourne Princess Theatre Feb 2013.jpg, Princess Theatre, Melbourne File:State Library of Victoria - right side.jpg, State Library of Victoria of the Academic Classical style (1870) File:UniSA Library, Adelaide, East view 20230207.jpg, Brookman Hall, UniSA City East Campus, Adelaide, South Australia File:Adelaide rotunda.jpg, Gazebo in Adelaide, South Australia File:(1)Italianate home Dutruc Street Randwick-1.jpg, Italianate home in Randwick File:(1) Nichols Street Homes.JPG, Filigree style terraces in

Surry Hills Surry Hills is an Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), inner-east suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Surry Hills is immediately south-east of the Sydney central business district in the Local government in Australia, local gover ...

with ornate iron-wrought detailing File:Goodrest corner leopold and domain road south yarra.jpg, Second Empire and Filigree residence in South Yarra

Hong Kong

Western influence in architecture was strong when

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

was a British colony. Victorian architecture in Hong Kong: File:St Andrew's Church 2017.jpg, St. Andrew's Church File:St John Cathedral Hong Kong.jpg, St. John's Cathedral File:1881 Heritage Overview 201108.jpg, Former Marine Police Headquarters (now officially named as ' 1881 Heritage', which is a hotel and a shopping mall)

Ireland

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 Rathgar () is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (off ...

, Rathfarnham, and Terenure. The colourful

buildings of

Cobh Cobh ( ,), known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. With a population of 14,148 inhabitants at the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, Cobh is on the south si ...

are excellent examples of 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. File:Cobh-Cathedral-West-Side-2012.JPG, A Victorian terrace in

known as the "deck of cards" File:South Great George's Street Dublin.jpg, Victorian shops and cafes, including the George's Street Arcade, Dublin D02 File:Baggot Street Upper, Dublin.jpg, Victorian Upper Baggot Street, Dublin D02 File:D6W pillar box.jpg, Victorian terraced houses in Dublin D6W File:Rathmines Road.jpg, Rathmines Clock Tower, Rathmines, Dublin D06 File:The Royal City of Dublin Hospital.jpg, The Royal City of Dublin Hospital, Dublin D04 File:Botanic Gardens In Glasnevin (Dublin) (7951823690).jpg, National Botanic Gardens glasshouse, Glasnevin, Dublin D09 File:Royal Victoria.jpg, The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Adelaide Road, Dublin D02

Sri Lanka

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.

North America

In 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–), Folk Victorian (1870–1910), Queen Anne (1880–1910),

Richardsonian Romanesque Richardsonian Romanesque is a architectural style, style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revivalism (architecture), revival style incorporates 11th- and 12th-century ...

(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 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 the elements of several different styles and are not easily distinguishable as one particular style or another. Victorian facades on 16th Street in San Francisco

Victorian facades on 16th Street in San Francisco

Notable Victorian-inspired cities during this era include, Astoria in

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

;

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

and

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

; Washington, D.C.;

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

; Alameda, Eureka,

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

, and Midtown

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

; The Brooklyn Heights and Victorian Flatbush sections of

, Garden City on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

, and Albany,

Troy Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...

, Buffalo, and Rochester in Upstate New York; Asbury Park / Ocean Grove, Cape May, Deal, Flemington, Freehold, Hackettstown,

Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

/ Hoboken, Metuchen, Montclair, Ridgewood, Plainfield,

Summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for ...

, and Westfield in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

;

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Galena Galena, also called lead glance, is the natural mineral form of lead(II) sulfide (PbS). It is the most important ore of lead and an important source of silver. Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals. It crysta ...

, and Winnetka in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

;

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

and

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

;

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

and Columbus in

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

; Galveston in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

;

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

; Louisville in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

;

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

;

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

;

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

; Richmond in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

; St. Louis in

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

; and Saint Paul in

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

grew from a

Pueblo Pueblo refers to the settlements of the Pueblo peoples, Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, currently in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The permanent communities, including some of the oldest continually occupied settlement ...

(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 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 the US, the South End of Boston is recognized by the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as the oldest and largest Victorian neighborhood in the country. Old Louisville in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

, also claims to be the nation's largest Victorian neighborhood.

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

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 the largest contiguous Victorian neighborhood in the United States. The Old West End neighborhood of

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the western end of Lake Erie along the Maumee River. Toledo is the List of cities in Ohio, fourth-most populous city in Ohio and List of United Sta ...

is recognized as the largest collection of late Victorian and Edwardian homes in the United States, east of the

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

.Stine, L. (2005) Historic Old West End Toledo, Ohio. Bookmasters. Summit Avenue in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

, has the longest line of Victorian homes in the country. Over-The-Rhine in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, has the largest collection of early Victorian

Italianate architecture The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century ...

in the United States, and is an example of an intact 19th-century urban neighborhood.Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce
Over-the-Rhine Historical Sites
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. File:PAFA 1900 from Library of Congress (cropped).jpg, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, by Frank Furness File:AlleghenyCountyCourthouse.jpg, Allegheny County Courthouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by Henry Hobson Richardson File:Santa Fe passenger terminal in San Diego prior to 1915.jpg, The

California Southern Railroad The California Southern Railroad was a subsidiary railroad of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (Santa Fe) in Southern California. It was organized July 10, 1880, and chartered on October 23, 1880, to build a rail connection between wha ...

's San Diego passenger terminal, built in 1887 File:Brooklyn Bridge Postdlf.jpg, Brooklyn Bridge, 1883, New York City File:Carson Mansion Eureka California.jpg, The Carson Mansion in

Eureka, California Eureka ( ; Wiyot: ; Hupa: ; ) is a city and the county seat of Humboldt County, located on the North Coast of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Bay, north of San Francisco and south of the Oreg ...

, widely considered one of the highest executions of Queen Anne style, built 1884–86 File:SteinbeckHouse.jpg, John Steinbeck's childhood home in

Salinas, California Salinas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Salt pan (geology), Salt Flats") is a city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Monterey County, California, Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is ...

File:Emlen-physick-estate.jpg, Emlen Physick Estate in Cape May Historic District, New Jersey, by Frank Furness File:Saitta House Dyker Heights.JPG, The Saitta House, Dyker Heights,

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York, built in

1899 Events January * January 1 ** Spanish rule formally ends in Cuba with the cession of Spanish sovereignty to the U.S., concluding 400 years of the Spanish Empire in the Americas.''The American Monthly Review of Reviews'' (February 1899), p ...

is designed in the Queen Anne style File:655 Wrightwood Avenue Circa 1880, Lincoln Park Chicago Illinois.jpg, 1880s photo of 653 W Wrightwood (now 655 W Wrightwood) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of

, Illinois File:Farnam Mansion 2.jpg, The

style Farnam Mansion in

Oneida, New York Oneida () is a city in Madison County in the U.S. state of New York. It is located west of Oneida Castle (in Oneida County) and east of Wampsville. The population was 10,329 at the 2020 census, down from 11,390 in 2010. The city, like b ...

. Built circa 1862 File:JamesJHillHouse.jpg, James J. Hill House in St. Paul, Minnesota, built in 1891 File:Victorian Gazebo.jpg, Victorian gazebo in

File:Over-the-Rhine-12th-and-Vine.jpg, Series of

tenements in Over-The-Rhine,

, Ohio File:Ford Piquette Avenue Plant - Front Façade.jpg, Ford Piquette Avenue Plant,

, built 1904 File:Cape may pink victorian.jpg, Gingerbread trim on an 1882 house in Cape May, New Jersey File:206 West Moore Street, Hackettstown, NJ.jpg, The Jacob C. Allen House (c. 1870) in Hackettstown, New Jersey

Canada

Canada's chief dominion architects designed numerous federal buildings over 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. Cabbagetown houses

File:Banff Springs Hotel1.jpg, Banff Springs Hotel File:Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate.jpg, Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate File:British Columbia Parliament Building, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.jpg, British Columbia Parliament Buildings (main block) File:Canadian Museum of Nature - 06.jpg,

Canadian Museum of Nature The Canadian Museum of Nature (; CMN) is a national museums of Canada, national natural history museum based in Canada's National Capital Region (Canada), National Capital Region. The museum's exhibitions and public programs are housed in the Vi ...

File:Michael Toronto.jpg, Cathedral Church of St. James (Toronto) File:Cathedral 006.JPG, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Saint John, New Brunswick) File:Central Chambers - 04.jpg, Central Chambers (Ottawa) File:2016-11 Château Frontenac 06.jpg, Château Frontenac File:Christ Church Cathedral day.jpg, Christ Church Cathedral (Montreal) File:Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton, New Brunswick (2005).jpg,

Christ Church Cathedral (Fredericton) Christ Church Cathedral is the Cathedral, cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton. It is located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Construction of the cathedral began in 1845 and it was consecrated in 1853. The Gothic Revival ...

File:Craigdarroch Castle just after sunset - view from the south, Victoria, Canada 01.jpg, Craigdarroch Castle File:Halifax Armoury.JPG, Halifax Armoury File:Residence H-Vincent-Meredith 01.jpg, Lady Meredith House File:Hotel de ville de Montreal 09.JPG, Montreal City Hall File:Langevin Block (2013)(cropped).jpg,

Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council The Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council () building, formerly known as the Langevin Block (, ), is an office building facing Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. As the home of the Privy Council Office and Office of the Pr ...

(formerly Langevin Block) File:Old Post Office Galt Cambridge Ontario cropped.jpg, Old Galt Post Office Building File:Torontos Old City Hall 2009.jpg, Old Toronto City Hall File:Dawn at Parliament Hill in Ottawa.JPG, Parliament Buildings (Centre Block and Library) File:Gare Viger 16.jpg, Place Viger File:London-OntarioChurch2.jpg, St. Paul's Cathedral (London, Ontario) File:The Algonquin in St Andrews.jpg, The Algonquin File:Brockville Fuller Bldg.JPG, Thomas Fuller Building ( Brockville, Ontario) File:Uoft universitycollege.jpg, University College, Toronto Main Building File:City Hall and Volunteer Monument, Winnipeg, MB, 1887.jpg, Winnipeg City Hall (1887)

India

Because India was a colony of Britain, Victorian Architecture is prevalent in India, especially in cities like

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

, Kolkata, Kerala and Chennai. In Mumbai (Formerly called Bombay) buildings like Municipal Corporation Building,

Bombay University University of Mumbai is a public state university in Mumbai. It is one of the largest university systems in the world with over 549,000 students on its campuses and affiliated colleges. , the university had 711 affiliated colleges. It was est ...

Bombay High Court The High Court of Bombay is the High courts of India, high court of the States and union territories of India, states of Maharashtra and Goa in India, and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is seated primarily ...

, Asiatic Society of Mumbai Building (Former Town Hall) and 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 St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

, The Asiatic Society of Bengal are some examples of Victorian Architecture in Kolkata. In Chennai (Formerly called Madras) some examples include

Madras High court The High Court of Judicature at Madras is a High Courts of India, High Court located in Chennai, India. It has appellate jurisdiction over the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry. It is one of ...

, 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.

Preservation

Efforts to preserve landmarks of Victorian architecture are ongoing and are often led by the

Victorian Society The Victorian Society is a UK charity and amenity society that campaigns to preserve and promote interest in Victorian and Edwardian architecture and heritage built between 1837 and 1914 in England and Wales. As a statutory consultee, by l ...

. 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.Sean O'Hagan
Gasworks wonders…
, ''The Guardian'', 14 June 2015.

References and sources

Citations

Sources

* * * *, includes descriptions of different Victorian and early-20th-century architectural styles common in the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly Oakland, and detailed instructions for repair and restoration of details common to older house styles.

External links

Decorative Hardware of the Victorian Era: An American. Perspective, Raheel Ahmad

Photographs of Victorian Homes in Hamilton, Ontario Canada
*
Victorian era architecture and history in Buffalo, New York

Architectural influences on Victorian style

Victorian churches blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Victorian Architecture 19th-century architectural styles 19th-century architecture in the United Kingdom 19th-century architecture in the United States American architectural styles Architectural history British architectural styles Revival architectural styles Victorian architectural styles Victorian architecture in the United States