Neoclassical Architecture Guide: Examples of Neoclassicism

Neoclassical architecture is known for its high columns, majestic scale, and simplicity of design compared to the other prominent styles of its era. Harkening back to the buildings of Ancient Greece and Rome, it crested in popularity in both the United States and Europe from the middle of the eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century. From Washington, DC, and New York to Paris and London, the Greco-Roman era inspired the architecture of some of the most enduring buildings of our age.

Neoclassicism, as both an architectural school and broader artistic and cultural movement, reaches back to the Renaissance and continues to the present day. Learn how it unfolded through the centuries:

• Palladio as predecessor: Centuries before neoclassicism took off in popularity, architect Andrea Palladio began laying the groundwork for the movement in the heart of the Italian Renaissance. His country houses, influenced as they were by ancient pagan architecture, deviated sharply from the Gothic Catholic churches dotting Europe’s landscape. Palladio’s smooth, taciturn structures rebelled against ornamentation, drawing influence from the past and setting the foundation for neoclassical design in the future.
• Excavating the past: As the Palladian style began to percolate more widely throughout the western world, the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were excavated in eighteenth-century Italy. The rediscovery of these Roman cities further escalated interest in antiquity and its architecture, as many aristocrats and artisans of the period visited them as part of what was known as the Grand Tour.
• Response to rococo: As the ancient world began haunting the conscience of the Enlightenment era, architects were also losing interest in the extravagant rococo style and baroque architecture of the seventeenth century. Architects in Britain like Robert Adam and John Soane began to experiment with reviving Roman architecture and many throughout Europe and America began to follow suit. Each country’s specific variant on the neoclassical basics was often named for the reigning king of that locale—neoclassical architecture in London, England, is sometimes referred to as Georgian whereas that of Paris, France, is sometimes called the Louis XVI style, for instance.
• A product of its time: The neoclassical style was part of a broader movement amid people and political leaders of this period to emulate the Ancient Greek and Roman republics’ style of governance. US architects set out to design government buildings echoing the epoch upon which the ideals of their new nation were based. Similar public buildings sprouted up throughout Europe in the wake of the French Revolution, as that continent also strove to implement reforms leading to more representative governments.
• Enduring influence: Neoclassicism has endured in its ability to inspire even as it gave way to other architectural movements. As the nineteenth century progressed, France’s École des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) began to meld the revived ancient style with more modern approaches and industrial materials. Architects are still seeking out ways to creatively resurrect the spirit of the buildings of Athens and Rome yet again—as evidenced by the New Classical movement of the twentieth century into the present day.

Neoclassical architecture was characterized by a balance of sophistication and simplicity. Here are three of its most prominent features:

1. 1. Lack of ornamentation: Both the exterior and interior design of neoclassicism is characterized by its lack of extravagance or ornamentation. Architects of the period sought to respond to the garish and gaudy rococo style by emphasizing form and flatness over flashiness. These structures may be towering and sophisticated, but their designers didn’t feel a need to put on any extra airs.
2. 2. Tall columns: Perhaps nothing calls classical architecture—and its subsequent revival—to mind more than the presence of towering columns. These pillars came in predominantly three varieties—Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian—each with their own variations on style and form.
3. 3. Remarkable roofing: Neoclassical roofs are among the most notable attributes these buildings possess. Their interior rotundas—circular rooms with domelike roofs—provide an opportunity to gaze upward and see the height of a building from the inside. On the outside, you’ll often see triangular structures called pediments as well as friezes, which are long, rectangular bands featuring carvings and sculptures.

Neoclassical buildings can be found all around the world, from the United States to France to Russia and elsewhere. Consider these notable examples of the architectural style:

1. 1. The White House: US architecture was so influenced by neoclassicism that the White House—the foremost center of power in the US—was drawn up and built according to its precepts. For that matter, the entire city of Washington, DC, is peppered with landmarks, memorials, and other neoclassical buildings built in the same manner.
2. 2. Monticello: Former US president Thomas Jefferson was so infatuated with the neoclassical revival that he designed his home, Monticello, in Virginia in the architectural style. To this day, visitors can step under the portico and through the doors to see just how heavily the influence of antiquity permeated Jefferson’s psyche.
3. 3. The United States Capitol Building: The US Capitol Building is further proof of antiquity’s ubiquity throughout the country’s capital city. Its high dome and interior rotunda are prominent characteristics of the neoclassical style.
4. 4. Saint Isaac’s Cathedral: Located in St. Petersburg, Russia, this Orthodox church is a testament to the reach of neoclassical inspiration throughout all of Europe. It speaks to a Greek revival of sorts in a country that never even experienced life under Greco-Roman rule.
5. 5. The Panthéon: This French church, with its towering size and austere architecture, was designed by the neoclassical architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot.
6. 6. The University of Virginia: The University of Virginia is one of the oldest schools in the US, and neoclassical buildings sweep through its entire campus. It was another passion project of former president Thomas Jefferson.
7. 7. Opéra Nouvel: This French opera house in Lyon has since been redesigned and modernized. Given its neoclassical foundation, it’s an intriguing sight with its blend of both old and new elements.

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