# Byzantine Revival Architecture in Western Europe and North America



## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

*Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis | St. Louis |Missouri | US
*
This one is rather eclectic since on the outside it obviously borrows a lot from the Romanesque architecture, the dome seems to be a Byzantine aspect, the interior however is completely Byzantine. The mosaics were installed all the way from 1912 to 1988, they've used 41.5 million glass tesserae pieces in more that 7.000 colors to finish the mosaics. 



Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (St. Louis, MO) - exterior, quarter view [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Nheyob, from Wikimedia Commons

Cathedral by Thomas Hawk, on Flickr


St. Louis Cathedral Basilica Main Isle [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Dan Kenemore, from Wikimedia Commons

New Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO by catholicsanctuaries, on Flickr

New Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO by catholicsanctuaries, on Flickr

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by TagDragon, on Flickr

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by TagDragon, on Flickr

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by TagDragon, on Flickr

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by TagDragon, on Flickr

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by TagDragon, on Flickr

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by TagDragon, on Flickr


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

*Notre-Dame de la Garde | MARSEILLES | FRANCE 
*
This one also has amazing mosaics. 


Notre Dame de la Garde [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Benh LIEU SONG, from Wikimedia Commons


Beffroi-campanile-statue [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Pont-levis de Notre-Dame de la Garde [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Porte de Bronze N.D. de la Garde [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Annonciation [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


St Mathieu [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Notre Dame de la Garde (2) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Remi Jouan (Photo taken by Remi Jouan), from Wikimedia Commons


Mosaïque sol-basilique-Notre-Dame de la Garde [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Mosaïque-sol-Notre-Dame de la Garde [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Arche arc en ciel [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Echelle de jacob [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


Bâton fleuri [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Robert Valette, from Wikimedia Commons


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

*Agios Nektarios | Aegina | Greece* 

Obviously this is not in Western Europe or North America, but I find it to be a rather genuine revival of the style.

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

GREECE Agios Nektarios (1846-1920) Monastery and Church, Aegina, Saronic Gulf Islands, Attica by BANE Novitović, on Flickr

Murals of Agios Nektarios by jeremy Seto, on Flickr

Εκκλησία: Αγιος Νεκτάριος Αίγινας - Saint Nektarios Church at Aegina island by SpirosK photography, on Flickr

Εκκλησία: Αγιος Νεκτάριος Αίγινας - Saint Nektarios Church at Aegina island by SpirosK photography, on Flickr


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## ValterPravnik (Nov 30, 2016)

Never ever in our lives are we going to see such love to detail and art on any new building


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

I am not sure why, but I cannot see or access my last reply to VP so I'll just repeat or paraphrase what I've previously tried to say. 

I disagree with the statement that we cannot have these kind of buildings nowadays mostly because I come across some very nice revivals from Greece, and there's also some nice from Albania and my country FYR of Macedonia, that are recent. 

Then again one should not even try to compare the revivals from the South of Europe to those from North America and Western Europe, mostly because the ones from NA and WE are very lavish according to their economic standards. If you want a decent revival of Byzantium inspired buildings you need resources, good budget and quality materials, without those you can not have a decent revival. 

Blame it on the church, one of the reasons we don't have that kind of buildings in here! Weren't their Orthodox teachings in Constantinople all about the people not being allowed to aspire to have material and financial success?! That's all that I've been hearing my entire life in here! You don't need financial success, because eventually you'll have all that and even more in the after life, just first die as a poor guy and you'll be fine in the heavens. That's how the infamous fall of Constantinople happened, with a reason, you take the freedom from your own people?! You lose everything! These people are in a desperate need of a Renaissance of their own. Oh well, now it's too late for that!


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

*Iglesia de Santa María de Caná | Av. de Europa, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid | Spain
*

Pozuelo de Alarcón - Iglesia Santa María de Caná 28 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Zarateman, from Wikimedia Commons


Iglesia de Sta Mª de Caná (Pozuelo de Alarcón) 05 [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Luis García (Zaqarbal), from Wikimedia Commons


Iglesia de Sta Mª de Caná (Pozuelo de Alarcón) 08 [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Luis García (Zaqarbal), from Wikimedia Commons


Pozuelo de Alarcon-Sta Maria de Cana08 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], by Xauxa Håkan Svensson, from Wikimedia Commons


Pozuelo de Alarcón - Iglesia Santa María de Caná 05 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Zarateman, from Wikimedia Commons


Pozuelo de Alarcón - Iglesia Santa María de Caná 07 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], by Zarateman, from Wikimedia Commons


Pozuelo de Alarcon-Sta Maria de Cana09 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], by Xauxa Håkan Svensson, from Wikimedia Commons


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

Queen Victoria Building | Sydney | Australia | George McRae

Obviously Romanesque Revival, but since Romanesque architecture evolved directly from Byzantine we can still see the similar aspects, especially on this example in Australia.


Qvbsyd [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], by Adam.J.W.C., from Wikimedia Commons


QBV from above [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by Prue Vickery Photography (http://www.pruevickery.com.au/), from Wikimedia Commons


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## wakka12 (May 17, 2015)

To think such a fine building was going to be destroyed for a parking lot
The 1950's was just hno:hno:hno:hno:


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

They don't seem to take great care of it nowadays either. Just look at all the messy roof and the rusty domes. 
Not really the best state of the little historical heritage that Australia has.


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

If it can classify as Byzantine Revival the only thing that it'll have with Byzantium will be the Venetian style. Because it's purely Italian Palazzo style.
The last page is heavily eclectic anyways. And the building can give a sense as how possible secular buildings could've looked in Byzantium.
If you wanna spot the Byzantine aspects look on the second row of round arches and their constitution. 

Free Trade Hall | Manchester | England | UK 
Architect: Edward Walters
Architectural style: Palazzo 


The Free Trade Hall, Manchester [CC BY 2.0 
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
) or CC BY-SA 2.0 
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
)], by Bernt Rostad from Oslo, Norway (The Free Trade Hall), from Wikimedia Commons


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## Zaz965 (Jan 24, 2015)

I like this thread :cheers:


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

Yeah, I love how the western people interpret Byzantium, they're not Orthodox, yet they've learned so much about what the South Europeans wanted to achieve with their buildings very well to the 6th century, there's not a nice way to say this - but after the Slavic came, the Empire had a downfall after downfall with each past century, till it found itself in complete ruins, and since we are not phoenixes we are not getting out of the ashes. 

The worst was probably when the Serbs attacked from the north and the infamous attacks were coming from south east aswell. Include the domestic problems the Byzantine had, and you'll realize no one can survive that, no matter how strong.

For my Byzantine specialized eye, the best examples are in the UK and in Universities and campuses across the USA.

The first page is a testimony of my statement.


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## ayanamikun (Feb 2, 2011)

In my eye it seems though most of these are in Eclectic style, rather than Byzantine. Was there a general thread for neo byzantine architecture ? I cant find it..


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

Rather eclectic indeed, especially the second page that floats towards Romanesque. Those on the first page though - I'd classify as Constantinople like. 

About a general thread I am not sure if there was one. When I decided to open a thread for Byzantine Revival I wanted to make sure that these buildings in the west are more represented, because whenever you search for Byzantine Revivals, you end up looking tacky golden onions from Russia. I am sorry but that's not Byzantine and it'll never be.

If you want you can open a general thread where you can incorporate those. I was not keen on it because I don't consider the Russian ones as Byzantine. The only nice examples are in Greece, FYR Macedonia (soon to be North as they agreed), and Albania, I'd love to see examples from these three.


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## Architecture lover (Sep 11, 2013)

A chapel with Byzantine aspirations in the UK. In the interior, Byzantine and Art Nouveau meet each other, such unexpected but appreciated combination. 




madannie said:


> Designed by Mary Seton Watts and funded by her and her husband, the artist G F Watts. Construction began in 1896: the exterior was finished in 1898 and the interior in 1904, just before the death of G F Watts.
> 
> The exterior is a resplendent red brick with terracotta tiling and decoration. Unfortunately this visit was on a rather dull day, so the brightness of the brick was not always apparent:
> 
> ...


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