When Was The Gothic Revival?

The gothic revival is a term used to refer to the interest that grew in medieval architecture in England, parts of France and Germany and the United States from the late eighteenth century to much of the nineteenth century. Gothic architecture as it developed in the 12th century mainly in Northern France and England had several features like a large structure characterized by a tower, pointed arches, vaults, buttresses and spacious arcades and stained glass windows.

The gothic revival saw cathedrals and university buildings being designed in the gothic style as well as country houses especially in the United States. The gothic revival architecture was not completely gothic in character but sought to incorporate some of the features of the architecture like stained glass windows and pointed arches.

Some of the well known architects of the gothic revival period were Horace Walpole who reintroduced the concept, A.W.N. Pugin, Andrew Jackson Downing and Alexander Jackson Davis from among others; the famous architectural structures built in this period and incorporated gothic features were Palace of Westminster, London and Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Gothic revival also gave rise to a literary genre known as the Gothic novel featuring stories with dark themes enacted in Gothic castles; poets like John Ruskin and Alfred Tennyson also popularized the concept in their poetry.

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