The Reconstructed Palace of Westminster: An Analysis of Gothic Revival Architecture
Looming over the Thames in the heart of Central London, the Palace of Westminster has become a globally recognized architectural icon as well as an emblem of Britain and the power that is has historically held. It is widely considered a neo-Gothic masterpiece that embodies the dominant ideals of the time in which it was constructed. It was designed to be a quintessentially British structure that would pay thoughtful homage to Britain’s elevated view of its own history as well as to its aspirations for the future. Today, the structure continues to stand as what is effectively a meta-monument — an architectural beacon that pays homage to a far-back time in which people sought to pay homage to further-back times. The choices behind the construction of this national symbol were informed by both the aesthetic and political values of its period, allowing it to act as a unique window into a historical cultural landscape. This unique landmark is endowed with the power to provide modern viewers with an understanding of how people of the past have understood the past, as well as insight into previous ambitions for the future. In other words, the Palace of Westminster is not only an architectural ode to the history of Britain but an ode to the history of what Britain has hoped to see itself become.
Though the structure’s symmetry and dependence upon rectilinear forms distinguishes it from the more organic shapes that are associated with traditional Gothic architecture — suggesting a closer alignment with the Classical style — the ornate tracing and iconic spires that adorn the exterior of the Palace of Westminster cement its identity as a neo-Gothic site. Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker note the absence of the flying buttresses, a structural staple of traditional Gothic buildings, and go so far as to describe the site as a classical structure that has effectively been wrapped in a Gothic skin. They go on to state that due to features such as the vast windows and the presence of horizontal and vertical lines in the tracery, the Palace of Westminster can be most precisely described as a late-Georgian take on the Perpendicular Gothic style of the late Middle Ages (Khan Academy, 2022). The omission of certain traditional Gothic traits and the embrace of select elements from the Industrial and Classical styles serves as a symbolic representation of the structure’s place in history. The Palace of Westminster is a building that functions to facilitate decisions about the future of a nation by drawing on its past, and its subtle anachronisms and combination of styles reflects that.
The structural composition of the Palace of Westminster calls to mind an image of enlightened governance, and this effect is by design (Gillin, 2015). The symmetrical arrangement of the House of Lords and the House of Commons visually suggests the type of just and balanced government that Democracies have aspired to realize for centuries. The building’s spires reach towards the heavens just as the country’s greatest cathedrals do, attaching the British center of power to the divine. The structure radiates majesty and elegance while dually embracing the scientific rationality that had entered vogue among the political circles of the time (Gillin, 2015). The building visually champions symbols of divine omniscience alongside those of human ingenuity, constructing an image of the British government as a force ordained by both.
The reconstruction of the Palace of Westminster was prompted by the destruction of the original Houses of Parliament. For most of its history, the original Palace of Westminster served essentially the same purpose as the modern one and had occupied roughly the same site since the Middle Ages (Riding, 2005). When a fire swept through the area in 1834, most of the existing structures were damaged beyond repair.
Though Westminster Hall was miraculously spared, it was determined that the majority of the historic center of power would need to be rebuilt (Fiederer, 2016). A Royal Committee was established and it was decided that the new Palace of Westminster must be designed after either the Gothic or Elizabethan style since these were considered the two most purely British types of architecture (Patton, 2017). A competition was held to determine who would be awarded the opportunity to design the building and the prize went to Charles Barry who, largely due to the input of fellow architect and collaborator Augustus Pugin, selected to pursue the Gothic style.
At the time, Gothic architecture was believed to have originated in Britain and was strongly associated with the majesty of the past among the public. London had already been inundated by an influx of Neoclassical buildings such as St. Paul’s Cathedral (similarly rebuilt after the original was destroyed in a fire) and Somerset House and, more importantly, had acquired a negative political connotation due to its association with Napoleon Bonaparte, Britain’s vanquished enemy (Patton, 2017). During this time it was generally believed that Britain should distance itself from foreign (particularly French) influence and make an adamant return to embracing its unique heritage. Neoclassical architecture was thought of as representative of Britain’s detachment from its own culture and the embrace of the Gothic style was seen as an effort to mend that.
During this period Gothic architecture was also closely attached to the fond image that many held of the Middle Ages. The latter portion of the Industrial Revolution saw public sentiment begin to turn against the greed-driven society that had been created (Patton, 2017). Artists, academics, and politicians began to question whether the innovations of the last century had truly left society better off and a fervent nostalgia for the simpler, faith-driven past began to take hold. The architect Augustus Pugin believed that Gothic architecture was morally elevated, citing the fact that the Medieval skyline was dominated by church spires while the modern skyline was dominated by industrial smokestacks (Patton, 2017). The delicate craftsmanship and connection to nature that is evident in Gothic architecture embodied values that individuals of the time considered lost and aspired to reconnect with.
All of this said, the concepts of British identity and the relationship between church and state that informed the design of the Palace of Westminster have changed considerably since its construction. Gothic architecture is now acknowledged as having had its roots in Germany and (ironically) in France, depriving it of its status as a purely British style of architecture (Riding, 2005). The Middle Ages are no longer widely admired, and church and state have since been separated, dramatically diminishing the relevance of the British government’s connection to the Kingdom of Christ. The modern viewer still gathers the impressions of grandeur and competency that its creators hoped to inspire, but not in a less direct way than its creators likely pictured. Though exceptions exist, most contemporary viewers are unlikely to be moved by the idea of a “pure” British identity or by the idea that Britain has been ordained by a Christian God. Instead, the Palace of Westminster now stands for the immense longevity that Britain has had, the range of hopes that it has had for itself, and the progress that this nation has made over its vast and still expanding history.
Bibliography
Academy, K. (2022). Charles Barry and A.W.N. Pugin, Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) (video). [online] Khan Academy. Available at: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/enlightenment-revolution/v/palace-westminster.
Gillin, E. (2015). Gothic fantastic: Parliament, Pugin, and the architecture of science. In: True Principles. University College London.
Patton, M. (2017). English Historical Fiction Authors: Augustus Pugin: Architect of the Victorian Gothic. [online] English Historical Fiction Authors. Available at: https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2017/04/augustus-pugin-architect-of-victorian.html.
Riding, C. (2014). Westminster: A New Palace for a New Age. [online] Bbc.co.uk. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/church_state/westminster_later/westminster_new_palace_01.shtml [Accessed 28 Nov. 2019].
