Gothic architecture is a medieval style of architecture that evolved from the Romanesque style and flourished between the 12th and 16th centuries in Europe. It has a distinctively ornate look that is typified by pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaults. A famous example of Gothic architecture is the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
Although Philadelphia was founded and built much later, the Gothic-style buildings found there today were designed to imitate and pay homage to this important architectural period. Many of the buildings in Philadelphia were built during the Gothic Revival that swept through Europe and America during the Victorian period.
This church, which was founded in 1847, is an excellent example of a building built during the 19th Century Gothic Revival. Saint Mark's, which was designed by the architect John Notman, features the tell-tale Gothic pointed arches, spire and stained glass windows typical of this architectural style.
The campus at Villanova University, which was founded in 1842, includes a collection of Gothic buildings. Built under the auspices of Augustinian monks, Saint Thomas of Villanova Church boasts pointed spires and many other Gothic Revival features, while the rest of the campus includes other Gothic touches, such as pointed window arches.
Acclaimed as one of the best examples of Victorian Gothic Architecture in the United States, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) was built in 1876. It was designed by Frank Furness and George Hewitt (although it is generally agreed that the former was primarily responsible) and includes impressive Gothic arches and windows combined with Eastern influences and cast iron ornamentation.
The Church of the Advocate Episcopal Church is distinctive for its primarily French Gothic sources. Built in 1887, it was designed by the architect Charles Burns, a major designer of churches in the United States at that time. The Church of the Advocate features Gothic arches, flying buttresses, stained glass windows and French Gothic style statues.
