Making Medieval New York

This course will focus on the reception and influence of medieval European architecture in New York City through the buildings and monuments that revive, replicate, and preserve it. We will examine the architectural as well as the social, historical, and political environment of nineteenth and twentieth century New York City, in which medieval architecture came to symbolize not only religion but also erudition, exoticism, heritage, education, civic pride, and even hygiene. Alongside Gothic Revival churches, skyscrapers, campuses, and parks, this course will consider other forms of medieval architectural revivalism (including Moorish Revival synagogues and Romanesque Revival rowhouses) as well as projects that physically relocated medieval buildings to New York City both for private collections and public display. We will combine regular field trips to sites around the city with readings and discussions and will make use of the archives of several prominent revivalist architects in Avery Library’s collections.