Still Expanding my Mind

Continuing from yesterday, I'll talk some more about how I am educating myself in these days of boredom. 

As I was reading about Phantom of the Opera, I did as most Wikipedia readers do, and began exploring the links to other pages. The one page which captivated me above all else, was the page about Palais Garnier, the opera house which serves as the setting for Phantom. It is rare to find a setting that becomes more than just a time and place, but an actual character which stands among the heavy weights.

The Palais Garnier does that and so much more. Can you imagine replacing the majesty of this Napoleon III era structure, with a boring and run of the mill opera house like the Jubilee Center? Doing such a thing would rip out a massive chunk of the soul out of Phantom. This discussion about the architecture of the Palais Garnier brings up my next point of interest: Architecture.



I don't claim to be an expert on architecture, I never studied it in school or anything like that, but I had the time so I decided to read various styles of western architecture.

I admit, it seems to me that a lot of the styles overlap with each other, so you can look at two different categories, yet the buildings look virtually identical. Perhaps it has more to do with my amateur eyes, but that is how I feel at this time. Now rather than give a verbose history of western revival architecture, I will simply list a few of my favourite styles.

Beaux-Arts: The style used by the Palais Garnier, this style takes influence from the Baroque style, mixed in with impressionism and realism. One of the defining features of the beaux-art style is impeccable symmetry. Examples of this style include Palais Garnier and the Supreme Court of Canada.   

Chateauesque: A style quite common among old Canadian buildings, this style is based upon the French Renascence architecture of grand country homes in the Loire Valley. The style is best recognized by the grand steep roofs used on the buildings. Examples include the Chateau Frontenac, and Waddesdon Manor.

Gothic Revival: A style developed in the 18th century, Gothic Revival was intended to serve as a contrast to the clean and rigid designs of neo-classical architecture which was popular in France at the time. The style is heavily based on Gothic and medieval architecture, put an emphasis on spirituality. Examples include Parliament Hill, Palace of Westminster, and Spasskya Tower. 

Scottish Baronial: The final style, this is similar to Gothic Revival, but places greater emphasis on the watchtowers and battlements of old European castles. Many architects consider this a very romanticized version of medieval Britain. Examples include Inveraray Castle, and the Banff Springs Hotel.