8A_Gothic+Architecture

Gothic Architecture

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**Introduction**
==== After the Romanesque period in Architecture, people in Western Europe began to construct and design churches and palaces in Gothic styles. Gothic Architecture has very distinct characteristics which help define Gothic Architecture from Romanesque; flying buttresses, ribbed vaults and pointed arches. Gothic Architecture was a very popular style to build in Melbourne, you will find a lot of buildings built in this style in the inner city. ====

[[image:8A_Architecture_Le_Meridean.jpg align="right" caption="Rialto Hotel - Source Wikimedia commons"]]
__**Le Meridien Rialto**__ ==== William Pitt had the chance to design these gracious buildings after he entered a contest and won. The Le Meridien buildings are located in Collins St. They are beautiful elaborate buildings that were designed by William Pitt during 1888 and 1889. Both the Gothic buildings were designed for Irish businessman Patrick McGaughan. The Le Meridien Hotel is a famous symbol of heritage, after being saved from demolition. ====

The Le Meridien Rialto is now commonly used as a hotel, and provides shops and restaurants down below on the ground floor.
==== Before the Le Meridien was used as a hotel, the Meridien was commonly used as a retail district. In the alley way between the two buildings that area was used for clothes shops and cafes. Pitt's design was highly remarked for his superior arches and the colour scheme he used. ====

__**St Patricks's Cathedral**__
==== St Patrick's Cathedral was the first Catholic church in Melbourne, and is one of the largest Gothic Revival church buildings in the world. St Patrick's was most like the European Gothic cathedrals in Europe. St Patrick's took many years to build due to funding and then the great depression hit. William Wardell took on the task of building the first Catholic cathedral church in 1858. ==== ====William Wardell the English architect who took on the cathedral was encouraged by friends to develop an interest in Gothic architecture and become a Roman Catholic. Wardell designed several Catholic churches before migrating to Melbourne in 1858. Wardell was granted chief architect.==== ====Due to lack of funds whilst constructing St Patrick's the builders were forced to incorporate the sandstone church to bluestone. By the time St Patrick's Cathedral was finally finished, it marked an end of Australian churches in the Gothic style.====

__**Magistrates Court**__

George Austin was the architect that designed the Magistrates Court in 1843, constructed by the Swan Brothers. For the new court's layout Austin adopted a Norman or French Romanesque style.
====Whilst in construction Austin chose to only use Australian materials. The Magistrates Court is two stories that is constructed with brick and then glazed in limestone. The main entrance stairs are made out of basalt stone. The interior of the building is a very traditional English style using lots of antiques as furniture, Norman detail to the wall panels, marble staircases and stone carved lions.====

====Whilst planning the interior Austin had to think about the layout carefully. Austin chose to stick with a traditional English look, whilst still using Australian materials. Inside the court there is lots of antique furniture to suite the Gothic building. Several years later, Premier Thomas Bent planned a new court and gave his word to the council. Of course he tried to keep the building the same genre of style but there were arguments of the way this was done and finally the court was developed and given to RMIT.====