A controversial manifesto on the role of classical principles in architecture critically examined for relevance today. First published in 1959, The Golden City is a seminal, critical document that developed one of the earliest and most compelling arguments against the then-dominant hegemony of modernism by reawakening interest in the value of our country's built patrimony, particularly with respect to its notable classical architecture, classical sculpture, and ornament in the built environment. The book's argument remains valuable today. The Golden City can be credited with building the constituency for the preservation movement in the United States in general, and in New York City in particular. That constituency coalesced around Reed's powerful polemic, eventually contributing to the formulation in 1965 of New York City's groundbreaking Landmark Law, one of the most important milestones in the preservation movement in the United States.

The New York Public Library, one of the nation's architectural wonders, is possibly our finest classical building. Designed by John Merven Carrere and Thomas Hastings, and inspired by the great classical buildings in Paris and Rome, it was completed in 1911. The library boasts a magnificent exterior, but that is only the beginning. In the interior, one splendid hall follows another, an awesome gallery leads to richly decorated rooms, and stairways are vaulted in marble. From the terrace to the breathtaking Main Reading Room is a triumphal way. All the devices of the classical tradition, the main artistic current of Western civilization, are brought into play. Maidens, cherubs, and satyr masks look down from ceilings. Lions' heads, paws, rams' heads, and griffins are on every side. In this beautiful volume, featuring new color photography by Anne Day, every facet of the building is described, including its inception and construction."

Architect and engraver Paul Letarouilly dedicated more than 30 years of his life to creating the most complete collection of plans, elevations, and details of the buildings and monuments of Renaissance Rome. This student's edition of his achievement features highlights from five massive volumes, originally published between 1825 and 1882. Its systematic overview illustrates the principles of design behind the works of Michelangelo, Sangallo, Peruzzi, Vignola, Bramante, Bernini, Fontana, dalla Porta, Maderno, Borromini, and other great builders of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Letarouilly's engravings, which illustrate the translation of the principles behind classical architecture into the new age of the Renaissance, served as a major source of inspiration from the moment of their publication, and they remain standard references to this day. This edition includes informative text by classical architect and scholar John Barrington Bayley that offers insights into the architecture of Rome's palaces, villas, and squares as well as St. Peter's and the Vatican. Ideal for students of classical, Renaissance, and Roman architecture, this affordable volume also constitutes a useful guide for visitors to Rome.

Arguably the most beautifully decorated building in the United States, the Library of Congress building (now known as the Jefferson Building) reached its 100th anniversary in 1997 after an eighty million dollar restoration that returned it to its original state. At the turn of the century, Herbert Small, a newspaperman, wrote a guide to the building and its decoration. His text, edited by Henry Hope Reed, is reproduced here. It is preceded by introductory essays by historian and Librarian of Congress Emeritus Daniel J. Boorstin and noted writer Brendan Gill. The planning and construction of the building are detailed in John Y. Cole's essay, followed by an essay on the building as a work of art by Pierce Rice, and discussions of the decorations, paintings, and sculptures by Henry Hope Reed, Richard Murray, and Thomas P. Somma. The volume concludes with a photo essay on the restoration by Barbara Wolanin; a color "schema" of the building; a glossary of architectural and decorative terms; and a biographical dictionary of all the artists, architects, and designers who worked on the building. Throughout, noted photographer Anne Day's color images enhance this splendid book.

Offers a thorough look at the architectural details of the library.

This wonderfully illustrated volume traces the architectural antecedents and building history of the magnificent U.S. Capitol.

The U.S. Capitol, the building that houses the legislative branch of our government and a landmark that attracts 3-5 million visitors each year, has its origins in an architectural competition devised by George Washington. The winning design, submitted by William Thornton, combined "grandeur, simplicity, and convenience." Construction began in August 1793, but progress made during the following decade was less than satisfactory. English architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe was brought in by Thomas Jefferson in 1803 to oversee the work, which was finally completed under Charles Bulfinch in 1829.

The U.S. Capitol is regarded by many as the finest example of classical architecture in America. This profusely illustrated book offers a detailed description of the building's exterior, its unsurpassed ornamentation, and the richness of its rooms. An illustrated glossary of architectural terms used and a section of brief biographies of persons associated with the Capitol are also provided as tools for the reader. 150 color plates.