History
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style, also known as the Spanish Eclectic style, is a remnant of the traditional Spanish architectural themes seen in Spain's early American colonial settlements. The traditional elements like clay tile roofs, round arch openings, and carved wooden doors follow the form of the early Spanish missions and are very distinctive. Other ornate decorative features draw from later periods of Spanish architecture and show the influence of Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, or Renaissance design. This revival style became popular in the early 20th century after the Panama-California Exposition was held in San Diego in 1915. Exotic-themed architectural revivals (Egyptian, Moorish, Dutch Colonial, Swiss Chalet) were popular throughout the country in the period from 1920 to 1940. Many good examples of the Spanish Colonial Revival style remain in Pennsylvania.
Common Building Types
- houses
- mansions
- apartment buildings
- institutional buildings
- churches
Identifiable Features
- Low-pitched, clay tile roof
- Round arches at entryway, porch or windows
- Porch arcade with columns
- Low-relief carving at doorways, windows and cornices
- Stucco exterior walls
- Elaborately carved doors
- Decorative window grills of wood or iron
- Spiral columns
- Multi-paned windows
- Balconies or terraces
- Curvilinear gable
Photos
Click the thumbnails for larger images.
Note
This is a static, archived version of the PHMC Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide website which will not be updated. It is a snapshot of the website with minor modifications as it appeared on August 26, 2015.
Pages in this Section
- Overview
- Architectural Styles Categories
- Traditional/Vernacular Mode
- Colonial Period
- Early Republic Period
- Mid 19th Century Period
- Late Victorian Period
- Modern Movements
