Jeffersonian Architecture

     There is only one United States president to date that was so beloved by his people and such a prominent figure in the construction of his own home that he had an architectural style named after him.  President Thomas Jefferson was given this honor after being extremely involved in designing several different architectural phenomenon.

     The Jeffersonian style is one like no other, though it falls somewhere between the Neo-classical and Neo-Palladianism styles.  The Jeffersonian style never spread overseas like many other styles, and was limited to a few different areas of the U.S., but it made its impact nonetheless.  While several places became famous due to their architect and the purpose behind them, there are dozens more private homes that few people pay any attention to.

 

     Perhaps the most famous example of this style is President Jefferson’s own personal home, named Monticello.  Monticello is located just outside of Charlottesville, VA, and has become a national landmark.  President Jefferson requested that he be buried on the property, an unusual request at the time (and today), but it was upheld anyway.  He also played a part in getting the Greek Revival Architectural style to gain popularity.

     Thomas Jefferson didn’t have any formal training in architecture or design, like many people originally thought, but his enthusiasm and natural ability made up for it.  He also came up with the design for the educational establishment he helped found, the University of Virginia, as well as that of his home-away-from-home, Poplar Forest.  The only example of Jeffersonian architecture that was built outside of the United States is the Grand Auditorium at Tsinghua Universtiy in Beijing, China.  Many Protestant churches throughout the East coast also exhibit the Jeffersonian style.