During her reign over the British Empire from 1837 to 1901, Queen Victoria presided over countless transformations in Britain society, including the numerous architectural styles popping up across the country. Victorian architecture doesn’t refer to just one distinct style, but rather an era of innovation and craftsmanship.
Some styles like Jacobean, Italianate, and Scots Baronial recall elements of the past, but the Arts and Crafts movement emerged from reform within the design industry and industrial advancements. While these styles had their own building techniques and ornamental features, one could argue all embody a certain maximalist flair of the time.
This flair even found its way across the world, with Queen Anne–style homes lining the streets of American cities and Second Empire style becoming widely popular in Australia. Today, the steeply pitched roofs, decorative wood trim, and imposing octagonal towers of Victorian homes continue to charm the masses. Here, a look at 12 Victorian structures across the world that embody the period's innovation and vibrant design.
Since its inauguration in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall has been the United Kingdom's premiere performance venue, most famously hosting the renowned Proms concerts each year. The idea for the hall stemmed from Prince Albert's 1851 proposal for a series of buildings to be built in Hyde Park to further advance the study of art, science, and industry.
The Prince Consort died before being able to see his ideas come to life, but Queen Victoria made sure a memorial was built in his name and laid down the foundation stone for the venue in 1867. Built in the Italianate style, Royal Albert Hall features a glazed-iron dome and an 800-foot-long terra-cotta mosaic frieze depicting "the Triumph of Arts and Sciences."
A historic railway station at the heart of Mumbai, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus sits as a masterpiece of Bombay Gothic style, which marries traditional Indian architecture and High Victorian Gothic design. Architect Frederick William Stevens designed the structure to house the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, which helped further economic growth in the country by connecting Mumbai to mainland India.
The ornamental main structure is built with a host of different stones, with yellow Malad stone as the predominant material, softer white Porbandar stone for the decorative detailing, and gray basalt and red sandstone as highlights.
British-born architect Joseph Reed designed the opulent exhibition hall at the center of Melbourne in 1880 for the city's first international fair. His vision for the Exhibition Building was to create a staggering structure that embodied the wealth, energy, and growth of Melbourne at the time.
Millions of people flocked to the great hall and its surrounding Carlton Gardens to view a host of events, including Australia’s first aquarium. Princess Alexandra of England bestowed the royal title onto the building in 1980, and it would later be named a UNESCO World Heritage site.
San Francisco boasts an impressive collection of architectural wonders, but none may be as famous as the colorful row of Victorian homes in Alamo Square. Often referred to as "the Painted Ladies" or "Postcard Row," the Queen Anne–style houses were built between 1892 and 1896 by developer Matthew Kavanaugh on Steiner Street.
Their front-facing gables, pastel colors, and lacy decorative details have garnered the attention of photographers and design-lovers alike for years. Fun fact: Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, lived at 720 Steiner and was notorious for playing her music loudly.
After a fire destroyed the original Palace of Westminster, a competition to find the ideal architect to rebuild the seat of the United Kingdom's parliament was held in 1836. Charles Barry was selected as the winning architect for his proposed Gothic Revival–style palace, which made use of the surviving buildings.
An integral part of Barry's original proposal, the Victoria Tower was intended to be the showstopping element of the Palace of Westminster for its staggering height and richly decorated exterior. However, the Elizabeth Tower, also known as Big Ben, became the structure's most famous detail with its striking four-faced clock.
One of the stars of the latest season of The Crown, Balmoral Castle has long served as the royal family's favorite holiday and summer getaway. Prince Albert purchased the original Scottish castle in 1852, but soon realized it was too small for the family.
He, Queen Victoria, and their children lived in the smaller castle while the Scottish Baronial–style castle we know as Balmoral was built. The Prince Consort was quite involved in the design process, working with father-son architects John and William Smith to create the turreted clocktower and main farmhouse.
The second jaw-dropping creation by English architect Charles Barry, Cliveden House was built in Italianate style for Duke and Duchess of Sutherland in 1850. The three-floor mansion overlooking the River Thames long served as a social hub and gathering place for the countless politicians and socialites who lived there through the years.
Eventually, the 376-acre estate was renovated into a five-star Relais & Châteaux hotel, which Meghan Markle famously stayed at the night before her wedding.
Architects Samuel and Joseph Newsom were commissioned by lumber baron William Carson to build a unique mansion that mixes key styles of Victorian architecture including Italianate, Queen Anne, and Eastlake.
The 19th-century building is made of materials from around the world, including white mahogany from Central America, redwood from northern California, and onyx from East India, Mexico, and the Philippines. In 1950, the Carson family sold the mansion to the private Ingomar Club, which uses the eye-catching home for private events.
The former summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was inspired by the Italian Renaissance estates the prince had seen during his tours of Italy.
While the Isle of Wight retreat is no longer used as a residence by the royal family, its interiors still are filled with ornate furniture and fine artworks treasured by the couple. The lush gardens, as well, are laid out in a similar manner as they were during the 19th-century, with blooming myrtle and magnolias.
The University of Manchester's Gothic masterpiece was named after the owner of Britain’s largest textile manufacturer and the city's first multimillionaire, John Rylands.
Commissioned in 1889, the cathedral-like structure blends traditional Gothic architecture with modern Art Nouveau metalwork and hints of Arts and Crafts decorative details. Today, the library houses a vast collection of rare books and more than a million manuscripts.
Considered an astounding feat of engineering for the 19th century, the Palm House in the Kew Gardens is constructed completely of iron and glass. Iron-maker Richard Turner borrowed techniques from the shipbuilding industry to make the grandiose greenhouse, designed by Decimus Burton, come to life.
Since its completion in 1848, the wrought-iron stunner has housed tropical and subtropical plants, including the oldest pot plant in the world.
Located in the heart of Banff National Park, the Fairmont Banff Springs draws on architectural elements from Scottish Baronial castles. The magnificent structure designed by Walter Painter, formerly known as the Banff Springs Hotel, was one of the earliest of Canada's grand railway hotels.
Named a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Castle of the Rockies continues to welcome guests to enjoy its marvelous 300 guest rooms, aromatherapy saunas, and golf course.