Downtown Savannah Homes - Richardsonian Romanesque

It's impossible to give a true representation of this powerful, multifaceted building with a picture. It's one of the few Richardsonian Romanesque style homes in Savannah. The style is named after the great architect Henry Hobson Richardson who made the style popular in the late 19th century.

The Richardsonian Romanesque is characterized by Romanesque arches, towers (on most) and masonry siding - and the facade is asymmetrical. The windows and entry are recessed beneath the arches.

This style was mostly used for public building, churches and universities because of the cost of construction -- usually, only the wealthiest citizens could afford this style for a home. The different colored, decorative stone work is what makes it distinctive. There is a heaviness and seriousness about the style that Bainbridge Bunting, in is book Houses of Boston's Back Bay, called "gloomy robustness".

If you are ever in Savannah it is on the east side of Huntington Street and is worth the visit.