Architectural History of Buffalo, New York
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
Buffalo, New York is a perfect example of American architectural triumphs, as the city features a number of great examples of design by some of the country's most notable architects. A veritable museum of architecture, it is difficult to miss the splendor of these buildings. As historically significant as they are beautiful, buildings such as the Ellicott Square Building, Old Post Office and St. Paul's Cathedral still draw in visitors. Not only are the city's buildings important, but Buffalo is also renowned for its parks and urban planning. In this video, http://www.WatchMojo.com learns more about the architectural history of Buffalo, New York.
An Architectural Museum
It is easy to call Buffalo itself a museum for American architecture, as the city highlights the best efforts to come out of that school in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Buffalo features some of the most striking examples of design by the country’s most notable architects. It is also one of the first U.S. cities to have nurtured an experimental style that broke from the European aesthetic. Not only that, but this city is also impressive due to its parks and urban planning.
While many American cities have been razed to make way for new and more modern cities, Buffalo retains its unique aesthetic.
Ellicott Square Building
One example of innovative architecture found in Buffalo is the Ellicott Square Building. When it was completed in 1896, it was the largest office building in the world for sixteen years. Today, it sits regally at the corner of Main and Church Streets, roughly a block away from another architectural triumph: the Guaranty Building.
Old Post Office
With its 244-foot-tall tower, the Old Post Office was the tallest building in Buffalo between 1901 and 1912. A National Historic Place since 1972, this extraordinary building combines a number of different architectural styles built using costly Vermont pink granite.
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral is considered a U.S. National Historic Landmark, and has been since 1987. Originally completed in 1851, the building showcases Gothic revival style of architecture and is unique in that it does not follow the traditional cruciform shape of many churches.
Kleinhans Music Hall
Built at the end of the 1930s, the Kleinhans Music Hall is now the residence of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. The smooth, clean, sweeping lines of the building evoke the image of a musical instrument. Inside, the building is acoustically outstanding, though somewhat simple in its design.
Sometimes overlooked as a tourist attraction, Buffalo is definitely worth a visit for its architectural beauty alone.
