Episode
USA 250: Building a new Rome
- Podcast
- Instant Classics
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3176
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6634779841.mp3
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Summary
Shortly after its formation, the United States of America initiated a building program for both state and federal governments, turning to Ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. As Mary and Charlotte discover… In-between duties like writing the Declaration of Independence, acting as Minister to France and being President, Thomas Jefferson found time to make inspiration trips to study Roman architecture in France. Although he didn’t design the Capitol in Washington DC, he set the tone with his designs for Monticello (his Virginia home) as well as the University of Virginia and Virginia State Capitol. Over the decades, other influences gained greater prominence - whether nostalgic styles like the gothic or the modernity of Frank Lloyd Wright. But neo-classicism is on the rise once again. According to President Trump’s executive order Making Architecture Beautiful Again, ‘classical’ is the preferred style for federal buildings - in particular, the plan for a ‘United States Triumphal Arch’. Mary and Charlotte recommend some further reading: Donald Trump’s executive order on classical architecture. Edwin Heathcote, the architecture critic of the Financial Times, on triumphal arches and DC. The DC Commission of Fine Arts have published the schemes for Trump’s arch: https://www.cfa.gov/system/files/meeting-materials/1-CFA-16APR26-1-EOP_DOI_Arch-pres%20%5BApr9%5D.pdf The first scheme for the Navy Memorial, including the triumphal arch is shown here: https://escholarship.org/content/qt9r40k5hd/qt9r40k5hd_noSplash_87482e06371178d8fcd9bb449eb06f39.pdf A useful website for Jefferson’s classical architecture: https://www.monticello.org/jefferson-and/architecture The temporary triumphal arch in DC is pictured here: https://ggwash.org/view/40678/dc-once-had-its-own-arc-de-triomphe T…