Browse Hierarchy HST5227: The Buildings of London I: From the Ashes of Fire to the Capital of Empire

Taught by numerous site visits to historic buildings alongside lectures and seminars, this course introduces students to the study of architecture by exploring buildings in the London area from the start of the seventeenth century to the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. During the course, we will witness London burn to the ground, be comprehensively rebuilt, and then expand from a small European capital into the largest city in the world. Along the way, we will encounter a wide variety of buildings including cathedrals, palaces, churches, synagogues, breweries, shops, and hospitals. Students will acquire skills in looking at, reading, and understanding buildings and become adept at using them as historical evidence. Students will also learn how to relate architecture to its social, political, and intellectual context, and develop insights into the ways that buildings may carry and convey meaning, whether to an expert or to a more general audience. No prior knowledge of architecture or architectural history is required to undertake the course.