The architect of Parliament was a fan of Italian palaces

Science · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Sir Charles Barry won the commission for the Houses of Parliament in 1836, but his personal architectural preference was actually Classical. To create the Gothic masterpiece we see today, he had to compromise his own aesthetic vision, leading to a lifelong collaboration with a specialist who obsessed over every tiny detail.

While Barry is celebrated for the Gothic Revival style of the Palace of Westminster, his own architectural leanings were more Classical. He was a major contributor to Italianate architecture in Britain, specifically using the Palazzo as a model for city mansions and public buildings. His admiration for Italian architecture was deeply influenced by his 1817–1820 Grand Tour, where he studied the Palazzo Farnese and the Palazzo Strozzi.

The 1835 competition to redesign the Palace (following a fire in 1834) required a Gothic composition. To achieve this, the 40-year-old Barry turned to Augustus Welby Pugin, a 23-year-old Catholic architect who had devoted himself entirely to Gothic architecture. Barry paid Pugin £400 to assist with the competition drawings. During construction, Barry relied heavily on Pugin for the 'sumptuous' details, including carvings, gilt work, panelling, furniture, and even doorknobs and spill trays.

This collaboration created a lasting architectural tension. Pugin was famously displeased with the final result, remarking that it was 'All Grecian, sir; Tudor details on a classic body.' Despite this friction, both men worked endless hours on the project. Barry died in 1860 before the Palace was finished; it took another 10 years for his son, Edward Middleton Barry, to complete the work. The project remained a lifelong obsession for the elder Barry, who won the contest in 1836 and worked on it until his death.

Barry's expertise was built on a foundation of extensive travel. Between 1817 and 1820, he visited France, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, and Palestine. During this period, he created more than 500 sketches of antiquities, sculptures, and paintings, including sites like the Hagia Sophia and the pyramids of Giza. These experiences provided the technical breadth that allowed him to manage such a massive, multi-layered commission.

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