A History of Architecture in all Countries, Volumes 1 and 2, 3rd ed. From the Earliest Times to the Present Day

About this book

This work is a scholarly survey of architectural development from the earliest civilizations to the modern era, presented in two volumes of the third edition. The opening pages explain the book’s lineage, noting how each successive edition has been revised to incorporate the latest archaeological measurements, such as Petrie’s pyramid data and Dieulafoy’s photographs of Persian sites. The editor, R. Phené Spiers, details the extensive updates, new footnotes, corrected woodcuts, and added illustrations, while preserving James Fergusson’s original framework. The prefatory material also outlines the intended scope: a comprehensive description of ancient styles across the Old and New Worlds, with plans for a separate volume on Indian architecture. This introductory material sets the stage for a meticulously referenced, illustration‑rich narrative that traces the evolution of building forms across cultures.

The text reflects the Victorian‑era tone of a learned gentleman’s treatise, combining dense factual commentary with a didactic voice. Its style is formal, heavily footnoted, and interspersed with detailed descriptions of monuments such as Cologne Cathedral and the Parthenon. Readers who appreciate exhaustive historical scholarship, architecture students seeking a 19th‑century perspective, or enthusiasts of antiquarian studies will find the book’s exhaustive cataloguing and critical revisions engaging. Those interested in the historiography of architecture, rather than a narrative adventure, will be most satisfied by its methodical approach.