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Media

Every image on the site in one place: photographs, postcards, engravings and maps. Click an image on the website to enlarge it.

The page has two parts:

  • Found images. Interesting images the owner has come across that don't (yet) belong to a building entry: book illustrations, screenshots, odd photographs. These are added by hand.
  • Building images. Every image saved in a building's images/ folder, grouped by country and building, with the caption it has in the entry. This part is generated automatically by scripts/build_index.py, so there's no need to edit it by hand.

Found images

To add one, save it in media/images/ (short lowercase file name with hyphens, under about 1600px wide), then add a block below with the image, a caption (date, author, source and licence, as far as they're known) and any notes. Label claims with the evidence labels (Documented, Observed, Reported, Speculative) where it helps.

The Tabernacle ("Das Heiligthum"), from a German Bible

Engraving of the Tabernacle drawn as a temple of slender columns with Corinthian capitals and a decorated roof, with curtains being drawn over a long frame by men on ladders, and robed figures in the foreground, on a page of German text printed in Fraktur Engraving captioned "Das Heiligthum o[der] …" ("The sanctuary, or …"), from a German Bible printed in Fraktur type, photographed with a finger pointing at the page. Supplied by the owner; the photograph appears to be a still from a video. Edition, date, photographer and licence to be confirmed.

  • What it shows. The Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary of the Israelites described in Exodus 25–27 and 36–38. It is drawn cut away: on the left a columned structure with Corinthian capitals and a ceiling decorated with cherubim and flowers, on the right a long frame being covered with curtains by men on ladders. Two parts are lettered A and B, so the original page probably had a key.
  • The surrounding text. The page is from an alphabetical word list (a Bible dictionary or glossary): the entries visible are Talent ("Geldsumme; sein Werth, je nachdem es Gold oder Silber [war], betrug ungefähr 1500, … 23,000 Thaler", a sum of money worth about 1,500 or 23,000 thalers depending on whether gold or silver) and Tammuz ("Götzenbild Adonis", the idol Adonis). Observed.
  • Dating clue. The spellings Heiligthum and Werth, and prices given in thalers, point to a book printed before the German spelling reform of 1901–1902 and probably before the mark replaced the thaler in 1873–1876. Observed; this is an inference from the spelling, not a confirmed date.
  • Why it's interesting. Exodus describes the Tabernacle as boards of acacia wood overlaid with gold, standing in silver sockets, with curtains and coverings of skins. The engraver has instead drawn classical columns with Corinthian capitals, a style from Greece many centuries later. That could simply be the 19th-century habit of drawing ancient buildings in the architecture of the day, or a sign that the artist was working from older temple images. Speculative.
  • Leads. Identify the edition: search the Internet Archive, Google Books and the Münchener DigitalisierungsZentrum for German Bibles with a word list containing "Das Heiligthum oder die Stiftshütte" (the usual German name for the Tabernacle). Find the video the still was taken from, which should name the book.

Building images

79 images from 13 buildings.

Australia

Royal Exhibition Building (8)

The south front of the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, seen across Carlton Gardens with orange and purple tulips in the foreground and the main dome behind The south front from Carlton Gardens. The dome, flanking towers and ornate arcade are all original to 1880. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (licence to be confirmed).

Engraving from The Australasian Sketcher, 8 June 1878, showing the prize-winning design for the Melbourne International Exhibition Building Prize design for the Melbourne International Exhibition Building. From The Australasian Sketcher, 8 June 1878. The completed building followed this design closely. Public domain.

Engraving showing the building under construction with heavy scaffolding and labourers, captioned "The Works at the Melbourne International Exhibition" "The Works at the Melbourne International Exhibition" — engraving showing construction in progress, c.1879. Public domain.

Bird's-eye engraving of the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition of 1888, showing the main hall dwarfed by its enormous temporary annexes extending across the site Bird's-eye view of the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition of 1888. The main hall (right, with dome) is almost hidden behind the vast temporary annexes. Public domain.

Historic black-and-white photograph showing smashed timber and iron debris in the foreground, with the Royal Exhibition Building dome visible in the background Demolition or collapse of the exhibition annexes, date uncertain. The main dome survives in the background. Source: National Library of Australia (licence to be confirmed).

Ground-level photograph of the east facade of the Royal Exhibition Building, with a stone memorial in the foreground and the ornate arched entrance behind East facade and entrance. A stone memorial stands in the foreground gardens. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (licence to be confirmed).

Ground-level photograph of the south facade from the circular garden, showing the rose window above the main arch and Melbourne's CBD skyline in the distance South facade from the circular garden, with the rose window above the main arch. Melbourne's CBD skyline is visible to the left. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (licence to be confirmed).

Aerial photograph looking north-west over the Royal Exhibition Building, showing the full plan of the building with its nave, transepts and dome, surrounded by Carlton Gardens Aerial view looking north-west, showing the full plan of nave, transepts and dome set within Carlton Gardens. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (licence to be confirmed).

Italy

Villa Sultana (Villa "La Sultana") (5)

Engraving of Villa Sultana with its three domes, arcaded front and terraced gardens Villa Sultana as a casino: 19th-century engraving showing the three domes, arcades and landscaped grounds.

Early photograph of the casino from the promenade, with a horse-drawn carriage in the foreground Early photograph from the promenade below the gardens. A horse-drawn carriage waits in the foreground.

Colour postcard titled "Ospedaletti – Le Casino", showing the casino above the coast road and railway Postcard: "Ospedaletti – Le Casino". The casino above the coastal railway, with the sea on the right.

Guests in Edwardian dress on the curved casino steps, captioned "Ouverture Casino Ospedaletti 1911" Guests on the casino steps, captioned "Ouverture Casino Ospedaletti 1911" (Casino opening, Ospedaletti, 1911). Photo: A. P… (name partly hidden).

Aerial view of the derelict Villa Sultana today, with damaged domes, overgrown terraces and site fencing The villa today: derelict, with vegetation on the dome and an open, roofless arcade. Image dated 2020.

UK

All Saints Church, Marlow (2)

A black ledger stone set in the church floor, carved with the words "Life on Earth", "to an Eternal one", "26th of April J722" and "of Her Age", with a shoe at the bottom of the picture A ledger stone in the floor of All Saints, Marlow, with the date carved "26th of April J722". Photograph by the owner.

Enlarged detail of the date line, showing "26th of April" followed by a J-shaped figure with a tail below the line, then 7, 2 and 2 Detail of the date: "26th of April J722". The first figure of the year is shaped like a J, with a tail dropping below the line; the 7 also drops below the line, in the old-style figures of the period. See A "J" date inside the church. Photograph by the owner.

Leeds Town Hall (4)

Leeds Town Hall today, a dark stone classical building with rows of columns, a tall clock tower with a dome, stone lions by the front steps and traffic in the foreground Leeds Town Hall today from the Headrow, with the lions of 1867 by the front steps. Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Watercolour of Leeds Town Hall in pale stone standing in a wide unpaved square, with women in wide hooped skirts, men in top hats, riders in red coats, a horse and cart, a statue on a pedestal at left and factory chimneys at right A watercolour of the Town Hall in its new state, probably 1850s (artist and date to be confirmed; possibly a design or presentation drawing). The women's crinolines and the men's top hats are the fashions of about 1855–65. See Out of place, as if discovered? Supplied by the owner; source and licence to be confirmed.

Carved stone group of six robed classical female figures in the arch over the entrance, holding a lyre, a wreath, a globe, a column and tools, with owls behind The sculpture in the arch over the main entrance: robed classical figures, the central one crowned and holding a wreath, with others holding a lyre (music), a globe (science), a column (architecture) and tools and a cogwheel (industry), with owls (wisdom) behind. The sculptor and the exact subjects need confirming. Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

The Victoria Hall, with tiered seating, red marble columns, a gilded ceiling and the great organ filling the far end The Victoria Hall, set up for a concert, with the organ filling the far end. Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Lyceum Theatre, Newport (7)

Coloured postcard of the Lyceum Theatre, Newport: a classical building with six Corinthian columns on an arcaded ground floor, a pediment topped by a seated statue and the word LYCEUM, and a long side wall of arched windows "Lyceum Theatre, Newport, Mon.", coloured postcard, probably about 1900–1910. Supplied by the owner; publisher and licence to be confirmed, though an image of this age is likely to be out of copyright.

Enlarged detail of the coloured postcard showing the top of the pediment, with a seated female figure wearing a helmet or crown and holding a staff, the word LYCEUM, a sculpted figure at the left-hand corner, and a roundel in the pediment Detail of the coloured postcard: the seated figure on top of the pediment, much like Britannia, with the LYCEUM lettering and a sculpted figure or beast at the corner. See A small Parthenon, near a Roman fortress.

Black-and-white photograph of a badly weathered seated stone statue on a carved pedestal, its face worn away, with a man in a hat and suit looking up at it from scaffolding The statue from the top of the pediment, close up, probably mid-20th century (date and photographer to be confirmed; perhaps taken for a newspaper before the demolition of 1961). A man on scaffolding inspects the figure, which is badly weathered: its face is almost gone, it has wavy hair, a bare right arm on a block and falling robes, and its pedestal carries two worn carved faces, possibly theatrical masks. It is said to be Queen Victoria, but the owner doubts this can be confirmed from its condition. Supplied by the owner; source and licence to be confirmed.

Print titled Victoria Hall showing the building with six Corinthian columns, a pediment with a standing statue on top and a lion at each corner, carriages and people in front "Victoria Hall", print published by Rock & Co., London, dated 12 May 1874: the building before the fire of 1896, already with its portico, its statue and lions on the pediment, and the urns along the side. Supplied by the owner; publisher and licence to be confirmed, though an image of this age is likely to be out of copyright.

Enlarged detail of the 1874 print showing a robed figure standing on top of the pediment, a lion at each lower corner, and a roundel in the pediment Detail of the 1874 print: a standing robed figure on top, a lion at each corner, and a roundel in the pediment.

Early postcard of Bridge Street, Newport, with the Queen's Hotel on the left and the Lyceum on the right, a classical building with giant columns, LYCEUM lettered on its pediment, and a domed shelter and horse-drawn cart in the street Postcard, "Bridge St, Newport", probably about 1900–1910. On the right, the Lyceum: giant Corinthian columns on an arcaded ground floor, a pediment lettered LYCEUM, and a long side wall down Bridge Street with an "EARLY DOORS" sign. On the left, the Queen's Hotel; in the street, a domed shelter, a horse-drawn cart and passers-by. Supplied by the owner; this copy is from Arthur Lloyd's theatre history website (arthurlloyd.co.uk) and carries its watermark. The postcard itself is likely out of copyright, but permission for this scan, or a clean copy of the postcard, should be sought.

Enlarged detail of the postcard showing the Lyceum's pediment with a sculpted figure at its left-hand corner beside the word LYCEUM, the tall columns of the portico, and urn-shaped ornaments along the top of the side wall Detail of the postcard above, enlarged three times: a sculpted figure stands on the left-hand corner of the pediment beside the LYCEUM lettering, and ornaments run along the top of the side wall. At this resolution the figure can't be identified. See A small Parthenon, near a Roman fortress.

Manchester Town Hall (9)

Manchester Town Hall from Albert Square, with its tall clock tower and spire, the Albert Memorial on the left and a statue in the foreground Manchester Town Hall from Albert Square, with the Albert Memorial on the left. Supplied by the owner from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons); photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Early black-and-white photograph of Manchester Town Hall with its clock tower, seen across an almost empty Albert Square, with the Albert Memorial on the right An early photograph of the finished Town Hall, probably late 1870s or 1880s (date not confirmed). Albert Square is almost empty: there are none of the statues that now stand in it, and hardly any people can be seen. Long exposure is the usual explanation, but there are reasons to doubt it here (see An empty square). The street level along the front looks much as it does today. The clock faces appear to have no hands (see A clock without hands). Supplied by the owner; photographer, source and licence to be confirmed.

Sepia photograph of the newly finished Manchester Town Hall across an empty, unpaved Albert Square, with the Albert Memorial on the right and two clock faces on the tower that have numerals but no hands The Town Hall across an empty Albert Square, with the Albert Memorial on the right. A sharper print of what seems to be the same view as the photograph above. Both clock faces show numerals but no hands. Probably about 1877 (not confirmed). Supplied by the owner; photographer, source and licence to be confirmed.

Enlarged strip of the street in front of the Town Hall, showing railings, gas lamps, the main porch and a single man standing sharply by the steps, with the square empty Detail of the photograph above, enlarged: the pavement and the main porch. One man stands by the steps, sharply recorded, and there are no blurred figures or vehicle streaks anywhere in the square. See An empty square.

The Great Hall of Manchester Town Hall, with a hammerbeam roof painted with coats of arms, chandeliers, the organ case at the far end, a white statue and murals on the side walls The Great Hall, with its painted hammerbeam roof, Ford Madox Brown's murals on the side walls, and the organ at the far end. The organ was built in 1877 by the French maker Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, the only Cavaillé-Coll organ in the UK; it is being restored (see Sound and cymatics). Supplied by the owner from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons); photographer and licence to be confirmed.

An upper hall with a mosaic floor decorated with bees, a glass roof on stone arches, busts on pedestals and a round traceried window at the far end An upper hall with a mosaic floor of bees, the symbol of industrious Manchester, under a glass roof on stone arches. At the far end is a round traceried window, and along the frieze runs the city's motto, "Concilio et Labore". Supplied by the owner from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons); photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Enlarged view of the hall's glass roof, showing yellow bands painted with mayors' names and years such as 1851, 1863–1864, 1923, 1924 and 1925 Detail of the glass roof, enlarged: the yellow bands carry the names of mayors and their years in office, from the 1850s to the 1920s. See Dates and inscriptions. Detail of the photograph above.

A large reception room with a coffered timber ceiling decorated with gilded suns, portraits on green patterned walls, a gallery, fireplaces and chandeliers One of the state rooms, with a coffered timber ceiling studded with gilded suns, panelling, fireplaces and portraits of past civic leaders. Supplied by the owner from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons); photographer and licence to be confirmed.

A long vaulted corridor with painted geometric ceiling vaults, banded stone walls, tiled dado, stained-glass windows and a mosaic floor One of the vaulted corridors, with painted vaults, banded stonework, tiles and a mosaic floor. Supplied by the owner from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons); photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Palm House, Kew Gardens (2)

The Palm House at Kew today, a long curved glasshouse with a tall central section and lower wings, behind flower beds and lawns The Palm House today, seen across its flower beds. Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Hand-coloured print titled "Great Palm House, Kew Gardens", showing the glasshouse on the right, the pond, a tall tower in the distance, the Pagoda at far right, and visitors in Victorian dress "Great Palm House, Kew Gardens", hand-coloured print numbered 46, probably 1850s–60s (date not confirmed; the women's crinolines suggest these years). The Palm House is on the right, with palms visible through the glass. Across the pond stands a tall tower, which appears to be Burton's Campanile, the disguised chimney for the boilers, and on the far right is the Pagoda of 1762. Supplied by the owner; publisher and licence to be confirmed, though a print of this age is likely to be out of copyright.

Royal Albert Hall (3)

The Royal Albert Hall seen from the Albert Memorial, with its red brick drum, frieze and glass dome under a blue sky The Royal Albert Hall seen from the steps of the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens, with the memorial's canopy and one of its corner sculpture groups on the left. Modern photo; photographer, source and licence to be confirmed.

The Royal Albert Hall under construction, with the oval ring of lower walls in scaffolding and a large curved glasshouse behind The hall's lower walls and arena under construction, seen from the north, probably 1867–68 (date not confirmed). Behind is the Royal Horticultural Society's Great Conservatory (1861), with a small domed pavilion on each side. Photographer unknown. Via Kevin Kelly Architects.

The side of the Royal Albert Hall cut open by a deep excavation held apart by steel props, showing plain brick walls below the decorated red brick above The Great Excavation, c. 2017–19: the hall's wall continues a storey or more below today's ground, in plain brick below the red brick and terracotta above. A framed opening is partly visible low down on the far right. Via Kevin Kelly Architects.

Royal Courts of Justice (5)

The Gothic front of the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, with the central arched entrance, rose window and spire The main front on the Strand, with the central entrance arch, rose window and flèche. Wikimedia Commons; author and licence to be confirmed.

A courtyard at the Royal Courts of Justice, with red brick walls banded in pale stone, tall chimneys and a flight of steps up to an arched entrance A courtyard within the Royal Courts of Justice. Away from the Strand, the walls are red brick banded with stone, matching the listing's description of "Portland stone ashlar and red bricks". The entrance on the left is reached up a flight of steps. Wikimedia Commons; author and licence to be confirmed.

The vaulted Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice, with a long patterned marble mosaic floor, a large chandelier and a white statue at the left The Great Hall, about 238 ft long and 80 ft high, with its stone vault and marble mosaic floor. A white marble statue stands in the arcade on the left; it may be Armstead's memorial statue of Street, but this needs confirming. Wikimedia Commons; author and licence to be confirmed.

Early postcard titled "Royal Courts of Justice, London", looking along the Strand to the clock tower, with horse-drawn cabs and a tall ladder against one of the towers Postcard, "Royal Courts of Justice, London", probably c. 1900–1910, looking east along the Strand towards the clock tower, with horse-drawn cabs. A tall ladder stands against the octagonal tower to the right of the main entrance. Supplied by the owner; publisher and date to be confirmed.

Early postcard titled "Law Courts, Strand, London", showing the main entrance arch, rose window and flèche, with a horse-drawn cab in the road Postcard, "Law Courts, Strand, London", probably c. 1900–1910, showing the main entrance, rose window and flèche. The same ladder stands against the same tower. The street level at the entrance looks much as it does today. Supplied by the owner; publisher and date to be confirmed.

St George's Hall, Liverpool (4)

St George's Hall from Lime Street, a long stone building with rows of giant Corinthian columns on a raised base with steps, and an equestrian statue in front St George's Hall today, from the east, with its Corinthian colonnade on a raised base. Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

The Great Hall of St George's Hall, with a coffered barrel vault, red granite columns, chandeliers, statues, the organ and a stained-glass window at the far end, and the patterned Minton floor uncovered The Great Hall, with its coffered barrel vault on red granite columns, statues of local worthies, the Willis organ and stained glass at the far end, and the Minton tile floor uncovered. Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Bronze and gilded doors with pierced panels of scrolling foliage, tridents, a panel with the letters SPQL, roundels with classical heads, and dolphins The bronze doors of the Great Hall, marked "SPQL", with Neptune's tridents and dolphins, and what looks like Mercury's staff with snakes. See Built like the Romans? Supplied by the owner, apparently from Wikimedia Commons; photographer and licence to be confirmed.

Wood engraving of a crowded Christmas party in the Great Hall, with rows of seated people, a procession of children carrying lanterns, and spectators in the galleries "Messrs. Cope's Christmas Entertainment to their Workpeople at St. George's Hall, Liverpool": an engraving of the hall in use, probably from the "Illustrated London News" in the 1860s (publication and date to be confirmed). Cope's were Liverpool tobacco manufacturers. Supplied by the owner; a print of this age is likely to be out of copyright.

Tower Bridge (7)

Tower Bridge today from the river, with its two stone towers, the high walkways, the lowered bascules and the pale blue suspension chains in evening sun Tower Bridge today, seen from the river in evening light, with the bascules lowered. Photographer, source and licence to be confirmed.

Tower Bridge under construction, with both steel towers and the high walkways standing over the Thames and the suspension chains being put up, captioned "Tower Bridge works Sep 28th 1892" "Tower Bridge works Sep 28th 1892" (date written on the photograph). The steel frames of both towers and the high walkways are up, with cranes on top. The right-hand tower is still mostly bare steel above its stone base; the left-hand tower is partly clad. The suspension chains of the north side span are being erected on timber staging.

Both towers of Tower Bridge clad in stone up to the walkways, with bare steel pyramid frames on top for the roofs, cranes, and timber staging in the river Probably 1893 (date not confirmed). Both towers are now clad in stone up to the walkways, but their roofs are still bare steel pyramid frames, with a crane on top of the right-hand tower. Timber staging stands in the river around the piers. Bare steel can still be seen on the inner face of the left-hand tower, below the walkway.

One tower of Tower Bridge from the riverbank, with scaffolding at the top, the suspension chains of the side span, and timber piles in the river, with men and rowing boats in the foreground Probably 1893–94 (date not confirmed). One tower seen from the riverbank, with scaffolding still on its roof and turrets. The steel suspension chains of the side span hang from the tower, and lines of timber piles from the temporary staging stand in the water.

Looking down from the high-level walkway at one of the towers, whose inner face below the walkways is still bare braced steel between stone-clad corners, with the Tower of London on the left Probably 1894 (date not confirmed), looking from one of the high walkways towards a tower, with the Tower of London on the left. The top of the tower is finished, but below the walkways its inner face is still bare, cross-braced steel between the stone-clad corner turrets. This is the clearest view of the steel frame that the stone was built around.

Tower Bridge nearly complete, seen from the riverside with sailing barges, a steam tug and rowing boats, scaffolding still on the tops of the towers; marked "493. FF&Co." Nearly complete, probably 1894 (date not confirmed), seen from the riverside, with a Thames sailing barge, a steam tug and rowing boats. Scaffolding is still on the tops of both towers. The plate is marked "493. FF&Co.", which may be the catalogue number of Francis Frith & Co., the photographic publishers (to be confirmed).

Enlarged detail of the view from the walkway, showing the top of the pier with a hut, lamp standards and several small figures of workmen Detail of the view from the walkway, enlarged: several workmen can be made out on top of the pier, one standing to the left of the right-hand column and a group sitting near the right-hand edge, with more figures by the railing at the top left. See Where are the workers?.

USA

Pennsylvania Station, New York (15)

Pennsylvania Station's long granite colonnade, with the great arched windows of the waiting room rising behind, horse-drawn carts in the street, a contractor's hut and sign, stacked timber, and an excavated block in the foreground Pennsylvania Station's colonnade, with the waiting room's arched windows behind. Building materials, a contractor's hut and a sign reading "George A. Fuller Company, Building Construction" are still on the pavement on the right, so this was probably taken shortly before the opening in 1910. Detroit Publishing Co.; Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (det.4a23398), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

High view of Pennsylvania Station from the north-east, showing the granite colonnades, the raised block of the waiting room with its great arched windows, the concourse roofs behind, and the brick tenements and rooftops of the surrounding streets The station from the north-east, 1910s, with the tenements of the old neighbourhood around it. Its size against the surrounding streets is clear. In the bottom left is what seems to be the same excavated block as in the photograph above. Which block it is hasn't been checked; the General Post Office site across Eighth Avenue, dug in these years, is one possibility. Detroit Publishing Co., catalogued as between 1910 and 1920; Library of Congress (det.4a24329), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Painting of the deep excavation at dusk, with dark tenement blocks on the rim, smoke and steam rising from machines in the pit, snow on the ground and a few workmen in the foreground "Pennsylvania Station Excavation", oil on canvas by George Bellows, about 1907–1909 (Brooklyn Museum, 67.205.1). The pit, with steam engines working in it and the old neighbourhood's tenements on the rim. Via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Glass-plate photograph captioned "Penn. R.R. Site Oct. '08": a vast excavated pit with rock walls, a curving timber trestle carrying a railway, stacked steel, a small locomotive, and old brick buildings and a church along the rim "Penn. R.R. Site, Oct. '08", written on the plate (no. 487-7): the pit before the steel went up. Bain News Service; Library of Congress (LCCN 2014682318), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Glass-plate photograph captioned "P.R.R. Terminal Oct. '08": the bare steel frame of the station, with columns, girders and floor beams over the whole site, tall derricks working on top, and Macy's store in the background "P.R.R. Terminal, Oct. '08" (plate 487-8): the steel skeleton of the station, with derricks on top and Macy's store behind. Bain News Service; Library of Congress (LCCN 2014682319), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Glass-plate photograph captioned "P.R.R. Terminal Oct. '08": the granite colonnade and pediment being built, with columns standing and no roof between them, steelwork and derricks above, cut stone on the ground, and a sign reading "George A. Fuller Company, Building Construction" "P.R.R. Terminal, Oct. '08" (plate 487-9): the granite colonnade being set onto the steel, with derricks above and the builder's sign on the left. Bain News Service; Library of Congress (LCCN 2014682320), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Glass-plate photograph captioned "Penn. R.R. Station, New York, May '09": the finished granite front and colonnade, with the steel roof of the waiting room still being erected above the arched windows, derricks on top, and an excavated block in the foreground "Penn. R.R. Station, New York, May '09" (plate 342-13): the stone front finished, with the steel roof over the waiting room still being put up. It is taken from almost the same spot as the photograph at the top of this entry, which must therefore be later. Bain News Service; Library of Congress (LCCN 2014681599), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Book page with three photographs: a wide view of the huge excavated pit with the city skyline behind; a work car in a rock tunnel under Fifth Avenue; and a long timber loading pier with heaps of rock on scows in the river A page from Pennsylvania Railroad Tunnels and Terminals in New York City by William Wirt Mills (Moses King, 1908). The printed caption reads: "STATION EXCAVATION, begun July 1, '04, after removing 400 buildings; completed, '07; 2,050 by 500 ft. depth, 45 ft. east end, 60 ft. west end; 2,500,000 cubic yds. excavated by N. Y. Contracting Company; concrete retaining walls 30 ft. at bottom, 5 ft. at top. UNDER FIFTH AVE., tunnels built by United Eng. & Con. Co. LOADING SCOWS with material taken from big station excavation." Internet Archive Book Images, via Wikimedia Commons. No known copyright restrictions.

Two photographs of tunnel construction: muddy workmen standing on a timber platform inside a tunnelling shield with curved segments overhead; and a long circular tunnel lined with bolted iron rings, with a bulkhead door and lights in the distance Building the tunnels that brought trains to the station: workmen in a tunnelling shield, and a finished length of tunnel lined with iron rings. From the same 1908 book (Internet Archive Book Images, via Wikimedia Commons). No known copyright restrictions.

Impressionist painting of a deep pit in snow-covered ground, with workmen, a small steam locomotive, derricks and smoking chimneys around it, and tall buildings beyond "Excavation – Penn Station", oil on canvas by Ernest Lawson, 1906 (Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum). Workmen, derricks and a small steam locomotive work around the pit in winter. Via Wikimedia Commons (from The Athenaeum). Public domain.

Colour photograph of the station's granite front at Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street in 1966: the sculpture group of two robed figures around a covered clock, with eagles either side, above a colonnade; a long banner reading "New Madison Square Garden Sports Center, Redeveloped Pennsylvania Station", a Turner Construction Company sign, and new steelwork visible between the columns The Seventh Avenue front on 25 June 1966, during the demolition. Weinman's Day and Night figures and four eagles are still in place, but the clock between them is covered with a dark sheet, with a ladder above. A banner advertises the "New Madison Square Garden Sports Center" and "Redeveloped Pennsylvania Station", and the steel frame of the new building can be seen through the colonnade. Photograph by Hikki Nagasaki, via TrainWeb and Wikimedia Commons, where it is marked as public domain (not independently checked).

Photograph of the main waiting room in 1911: a vast hall with giant Corinthian columns, coffered vaults, huge arched windows letting in hazy light, a bronze statue in a niche on the left with an inscribed plaque, wide steps in the foreground and small groups of travellers on the floor, some blurred The main waiting room in 1911, from the steps down from the arcade, with the statue of Alexander Cassatt in its niche on the left. A large clock is set high in the arch on the right; at this resolution its hands can't be made out. Library of Congress (LCCN 2004670836), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Etching of the station concourse: steel lattice arches rising like branches into glass vaults, crowds on the floor below, and stairs going down to the platforms "The Hall of Iron, Pennsylvania Station, New York": the concourse, etched by Joseph Pennell in 1919 (trial proof). Library of Congress (LCCN 2003673809), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Black-and-white photograph of the waiting room in 1962: coffered vault, great arched window, fluted Corinthian columns and travertine walls, with a low modern ticket counter and canopy built across the floor The waiting room on 8 May 1962, photographed for the Historic American Buildings Survey before the demolition. The coffered vault, columns and arched windows are intact, but a modern ticket counter with a sloping canopy has been built across the floor. Cervin Robinson; Library of Congress (HABS NY-5471), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Black-and-white photograph of the concourse in 1962: tall riveted steel lattice columns and arches carrying a glass roof, a hanging clock with hands, and stairs and railings leading down to the tracks The concourse in May 1962: riveted steel lattice columns and arches under a glass roof, with a hanging clock. Cervin Robinson for the Historic American Buildings Survey; Library of Congress (HABS NY-5471), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

United States Capitol (8)

The west front of the Capitol seen from above the Mall: the white dome topped by the Statue of Freedom, the long marble wings on either side, terraces and steps, and lawns and flower beds in front The west front of the Capitol today, with the dome, the marble wings of 1851–1868 and Olmsted's terraces. Architect of the Capitol, 1997, via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Thornton's design drawing of the Capitol's east front: a long two-storey classical building with a central pedimented portico and a low dome William Thornton's east elevation, with a low dome: ink, watercolour and graphite, about 1793. Library of Congress (LCCN 92519533), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Daguerreotype of the Capitol's east front in about 1846, with the low ribbed dome on a drum, the central portico, smaller domes over the two wings, and a fountain and young trees in front The east front in about 1846, before the extension and the iron dome. Bulfinch's low dome of wood and copper is in the centre, and the sandstone east portico, whose columns now stand at the National Arboretum, is below it. Daguerreotype by John Plumbe; Library of Congress (cph.3g03595), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Watercolour of the burned Capitol in 1814: two pale stone wings with blackened, empty windows, joined by a low brick wall where the centre section had not yet been built, with figures and rubble on the grass in front "U.S. Capitol after burning by the British", watercolour by George Munger, 1814. The two wings stand as shells with burned-out windows, and the centre section between them, where the Rotunda would later go, had not yet been built. Library of Congress (LCCN 2004662324), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Photograph of the Capitol in about 1860 with the new dome half built: the columned drum complete, the iron ribs of the upper dome rising in an open cage, and a tall crane on top, behind a line of trees The new dome under construction, about 1860: the drum and its columns are up, the iron ribs of the upper dome are being raised, and a crane stands at the top. Library of Congress (LCCN 2009631424), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Photograph of a large brick foundry building with arched windows and signs reading "Iron Foundry and Machine Shop" and "Janes & Kirtland", with two men standing in front The iron foundry of Janes & Kirtland in New York, which cast the iron for the dome. US Capitol (Architect of the Capitol), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Albumen photograph of the Capitol from the north-east in 1863: the dome nearly complete with a crane on top, the new marble wing on the right with scaffolding and a derrick, and curved cast-iron dome pieces and stone lying on the ground "Capitol, Washington, D.C., north-east view. Dome and front unfinished, June 28, 1863", photograph by Andrew J. Russell. The dome is nearly up, with a crane at the top, and curved iron castings for it lie on the ground in the foreground. Library of Congress (LCCN 2004680121), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Twenty-two tall Corinthian sandstone columns standing on a stone platform in a grassy meadow, reflected in a long rectangular pool, with trees behind The National Capitol Columns at the US National Arboretum: the sandstone columns of the old east portico, taken down in 1958–1962 and set up here in 1990. Carol M. Highsmith; Library of Congress (LCCN 2011630897), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.