How to Make Architecture Great Again
A big update from Alex & Evan
First, a personal message (and a big update) from the writers, Alex and Evan…
We’re launching a brand new video podcast — right here on Substack.
When we started this letter, the goal was simple: get beautiful, thought-provoking content into your inbox, free of charge. Since January, we’ve published every Wednesday, searching for the good, true and beautiful — in everything from vernacular architecture to the mysteries of Mont-Saint-Michel.
Now, more than 90,000 of you are already reading each week. Thank you.
On Saturdays, we go deeper for premium readers, breaking apart history’s greatest art, literature and philosophy, and exposing what it has to offer our modern minds.
But we have bigger plans. We want to interview the brightest minds on the planet — great writers, historians, artists — and bring their unfiltered ideas directly to you.
So, we’re investing in doing so to the highest standard we can, and already have a phenomenal roster of thinkers lined up. Our conversations take place in our stunning location in Bergamo, hosted by our very own Evan Amato.
Today, we’re publishing our first full-length interview. We discuss the evolutionary need for beautiful architecture with Michael Diamant, one of the world’s foremost experts and advocates for classical construction. It’s an eye-opening conversation — and just the very beginning of what we have in store.
Remember: we are an almost entirely reader-supported publication.
Our premium readers make it possible to do what we do, which is why we’re investing in bringing so much more to all who support.
To receive our video podcast series direct to your inbox (and all our premium articles), please consider a subscription for just a few dollars a month.
Our first interview is available for premium members to watch in full — right now! Just click the image below…
To all readers: thank you for supporting our mission — and making it possible for us to throw absolutely everything at this project.
Alex & Evan.
Now, onto this week’s email — the 5 secular wonders of France…
France is one of the most visited countries on Earth, and Paris the tourist capital of the world. But besides the food and wine, why is it that so many people travel there?
From the treasures of the Louvre to the stunning island of Mont-Saint-Michel, beauty is one of — if not the — driving factor behind why millions flock to France each year.
But while a visit to a Gothic cathedral features in the schedule of most tourists, today we dive into five of France's most beautiful non-religious buildings. From palaces to aqueducts, these sites embody the essence of French architecture — they encapsulate in themselves the soul and history of this incredible country…
1) The Palace of Versailles
It’s impossible to talk about French architecture without beginning in Versailles. Located just outside Paris, the palace is the epitome of luxury and refinement — it was a residence designed to represent the grandeur of French royalty.
From the Hall of Mirrors to the nearly 2,000 acres that comprise the sprawling gardens, Versailles is opulent in all the best ways. Its chandeliers, gilded sculptures, fountains, statues, and meticulously designed gardens come together harmoniously to captivate, inspire, and — most importantly — provide a glimpse into the heights of what human artistry is capable of.
2) Palais Garnier
Built under the direction of Napoleon III, the Palais Garnier is a jewel of Parisian architecture. The 19th century opera house captures all the elegance and drama of the Second Empire — its famous grand staircase alone is worth the price of entry.
Lavish statues and meticulously designed gilded moldings add layers of refinement throughout, making the Palais Garnier truly “dramatic” in every sense of the word — from its artistic sensibilities, to the world-famous operas performed on its main stage.
3) Château de Chambord
Set in the Loire Valley, the Château de Chambord looks as though it was drawn straight from a Renaissance fairytale. Built in the 16th century for King Francis I, the château is a blend of Gothic and Renaissance elements that embody the artistic ambition of its era.
The château’s double-helix staircase, inspired (and possibly designed) by Leonardo da Vinci, allows two people to ascend without crossing paths — it was an innovation made possible by looking to the past for inspiration. Viewed from the outside, the château’s roofline forms a distinctive and timeless silhouette — countless chimneys and turrets evoke the romantic, enchanting nostalgia of French Renaissance architecture at its peak.
4) Pont du Gard
The Pont du Gard is the one structure on this list that predates France itself. Built in the 1st century AD, the aqueduct is a testament to the ingenuity of Roman engineering.
The three tiers of stone arches were fit together with such precision that the builders didn’t use any mortar — the stones are held in perfect balance by nothing but gravity. And it’s estimated that while in use, the aqueduct transported 11 million gallons of water over 30 miles to the citizens of Nîmes each day. It’s a wonder of Roman engineering, combining function with beauty to create a timeless piece of art.
5) Château de Fontainebleau
The Château de Fontainebleau is a royal residence of remarkable beauty and historical significance, having housed French royalty for nearly eight centuries. Its architecture blends medieval, Renaissance, and Classical styles seamlessly, with each era contributing to an aesthetic that tells the story of French history.
Inside the château, the Gallery of Francis I prefigures the grandeur of later Baroque art with its mythological frescoes and rich ornamentation. The apartment of Napoleon, the Chapel of the Trinity, and the expansive gardens make it clear why Fontainebleau was a favorite of kings, emperors, and visiting monarchs through the ages — it is, as Napoleon deemed it, “the true residence of kings, the house of the centuries.”
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This Saturday, we dive into the origins of Halloween, or "All Hallow's Eve" — from the Dance of Death to the Day of the Dead...
Art of the Week
Bernini’s bust of Louis XIV captures the French king with remarkable power and elegance. It was created during Bernini’s visit to France in 1665, and was considered a smashing success from the moment of its completion.
The bust is alive with movement, as Louis’s head turns slightly and his gaze lifts, giving him an almost divine quality. This posture elevates him from mortal man to God-ordained monarch, embodying the weight and authority of his reign.
As Bernini famously remarked about his creation, “Mere resemblance is inadequate. One must express what goes on in the heads of heroes.” His bust of King Louis XIV does just that, not only capturing an authentic likeness of the Sun King, but also portraying an idealized vision of kingship, akin to the glory and grandeur of Versailles itself.
I love Pont du garde. It's so ingenious in it's simplicity!
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