Introduction

(Description and Reasons for Selection)

The Tryon Palace, located in beautiful downtown New Bern, North Carolina, exemplifies Georgian style architecture. This particular style is characterized by Renaissance-inspired classical details, including a finely proportioned entry door frame with Roman Doric columns and a triangular pediment, and a larger pediment protruding from the roof. The Tryon Palace possesses these and other features of Georgian architecture. The redbrick building stands two stories high.

The focal point of the building is perhaps King George III’s Coat of Arms, which is on the larger palace pediment. On the left, we see a lion, which represents England; on the right, a unicorn symbolizes Scotland. The motto between the two means "Shame to he who thinks evil," and the motto below means "God and my right." (Kings believed that their status was a God-given right.)

Why did I choose the palace as the subject for my final project? Well, first of all, since I have been taking this class, I find myself analyzing the paintings on the walls in restaurants. Even so, I had never really applied the concepts I have learned to architecture. I thought this would be a good way to learn more about architecture and The Tryon Palace. Yes, I have always been mesmerized by the palace’s beauty and elegance, but before this course, I did not really look any deeper than that into works of art. I also thought that there was a good possibility many of my classmates who are locals would be familiar with the building and would like to learn more about it. The fact that the palace has such a rich, eventful history was also a deciding factor, as well as its outstanding significance to the community.