Can You Identify the Architectural Styles of These Famous American Buildings?

Art Deco took off around WWI and can be seen in buildings, vehicles, fashion and more. The Chrysler Building and Rockefeller Plaza in New York City are famous examples of Art Deco architecture. After WWII, Art Deco started to decline and modern architecture styles arose.

The Founding Fathers were strongly influenced by the Greek and Roman empires. The influence can be seen in our legislation as well as architecture all over Washington, D.C. Neoclassicism was so prevalent during America's founding it was later grouped into a category called Federal architecture.

Seattle's Space Needle was completed in 1961, just in time for the 1962 World's Fair. The structure was one of the tallest structures on America's west coast back in the 1960s and was built to withstand 200 mph winds and earthquakes up to 9.1 magnitude.

The Pentagon was completed in 1943. It has five sides, five above-ground floors and five corridors per level. The building can be described as modern and neoclassical, but stripped classical is the best description, which is classicism without all the adornments.

The Willis Tower was known as the Sears Tower from 1973 (day of completion) to 2009. The naming rights were packaged along with three floors of leased space. The naming rights last until 2024 and then the building could be renamed again.

This concert hall in Los Angeles opened in 2003 and seats more than 2,260 people. It can also be described as "blobitecture." Other examples of blobitecture are the Flintstones House in California and the London City Hall.

This building in California is officially known as Christ Cathedral and looks nothing like the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages. It was completed in 1981 and was called one of the world's largest glass buildings at the time. It houses the Hazel Wright Organ, which consists of more than 17,000 pipes and is one of the largest in the world.

Fontainebleau Hotel is located in downtown Miami Beach and was built in 1954. It's been ranked as one of America's nicest hotels for several years and a national historic landmark since 2010. Miami's LIV nightclub is located on the grounds.

The Luxor is one of the most famous Vegas structures and is influenced by the Egyptian pyramids. Egyptian Revival took off in the 19th century. This building is more contemporary or postmodern Egyptian Revival opposed to the Washington Monument, for example, which is more of a traditional Egyptian Revival.

Taos Pueblo in New Mexico is one of the oldest communities in the United States. The area was settled around the 11th century and the structures are still standing today. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

This glass and steel library is one of the most striking libraries in the country and was opened in 2004. The building has been voted as one of the most appealing in the entire state. The building's interior has many modern features that make the library inviting to visitors.

Grand Central Terminal is one of the world's most famous travel terminals and one of the most visited. More than 20 million people visit Grand Central each year, and that's excluding passengers. Its interior and exterior are equally recognizable.

Contemporary architecture is new architecture of the 21st century and can encompass many different styles. Almost all the newest and tallest buildings in the world like China's Shanghai Tower and Dubai's Burj Khalifa are contemporary designs.

This 250-room castle that George Washington Vanderbilt called his "little mountain escape" was clearly influenced by the chateaux of France. It's the best example of Chateauesque architecture in the United States and one of the largest private residences in the world.

Fallingwater is considered modern architecture, but it's also considered organic architecture, which is a term created by Frank Lloyd Wright. The architect was known for designing homes that incorporated nature into his work.

The Transamerica Pyramid was San Francisco's tallest building for more than 45 years until 2018. It was actually the eighth tallest building in the world when it was finished. The building features a virtual observation deck.

Griffith Observatory opened in 1935 and offers great views of Los Angeles. The building features three domes that are influenced by Greek architecture, and the rest of the exterior features Art Deco touches.

The Guggenheim is one of the most popular museums in a city full of museums and one of the most distinct buildings in a city full of distinct buildings. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Spain's Guggenheim was designed by Frank Gehry. Both designs are greatly admired around the world.

Construction on Washington National Cathedral began in 1906 and wasn't finished until 1988. Its pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses and stone carvings are influenced by the grand Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages.

William Randolph Hearst was one of America's most successful media tycoons. When his media empire was thriving, he hosted notable people like Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Winston Churchill and Calvin Coolidge at this estate.

Apple's cube entrance in NYC opened in 2006, closed in 2017 for renovation and re-opened in 2019. Apple's glass entrances are used around the world and can be seen in places like Shanghai and Singapore.

Apple Park in Cupertino opened in 2017 and is home to thousands of Apple employees. The park itself has enough parking for more than 14,000 people. The structure is one mile in circumference and features a bunch of futuristic touches like one of the largest solar roofs in the world.

Washington, D.C.'s metro system is notable because it features some stops that are incredibly deep underground. The next most notable feature is the Brutalist architecture and vaulted ceilings featured across the city.

Baltimore's "Cathedral of Books" houses rare books like early editions of "Moby Dick" and "Don Quixote," but its main feature is its 60-foot atrium. The library was designed by Edmund G. Lind, who wanted it to feel as European as possible.

As much as the Founding Fathers wanted to create a government based on Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, it only makes sense the White House was inspired the same way. John Adams was the first president to take up residence in 1800.

The main terminal at Dulles International was designed by the same architect who designed the TWA terminal at JFK Airport and both feature Googie architecture. Googie architecture is most recognized by curving or up-swept roofs, bold geometry and large-scale glass and steel features.

New York City's Woolworth Building and 40 Wall Street were both the tallest buildings in the world before the Chrysler Building wore the crown for less than a year. It was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931.

Brutalist architecture greatly differs from the soft and graceful lines of modern architecture of the early 20th century like Art Deco and revival styles. The style is usually recognized by large swaths of exposed concrete and bold geometry and symmetry.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross rises out of the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona and was built in 1957. It's one of Arizona's most beloved landmarks. It took about a year and a half to build the chapel, and millions visit it every year.

You'll find chateauesque, gothic revival and many other types of classic architecture when riding around the beach town of Newport, Rhode Island. The Breakers is one of about 50 mega mansions built by the Vanderbilt family.

Connecticut's Glass House is more of a work of art than an actual house and was completed in 1949. Its architect, Philip Johnson, did live at the house for close to 60 years. The guest house on the grounds is a brick structure known as The Brick House.

Denver International is the second largest airport in the entire world. Its most notable feature is the peaked roof that resembles the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. A steel cable system is used to prop up the fiberglass roof that's coated in Teflon.

There was no such thing as an architecture school in colonial America, but Thomas Jefferson taught himself the skill. He designed Monticello and the University of Virginia in his own style. Almost all structures built in America during that time period are labeled as Georgian architecture, which defines the time period and not the specific style.

This rare book and manuscript library is one of the largest in the world and even served as inspiration for the British Library's King's Library section. Its most striking features are its windowless steel, granite and marble facade and the glass tower used to showcase rare books.

Architecture on the Las Vegas strip ranges from Egyptian Revival to modern architecture to everything in between. The Bellagio is inspired by 16th century Italian Renaissance architecture. Its name comes from a small town in northern Italy.

NYC's Flatiron Building can also be described as Beaux-Arts and was built in 1902. Five years earlier in Atlanta, an architect who studied Chicago School style built the country's first Flatiron Building.

This building was completed in 2009. Its most striking feature is its irregularly-sized balconies that create an undulating, wave-like structure that soars more than 850 feet upward. It's been voted as one of the most attractive buildings in the state.

Washington, D.C. is full of Neoclassical architecture, and the U.S. Supreme Court Building is one of the best examples. It was built more than 100 years after the White House and Capitol but features the same architectural touches.

Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, Cologne Cathedral and Duomo di Milano were all built during the Middle Ages and feature some of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the world. Modern students strive to duplicate those buildings, and many cathedrals today feature Gothic Revival architecture.

The Library of Congress is one of the largest libraries in the world, with close to 170 million cataloged items. The library suffered from two burnings that devastated its catalog, but it started growing rapidly after the American Civil War.