Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-31
ANNIVERSARY Of
DEATH OF WREN
TO Be OBSERVED
Architects Planning Fitting
Ceremonies in Memory of
Famous Briton, Who Died
800 Years Ago

Chicago. Dec. 3O.--American
architects are preparing TO OBJ
serve next February the 2OOth
anniversary Of The death OF Sir
christopher Wren. famous Eng
lish astronomer and architect,
who has left an indelible i'm
preston on American architec-
ture.
Sir Christopher died in Lon
don February 25, 1923, and is
buried In st. Pauls cathedral.
which he planned.
The American obser,aace will
be consistent with the celebration
in England. where the Royal In
stitute of British Architects has
set aside the entire week begin
ming February 20, 1928, as COM
memoration week in honor OF
Wren. A procession will march
from Mansion House TO st. Pauls
to hold memorial services in the
cathedral, followed by a visit to
the crypt, where the president Of
ln0 1OYhI IIiStlluLS MAlA lhy -
wreath on Wren's tomb.
To Exhibit Treasures
Treasures of many learned So
cieties will be exhibited during
the week.
In this country there is hardly
a city that does not boast one
or more Wren spires on its
churches. The White House is
distinctly Wren: the national cap
itol shows his influence: Inde-
pendence hall, Philadelphia, with
his palladium motif Of one tall
arch window flanked by square
topped ones. Is Wren. In Boston
the state capitol, designed by
Charles Bullfinch, who drew his
inspiration from Wren, and the
old South and North churches
are among the notable Wren ex-
amples.
Christ church, Alexandria, To,,
where Washington worshipped, Is
another Wren example, designed
by James Wren, who was said to
be a descendant Of the man who
overthrew the severe Gothic
style with the lighter and more
graceful French and Italian clas-
sic type. The records oi Christ
church show James Parsons orig
inally contracted to build It for
900 pounds sterling. but threw M
the contract. and It was finally
completed by Col. John Carsly,e
FOR. an additional 220 pounds
making the total cost Of the edi.
flee less than $4,000.
washington paid 36 pounds
ana 10 shillings for his pew, The
only one in the church which re-
mains in its original state.
:, New York boasts one Of the
finest Wren spires in the coun-
try on st. Paul's chapel which
stands with it's face turned away
from broadway. Other noted
Wren spires are seen on Trinity
church, Newport: the. First Ban.
tist church OF Providance. Christ
church, Philadelphia; the First
Christian church. Hartford. park
street church, Boston: First con.
gregational church, Lyme Conn
and others. In Chicago the hast
example OF the Wren tvne is 6,
,Eaurs' on. the Midway. Here,
however. ho the .spire has never
Colonial Architecture
Early colonial architecture IN
new England and the south was
practically all Wren. The Vir.
gina mansions. with their red
nricK, stone trimming and cIas-
SIC columns. followed closely tho
same motif SIR CHRISTOPHER usad
IN rebuilding Hampden Court
one time home of Cromwell when
ne was protector of the common
wealth.
Originally an astronomer st.,
CHRISTOPHER Wren, born In 1870
received his opportunity AS nm
architect when the great fire de-.
stroyed most OF London IN fssa
lie designed the great fire mon.
ument known in England simnlv
as THE Monument" II stapds
at the intersection Of Pie corner
and Pudding lane, where the fire
was supposed to have started
Designed London BRIDGE
Besides st. Paul's cati,sdro,
wren was the designer OF London
bridge, the western towers of
Westminster Abbey. the libraries
of Trinity college at Can1bridpe
ana Queens college at Oxford
and many of the SO churches Of
the old city of London. Eighty.
six city churches were DESTROYED
In the great fire. but manv We're
not rebuilt. Eighteen of Wren's
city churches have been de.
stroyed and others have been Sc
lected for demolition, because OF
the lack OF congregations In the
city and the immense value OF
the ground they occupy. The
finest EXAMPLES. however, are to
he preserved.
Wren's inspiration for a classic
revival came from another great
architect. 1nigo Jones. Wren's
work shows more of French in
fluence. as compared to the pure
italian of Jones. partly due 10
the fact that Wren was present
and studied the building Of the
Louvre in Paris, while he never
visited Italy.