Style Use
The Romanesque Revival style, appearing in various phases from the 1880s through the first decade of the 20th century, was unlike the Queen Anne style in that it was used more in large public and commercial buildings than in houses. The Romanesque Revival style looks to the 10th-13th centuries, when builders in Europe were rediscovering ancient Roman forms.

Key Features
The most salient elements of the Romanesque style and its nineteenth-century counterpart are the round arch and the heavy masonry facades. Romanesque Revival buildings tend to have massive hipped roofs, many with wall gables and conical or pyramidal-roof towers or belfries. They are generally ponderous and fortress-like, conveying an impression of defiance.

Richardsonian Romanesque Style
The most influential proponent of the style, Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-1886), developed his own Romanesque vocabulary, which became known as the Richardsonian Romanesque style. It was often imitated, not always successfully, by architects of large public buildings to which the style was well-suited. In Indiana, several courthouses, churches, and schools approximate the Richardsonian Romanesque style.

Memorial Opera House
Although few examples of the Romanesque Revival style remain in Porter County, those that still exist are outstanding representations. The Memorial Opera House, with its corner towers, stone banding, and massive round-arched entry, is a fine example of this style.

Front of Memorial Opera House Tower of Memorial Opera House Window of Memorial Opera House Flag in front of Memorial Opera House tower