Christopher Wren

Architecture English 1632 – 1723 97 quotes

One of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history, he was responsible for rebuilding 52 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire, including St. Paul's Cathedral.

Quotes by Christopher Wren

Symmetry is the language of nature.

Early Scientific Paper 1650

To build is to dream in stone.

Correspondence with Evelyn 1672

The fire of London was a rebirth.

Diary Entry 1666

Proportion is the measure of beauty.

Architectural Treatise 1695

Wit in architecture lies in elegant simplicity.

Speech to Apprentices 1705

The past informs the future in every arch.

Letter to Vitruvius Society 1680

Endurance is the test of true design.

Reflection on St. Paul's 1715

Light and shadow define form.

Optical Studies 1665

A building should inspire awe and reflection.

Design Notes 1678

Time reveals the flaws in hasty work.

Advice to Students 1700

Nature's geometry is our greatest teacher.

Youthful Essay 1640

The column supports not just weight, but spirit.

Parentalia Excerpt 1690

In ruins, we find the echoes of ambition.

Late Letter 1722

Design with the heavens in mind.

Astronomical Architecture Notes 1670

The facade is the face of the soul.

Portraiture Analogy 1685

Perseverance builds cathedrals.

Speech on Completion 1708

Error in measurement is the thief of perfection.

Surveying Manual 1660

Beauty fades, but structure endures.

Personal Reflection 1710

The blueprint is the architect's poetry.

Letter to Colleague 1675

Rebuild not with vengeance, but vision.

Post-Fire Address 1667