than focusing on the ornamentation on the outside of the building. Unfortunately, the building was never fully completed before Henry Richardson’s death in April 1886. This building influenced architects such as Louis Sullivan, who used the idea of the Wholesale Store to build projects such as the Standard Club and the Auditorium.
Allegheny County Courthouse is another building created by Henry Hobson Richardson and is considered one of the best examples of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The original courthouse was destroyed, so Allegheny Courthouse Commissioners decided to hold a competition to design the replacement courthouse, and Henry Richardson won. The construction of the building began in 1884. The design of the main building was different compared to other buildings at the time. It featured a building built around an interior courtyard, which allowed natural light to spread throughout the building. The courtyard was surrounded by three sides with four stories. The courtyards open side has a five story high tower. The main building has a very steep roof, which was frequently used by Richardson. The prison was connected to the courthouse by a bridge, referred to as the “Bridge of Sighs”. Richardson got the idea for the design of the “Bridge of Sighs” from a similar bridge in Venice, Italy. The entire complex was built on large blocks of granite. The entrance ways and windows featured the typical Richardsonian Romanesque style, both topped with wide arches. Later, in the 1900s, the street level in front of the building was lowered. Richardson, however, was prepared and had finished masonry on the part of the building that used to be underground. In 1976, this building was designated a National Historic Landmark. The design of this building in particular influenced buildings in cities all across America, such as Minneapolis City Hall and Wayne County Courthouse in Richmond, Indiana.