Historical Meaning in Architecture of the XXth century

Abstract

The historical meanings communicated through architecture strongly and durably mark important events in communities’ life. This is achieved by using the symbolism of shapes, the expressivity and the monumentality of volumes. Historical architectural styles connect the people with their past and their heroes and give them feelings of continuity and stability, of identity and national pride.
Architecture has expressed different attitudes towards history, such as:
- Negation- refusing to accept events that had harmed the national pride. Typical are the huge efforts of reconstruction of culturally important buildings crashed in the war.
- Acceptance and transformation – the symbolic alteration of iconic buildings of a painful past in a manner that illustrates the political and social changes. Thus the past is not rejected or ignored, but it is forgiven and accepted as part of the history
- Glorification of historical victories and fulfillments through magnificent edifices in order to enhance national pride
- Commemoration and remembrance – mourning the heroes and helping people learn from unfortunate events, architecture takes on a redeeming role, it becomes homage and symbol of reconciliation. Thus architecture makes possible a new, peaceful way of living.