In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration. In the original use of the word, these buildings had no other use, but from the 19-20th centuries the term was also applied to highly decorative buildings which had secondary practical functions such as housing, sheltering or business use. In the 18th century English gardens and French landscape gardening often featured Roman temples, which symbolized classical virtues or ideals. Other 18th century garden follies represented Chinese temples, Egyptian pyramids, ruined abbeys, or Tatar tents, to represent different continents or historical eras. Sometimes they represented rustic villages, mills and cottages, to symbolize rural virtues.[1] "Folly" is used in the sense of fun or light-heartedness, not in the sense of something ill-advised.
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The concept of the folly is somewhat ambiguous, but they generally have the following properties:
Follies fall within the general realm of fanciful and impractical architecture, and whether a particular structure is a folly is sometimes a matter of opinion. However, there are several types which are related but which can be distinguished from follies.
Follies began as decorative accents on the great estates of the late 16th and early 17th centuries but they flourished especially in the two centuries which followed. Many estates were blessed with picturesque ruins of monastic houses and (in Italy) Roman villas; others, lacking such buildings, constructed their own sham versions of these romantic structures. Such structures were often dubbed "[name of architect or builder]'s Folly", after the single individual who commissioned or designed the project. However, very few follies are completely without a practical purpose. Apart from their decorative aspect, many originally had a use which was lost later, such as hunting towers. Follies are misunderstood structures, according to The Folly Fellowship, a charity that exists to celebrate the history and splendour of these often neglected buildings.
Follies (FR: fabriques) were an important feature of the English garden and French landscape garden in the 18th century, such as Stowe and Stourhead in England and Ermenonville and the gardens of Versailles in France. They were usually in the form of Roman temples, ruined Gothic abbeys, or Egyptian pyramids. In France they sometimes took the form of romantic farmhouses, mills and cottages, as in Marie Antoinette's Hameau de la Reine at Versailles. Sometimes they were copied from landscape paintings by painters such as Claude Lorrain and Hubert Robert. Often they had symbolic importance, illustrating the virtues of ancient Rome, or the virtues of country life. The temple of philosophy at Ermenonville, left unfinished, symbolized that knowledge would never be complete, while the temple of modern virtues at Stowe was deliberately ruined, to show the decay of contemporary morals.
Later in the 18th century, the follies became more exotic, representing other parts of the world- they included Chinese pagodas, Japanese bridges, and Tatar tents. [2].
The Irish Potato Famine of 1845-49 led to the building of several follies. The society of the day held that reward without labour was misguided. However, to hire the needy for work on useful projects would deprive existing workers of their jobs. Thus, construction projects termed "famine follies" came to be built. These include: roads in the middle of nowhere, between two seemingly random points; screen and estate walls; piers in the middle of bogs; etc.[3]
Follies are found worldwide, but they are particularly abundant in Great Britain. See also Category:Folly buildings.
Stupidity is the quality or condition of being stupid, or lacking intelligence.
In architecture, a folly is a building usually constructed strictly for aesthetic pleasure.[1] Originally, buildings were made to provide shelter or to house people. Follies are just decoration; they no longer have a building's original function. They were first constructed to put accents into parks and estates. "Folly" is used in the sense of fun or light-heartedness, not in the sense of something ill-advised. , Worcestershire, England]] , Cambridgeshire, England, built in the 1700s to resemble Gothic-era ruins]] , the royal palace in Vienna]]
in Arkadia, Poland]]
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In general, follies have the following properties:
In England, these structures are also called "eye-catchers". This points to their basically decorative nature.
Follies fall within the general realm of fanciful and impractical architecture, and whether a particular structure is a folly is sometimes a matter of opinion. However, there are several types which are related but which can be distinguished from follies.
Follies began as decorative accents on the great estates of the late 16th and early 17th centuries but they flourished especially in the two centuries which followed. Many estates were blessed with picturesque ruins of monastic houses and (in Italy) Roman villas; others, lacking such buildings, constructed their own sham versions of these romantic structures. Such structures were often dubbed "[name of architect or builder]'s Folly", after the single individual who commissioned or designed the project. However, very few follies are completely without a practical purpose. Apart from their decorative aspect, many originally had a use which was lost later, such as hunting towers. Follies are misunderstood structures, according to The Folly Fellowship, a charity that exists to celebrate the history and splendour of these often neglected buildings.
Follies are often found in parks or large grounds of houses and stately homes. Some were deliberately built to look partially ruined. They were especially popular from the end of the 16th century to the 18th century. Theme parks and world's fairs have often contained "follies", although such structures do serve a purpose of attracting people to those parks and fairs.
The Irish Potato Famine of 1845-49 led to the building of several follies. The society of the day held that laissez faire, not a welfare state, was the appropriate form of civil management. The concept of a welfare state was a century away, and at that time reward without labour, even to those in need, was seen as misguided. However, to hire the needy for work on useful projects would deprive existing workers of their jobs. Thus, construction projects termed "famine follies" came to be built. These include: roads in the middle of nowhere, between two seemingly random points; screen and estate walls; piers in the middle of bogs; etc.[2]
Follies can be found worldwide, but there seem to be many in Great Britain. , Hungary]] near Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine (1912)]] , Bristol, United Kingdom]] , USA]]
   | Follies in the English Landscape - Follies in the English Landscape |
| | Follies and Monuments - Follies and Monuments. Follies Gazetteer Home Page. Follies and Folly Towers at follytowers.com |
| | European Follies - Follies of Europe, Book, European Follies, Nic Barlow, Photographer, Austria, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, UK, Ireland |
| | Images of follies on Odd-stuff! - Follies, curiosities and monuments at Odd-stuff! |
| | The Folly Fellowship - Folly Fellowship Homepage |
| | (Photo of "Lady Kasimira", with her castle) - Barony of Vatavia, Galleries |
| | Kryal Castle - Kryal Castle - Medieval Castle, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. |
| | The Castle Inn Riverside - The Castle Inn Riverside - Historic Scottish Castle Architecture |
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