Founder's Hall, Girard College

Founder's Hall is the main building of Girard College in Philadelphia, a Greek Revival structure with a peristyle of 34 Corinthian columns faced in Chester County marble. Ground was broken in 1833, and the building was completed in fourteen years under a design chosen by competition, with Thomas U. Walter adapting his plan to the wishes of Nicholas Biddle, president of the Board of Trustees, who wanted the main building in the Greek style. Stephen Girard's will required fireproof construction, and the interior includes marble stairways in each corner rising three stories, lit by skylights. The south vestibule holds Girard's sarcophagus, and the first-floor Girard Room retains its original ceiling decoration and furnishings from his home. The college, opened in 1848 with funds from Girard's estate, is regarded as an outstanding example of philanthropic support for education in America. Its architecture is considered the high point of the Greek Revival in the United States.