The Baltimore Basilica at night. Latrobe designed this building.
Latrobe, who lived from 1764 to 1820, is well-known for his work on the central portions of the United States Capitol building; the design of the Baltimore Basilica, the first Catholic Cathedral built in the United States; and his designs for the White House porticos. His influence on the nation's capital also included serving as the chief surveyor for the Washington Canal; designing St. John's Episcopal Church, Decatur House and the main gate of the Washington Navy Yard; and consulting on the construction of the Washington Bridge across the Potomac River. Other distinguished works by him include the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Fairmount Water Works in Philadelphia.
Portrait of Benjamin Henry Latrobe by Rembrandt Peale, c. 1815.Benjamin Latrobe: America's First Architect is a production of Kunhardt McGee Productions and WETA, Washington, D.C. Executive produced by Dalton Delan and David S. Thompson for WETA and Peter Kunhardt and Dyllan McGee for Kunhardt McGee Productions. Directed by Michael Epstein. Produced by Sabin Streeter and Michael Epstein. Written by Paul Goldberger and Sabin Streeter. Hosted by Paul Goldberger. Funding for Benjamin Latrobe: America's First Architect is provided by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional funding is provided by the Annenberg Foundation.
