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Philosophy

The Aesthetics of Decay and the Appreciation of Ruins

Quick fact

The Romantic fascination with ruins in the 18th century, known as 'ruin lust', not only shaped art and literature but also influenced the design of artificial ruins, or 'follies', built in English gardens to evoke the melancholy beauty of a vanished past.

Why this is interesting

We often find broken columns and crumbling walls more beautiful than pristine new buildings. Why does decay, a sign of loss and imperfection, draw us so powerfully?