Architecture
A great part of the existing buildings downtown Christiansted was constructed during the Danish colonial time, and has later undergone renovation and transformation to different extents. During this period, the founding of the Academy of Fine Arts in Denmark took place, and classicism was highly represented in Danish architecture. Classicism endeavors to express formality, symmetry and strict lines, and it is often seen in official buildings. The ideals and thoughts of classicistic architecture was brought to St. Croix with the Danish architects, and used for building and planning the city of Christiansted. The buildings of lower King Street and Company Street are today good examples of the Danish classicistic influence. The Government House in King Street shows an official architecture, detailed with cornices in three stories and presents a formal entrance stair. Some of the other buildings in this area have a subtler appearance with only one or two stories and less detailing, still with classicistic arches and arcades. The facades are strictly composed with symmetric openings. Where the colors used in Danish classicism would be white or light warm tones, the colors used in Christiansted today are more bold and adventurous in combination with the classicistic elements.
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