Dimensions and Appearance of Castle Howard
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The south front of the building is most imposing. It is 323 feet in length, and its centre consists of a pediment and entablature, supported by fluted Corinthian pilasters, and with wings of lower elevation extending on either side.
The north front consists of an elaborate centre of the Corinthian order, with a cupola rising from the top, and extensive wings on either side. From this front is the entrance to the Great Hall, a beautifully finished apartment, thirty-five feet square, sixty-five feet high, and lighted by a dome, the top of which is one hundred feet above the floor of the hall.
The fine old fireplace is made of richly carved and sculptured marble. The walls and ceiling are enriched with allegorical paintings, and round the walls are the statues and busts of Roman emperors raised on pedestals.
In the gardens, which are very extensive and beautiful, there is a fine fountain, a work of sculpture; and the terrace walks, the lake, the summer-house, and the Mausoleum amid embowering woods, as well as the memorial pillars, seen here and there in different parts of the grounds, and erected to commemorate some event in the annals of the Howard family, all combine to give an artistic interest to a scene already rendered beautiful by nature.
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