There is a powerful need for symbolism, and that means that the architecture must have something that appeals to human heart.-Kenzo TangeRoll No.140014921-BFirst Year B. ArchSushant School of Art and ArchitectureAnjali TiwarySymbolism in ArchitectureEvery work of architecture is symbolic.

Introduction:Symbols carry varied meaning in different settings. In architecture, symbolism exists at each level. However we tend to connect it mainly to historical and religious structures as the imagery appears to be highly explicit and profound in them. Symbolism can be defined as the systematic use of recurrent symbols or images in a work to create an added level of meaning. Symbols give meaning to an object, plant or animal.The term Symbolic architecture was first coined by CharlesJencksin the 1980s to describe architecture with a strong degree ofpersonificationor with allusions to cultural ideas, historical references, and other pre-Modernist themes, or in which there were visual jokes, puns, and mnemonic motifs. To provide some intuition, a first definition of asymbolic architectureis an architecture that utilizes symbol manipulations in a fixed manner to represent its processing. Every structure has an inherent symbolism. The courtyard at the center of a regular house (Brahmasthan), over and above its practical purposes is the symbol of connection between men and God or the men and the elements of soul at the center of our being and the ultimate principle pervading the universe all of which are believed to exists but relatively unknown.When we are attempting to understand the work of architecture or monuments and the context (culture, life, living standard etc), understanding of symbolism and how it affected the people is essential. One may only gawk at these great monuments without understanding otherwise. This paper is an endeavor to highlight some significant facets of symbolism as expressed in some well known examples from ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt was symbolically oriented to a degree rarely equaled by other cultures.Symbolism in Egyptian ArchitectureGreat Pyramids of GazaWhen we look at these pyramids we see layer upon layers of symbolism. For us these symbolic of mans ancient triumph, but to the ancient Egyptian, they symbolize the very fabric of creation, the pyramid shaped mound from which life arose. These carry great meaning to ancient Egyptian.