Berks County Courthouse (Reading, Pennsylvania)

 courthouse, Art Deco (architecture), historical building, 1931_construction

The Courthouse (1931). Berks is a major eastern county and Reading a good sized city, which perhaps explains the courthouse, a skyscraper sitting just off the town center. This form likely resulted from the restricted building site. The stone clad building was put up around 1931 in the Art Deco style of the time.

The two wings go up nine stories and the central building nineteen. There are bas-reliefs above the entrances and around the top including large eagles on each side. The interior is also quite decorative and, on height alone, this is certainly one of the most impressive courthouses. It is also a good example of planning ahead. In 1931 no one probably even imagined that all nineteen floors would ever be needed.

www.mapsofpa.com/countyseatsa.htm
www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/Courts/Pages/default.aspx

633 Court Street, Reading PA 19601;
phone: 610-478-6100.