Neoclassical describes art, architecture, music, or ideas inspired by the styles of ancient Greece and Rome. When something is neoclassical, it borrows the clean lines, balanced proportions, and sense of order that characterized classical civilization.

In architecture, neoclassical buildings feature columns, domes, and symmetrical designs that echo Greek temples and Roman monuments. The United States Capitol building and many courthouses built in the late 1700s and 1800s are neoclassical: their designers wanted to connect American democracy with the political ideals of ancient Athens and the Roman Republic. Thomas Jefferson loved neoclassical architecture so much that he designed his home, Monticello, with classical columns and a dome.

In music, composers like Mozart and Haydn are considered part of the Classical period, which valued clarity, elegance, and balance in melodies. Later composers who returned to these principles created neoclassical music.

The prefix neo- means “new,” so neoclassical literally means “new classical.” Artists and architects across different eras have returned to classical principles when they felt current styles had become too cluttered, emotional, or chaotic. They looked back to ancient models for inspiration, seeking the timeless beauty and order they saw in classical works.