In this essay, I aim to explore Pugin's dissent from tradition through his ideas, his inspiration, his most important works and their meaning. To disagree with tradition is to defy a stultifying tradition or convention, which leads to new and daring styles (Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p.109). The “traditional” architectural style in early 19th century Britain was classicism, inspired by ancient Greece and associated with democracy as well as the French Revolution (Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p. 112). Pugin called this classical style "the new square style" (Figure 4.7, in Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p. 123) and argued that it lacked the authenticity of Britain (Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p. ). In attempting to establish what would convey the cultural, national and religious character of Britain, Pugin turned to Gothic, the style that existed in the country before the Protestant Reformation. He believed that a revival of the Gothic style would be "a return to a much better past", to re-establish the Roman Catholic Church and a style indigenous to Northern Europe (ibid). Pugin did not disagree with tradition. in its usual sense. He wasn't doing anything particularly new. He did not even consider himself a dissident (Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p. 131). He saw himself as a traditionalist trying to revive the lost but national style that had been eclipsed by the dissent of the neoclassics (ibid.). However, I will consider Pugin a dissident in the broad sense because he was bringing back the "new" Gothic style, also known as the Neo-Gothic style. Additionally, he believed that there was a strong correlation between the environment and the... middle of paper ... a classical body” (Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p. 116). The palace is symmetrical and has a strict structure, both typical of the classical style. At the same time, the interior of the palace is decorated with Gothic-style paintings and sculptures, forming a collaboration between the two styles. As he was not the building's chief architect, his work was probably not sufficiently recognized and we can only guess what the palace might have looked like if Pugin had been solely responsible for it. Pugin is responsible for the design of Big Ben, which remains one of the most distinctive British symbols to this day (Richardson, McKellar, Woods, 2008, p. 114). In conclusion, Pugin was an essential figure in the renaissance of medieval architecture. traditions and at odds with classicism in style and Protestantism in religion. He had started a new era.