Viral Instagram Videos Spotlight Leominster's Medieval Architecture

Christian Montez, founder of Montez Architects, has gained viral fame on Instagram by showcasing the medieval and Tudor architecture of Leominster, a historic market town in Herefordshire, England. His first video, posted on 20 August, has amassed over 2 million views, surprising the 39-year-old architect. The videos feature quirky explanations of architectural elements like corbels, bargeboards, mullions, finials, and breastsummers, set to bouncy music. Montez moved to Leominster nearly three years ago to base his practice, which specializes in restoring ancient buildings. He recognized the town's rich architectural heritage, which includes structures dating back to the 12th century, and launched a personal research project and website called Leominster Heritage. The project combines local lore, centuries-old maps, modern surveys, and drone scanning to better understand the town's history. Montez hopes to partner with local groups like Leominster Heritage Guides to engage residents and visitors. He notes that Leominster's architecture survived due to a lack of money, preventing modern renovations that would have destroyed historic buildings. The viral success has encouraged him to expand the website and continue creating more videos, promising more 'ditties' in the future.