After the Act of Union of 1801, Dublin entered a period of decline with the loss of its administrative power and structures. Architectural development still continued for some years with the construction of the General Post Office, St Georges Church, and the ongoing development of the Fitzwilliam Estate. With the bankruptcy of the Gardiner Estate in 1846, the north side of the city started its long slide into disrepair as many of the once fine Georgian houses became tenements and slums. In the later part of the century, fine Victorian structures including banks and public houses were constructed. Important buildings like the South City Markets on Great Georges Street and the Museum Building of Trinity College were designed and built. The regional railway companies constructed four fine termini in the city all based on different architectural styles. So despite the decline of Dublin into a regional city of the British Empire, the city still managed to acquire a wealth of important 19th century building.
