Foolishness or lack of good sense; a foolish act or idea. Also refers to an ornamental building with no practical purpose, often built as a whim or to showcase wealth.
From Old French 'folie' meaning madness or foolishness, derived from 'fol' (fool). The architectural meaning developed in 18th-century England when wealthy landowners built decorative, impractical structures on their estates.
Garden follies were the ultimate status symbols of the Georgian era - wealthy landowners built fake ruins, exotic towers, and miniature temples purely for visual effect. These 'follies' were expensive demonstrations of having money to waste on beautiful nonsense.
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