User:Cwshipper/Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Denver)
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Article Draft of Architecture Section
[edit]Architect Leon Coquard of Detroit designed the cathedral in the French Gothic style. Its character is influenced by the 13th-century Saint Nicholas Collegiate church (collégiale Saint-Nicolas) of Munster, Moselle, France, which is the birthplace of Bishop Nicholas Chrysostom Matz, who supervised cathedral construction.
The building is in the shape of a Latin cross measuring 195 by 116 feet (59 by 35 m) with the nave rising to 68 feet (21 m). The main façade houses three entrances and is framed by two 221-foot (67 m) spires. The structure is constructed of Indiana limestone and granite from Gunnison, Colorado. The altar, statuary, pedestals, pulpit, communion rail, and bishop's chair are all made of Carrara marble from Carrara, Italy, while other element features including the confessional, vestibules, risers, steps, balustrades, baseboards, and pillar bases are all made out of Yule marble from Marble, Colorado.[1]
Interior decorations of the cathedral were carefully thought out under the supervision of Thomas H. Miller. Traditional painter decorations were set aside to allow for the two Carrara marble colors of rich cream and delicate gray to create their own harmony. These colors of marble also help to bring out the luminous colors of the 75 stained glass windows which contain more than 20,000 pieces of stained glass.[2] The 75 stained glass windows are from the Royal Bavarian Art Institute in Munich founded by Franz Xaver Zettler. These stained glass windows were crafted by 50 artisans and cost $34,000 for all 75 windows, but now a single stained-glass window would cost $500,000.[3] The church has the most leaded stained glass of any church in North America.
The floor is made out of Pearl shells which resided in the Elbe River. These shells would go through a multitude of steps including being mixed with other products before hardening into a dark green floor. This process also allows the floor to be both water and fireproof.[2]
The building also includes a thoroughly thought-out heating and ventilation system. The whole cathedral is heated by two Kewanee boilers, which is twice the amount it needs to be heated. This was done as a precaution if one of the boilers was to stop working. The ventilation system consists of two fans powered by variable-speed motors. These fans make this one of the best ventilated buildings in the country since they can change the entirety of the building's air in just 11 minutes.[2]
When opened, the cathedral could accommodate 1,000 worshipers. However, due to significant alterations following the liturgical reforms initiated at the Second Vatican Council (including the removal of the historic stone altar rail and the expansion of the chancel to accommodate a second, freestanding altar) the church now accommodates 895.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Avenue, Colfax. "History of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception". Retrieved 2024-11-17.
- ^ a b c d "The Pinnacled glory of the West : Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; a brief history of the parish, a detailed description of the new cathedral. Its ..." HathiTrust. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
- ^ a b "The Architecture". Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Retrieved 2024-11-10.