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The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in the Centre City District in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

 

It was built between 1846 and 1864, and was designed by Napoleon LeBrun, from original plans by the Reverend Mariano Muller and the Reverend John B. Tornatore, with the dome and Palladian facade, designed by John Notman, added after 1850. The interior was largely decorated by Constantino Brumidi.

 

Before Saint Peter and Paul was built, Philadelphia had two previous cathedrals; the first Catholic church in Philadelphia was Saint Joseph's, which was built in 1733. As the Catholic Church grew, a new church called Saint Mary's was built in 1763, which eventually was granted to be Philadelphia's first cathedral in 1810. As the Catholic Church continued to grow, Saint John the Evangelist was eventually made the new cathedral in 1838 when a larger church was needed, and Saint John's remained the cathedral until Bishop Kenrick began work on the current Cathedral.

 

The construction began less than 2 years after the Philadelphia Nativist Riots of 1844, which represented the height of Anti-Catholicism and according to local lore, greatly influenced the design of the building. The cathedral was built with only very high clerestory windows that according to parish histories would inhibit vandalism. In order to protect the windows of the Cathedral Basilica from possible future riots, the builders would throw stones into the air to determine the height of where the windows would be placed.

 

Information Source:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_Basilica_of_Saints_Peter_...(Philadelphia)

 

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Uploaded on March 8, 2024
Taken on May 26, 2020