Kevin_Jeffries
Carved from the Earth - Limestone Church - Oamaru, New Zealand
The St Patrick's Basilica or Oamaru Basilica, as it is popularly known because of its style of architecture, is a church in Oamaru, New Zealand. It was designed by the prominent New Zealand architect Francis Petre and is one of his most celebrated works. It is one of the most important historic buildings of Oamaru and of the North Otago region. The Basilica's classical portico and three domes are an admired feature of the Oamaru townscape and the building is particularly noted for the high quality of the stone carving and fine plasterwork of its architectural features. The Basilica "must surely have one of the most noble church interiors in the country. Built entirely of Oamaru stone the exterior has weathered more than one would have expected, but inside the church glows with reflected light from the creamy stone which is virtually in its original state."
The inspiration and effort behind the building of St Patricks came from Father (later Monsignor) John Mackay, who became Parish Priest in Oamaru on 3 March 1890. He wished to build a Church that would suit the needs of his congregation and began fundraising. By April 1893 he was had enough money to start on the building. On an earlier trip to Europe, he had seen buildings he considered would suit the needs of the Oamaru Parish and he had commissioned Francis Petre to put his observations and ideas into a practical design. The laying of the foundation stone coincided with the silver jubilee of ordination of Mackay, who was parish priest of Oamaru for 36 years (1890-1926) and who supervised the construction of the Basilica from its commencement in 1893 until its final completion 25 years later in 1918. The foundation stone was laid on Trinity Sunday 1893, by Bishop Moran of Dunedin. The successful tender for the construction of the church had been made by D.W. Woods: £3,460 exclusive of the sanctuary and dome. The whole building was to be of Oamaru stone, cut from the nearby quarry at Weston, Mr Joseph Kelly of Weston being the Quarry contractor. - From Wikipedia
Carved from the Earth - Limestone Church - Oamaru, New Zealand
The St Patrick's Basilica or Oamaru Basilica, as it is popularly known because of its style of architecture, is a church in Oamaru, New Zealand. It was designed by the prominent New Zealand architect Francis Petre and is one of his most celebrated works. It is one of the most important historic buildings of Oamaru and of the North Otago region. The Basilica's classical portico and three domes are an admired feature of the Oamaru townscape and the building is particularly noted for the high quality of the stone carving and fine plasterwork of its architectural features. The Basilica "must surely have one of the most noble church interiors in the country. Built entirely of Oamaru stone the exterior has weathered more than one would have expected, but inside the church glows with reflected light from the creamy stone which is virtually in its original state."
The inspiration and effort behind the building of St Patricks came from Father (later Monsignor) John Mackay, who became Parish Priest in Oamaru on 3 March 1890. He wished to build a Church that would suit the needs of his congregation and began fundraising. By April 1893 he was had enough money to start on the building. On an earlier trip to Europe, he had seen buildings he considered would suit the needs of the Oamaru Parish and he had commissioned Francis Petre to put his observations and ideas into a practical design. The laying of the foundation stone coincided with the silver jubilee of ordination of Mackay, who was parish priest of Oamaru for 36 years (1890-1926) and who supervised the construction of the Basilica from its commencement in 1893 until its final completion 25 years later in 1918. The foundation stone was laid on Trinity Sunday 1893, by Bishop Moran of Dunedin. The successful tender for the construction of the church had been made by D.W. Woods: £3,460 exclusive of the sanctuary and dome. The whole building was to be of Oamaru stone, cut from the nearby quarry at Weston, Mr Joseph Kelly of Weston being the Quarry contractor. - From Wikipedia