Brickdam Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Brickdam Cathedral, more formally known as the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, is a Roman Catholic cathedral
in Georgetown
, Guyana
, and is the leading Catholic church of the country. Built in the 1920s, it is constructed in a Romanesque
architectural style designed by Leonard Stokes
, and is 200 feet long and 1,000 feet wide. The centre ceiling is 60 feet 6 inches high, and the dome reaches 74 feet 10 inches.
In 1819 the Catholic Committee (Messrs Fitzgerald, De Ridder, Manget Mibre and Franchland) made a request for the construction of a church at Brickdam, on a portion of the old parade ground.
Governor Sir Benjamin D'Urban
laid the foundation stone of the first church on 12 December 1825. Initially named Christ Church, it was later renamed circa 1847 the Church of the Resurrection. Small and plainly designed, this church was replaced by the Lady Chapel, built on the southern side of Camp and Hadfield Streets. This chapel was soon dismantled and re-erected at Victoria, where it stood until 1921.
The foundation stone for St. Mary’s Chapel was laid in the presence of Governor Sir Francis Hincks
on 21 April 1868. The main building was designed by Cesar Castellani
and the tower was designed by Fr. Ignatius Scoles. This cathedral (including the sanctuary) was 120 feet long and 75 feet wide. Constructed of Greenheart
and Crabwood, the cathedral was described by Fr. Scoles “as a fine piece of Gothic design as one could expect to meet within Western tropics”.
On 7 March 1913 the cathedral was destroyed by fire. On the next Sunday (9 March) Catholic Mayor of Georgetown, Francis Dias, called a meeting where it was decided to raise funds for a new cathedral.
On 15 August 1915 Bishop CT Galton laid the foundation stone of the present cathedral. Construction took 10 years (1921-1931), using reinforced concrete
. Granite stone came from the Dalli and Wolga quarries on the Essequibo River
, and the sand came from Leguan Island
.
The incomplete cathedral was opened by Bishop Galton on 13 March 1921.
The marble
altar
was erected in 1930, and is a gift from Pope Pius XI
to Bishop Galton. The marble pulpit
is a memorial to the Fogarty family. A metal shrine to the Virgin Mary atop the western facade is a memento of St. Mary’s Cathedral. The shrine adorned the pinnacle of the earlier building’s steeple, and survived its fall during the 1913 fire.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Georgetown
Georgetown, Guyana
Georgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, and is the leading Catholic church of the country. Built in the 1920s, it is constructed in a Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
architectural style designed by Leonard Stokes
Leonard Stokes
Leonard Aloysius Scott Stokes was an English architect.Leonard Stokes was born in Southport in 1858. He trained in London and travelled in Germany and Italy. Most of his designs were for Roman Catholic buildings, including churches, convents and schools. His first outstanding work was the...
, and is 200 feet long and 1,000 feet wide. The centre ceiling is 60 feet 6 inches high, and the dome reaches 74 feet 10 inches.
In 1819 the Catholic Committee (Messrs Fitzgerald, De Ridder, Manget Mibre and Franchland) made a request for the construction of a church at Brickdam, on a portion of the old parade ground.
Governor Sir Benjamin D'Urban
Benjamin d'Urban
Lieutenant-General Sir Benjamin d'Urban, GCB, KCH, KCTS was a British general and colonial administrator, who is best known for his frontier policy when he was the Governor in the Cape Colony .-Early career:...
laid the foundation stone of the first church on 12 December 1825. Initially named Christ Church, it was later renamed circa 1847 the Church of the Resurrection. Small and plainly designed, this church was replaced by the Lady Chapel, built on the southern side of Camp and Hadfield Streets. This chapel was soon dismantled and re-erected at Victoria, where it stood until 1921.
The foundation stone for St. Mary’s Chapel was laid in the presence of Governor Sir Francis Hincks
Francis Hincks
Sir Francis Hincks, KCMG, PC was a Canadian politician.Born in Cork, Ireland, he was the son of Thomas Dix Hincks an orientalist, naturalist and Presbyterian minister and the brother of Edward Hincks orientalist, naturalist and clergyman.He moved to York in 1832 and set up an importing business...
on 21 April 1868. The main building was designed by Cesar Castellani
Cesar Castellani
Cesar Castellani was an architect. He was born in Malta. He was attracted by the prosperity of British Guiana and emigrated there in 1860 with a group of Italian priests.-Designs:...
and the tower was designed by Fr. Ignatius Scoles. This cathedral (including the sanctuary) was 120 feet long and 75 feet wide. Constructed of Greenheart
Greenheart
Greenheart is a common name for several different plants:*Chlorocardium rodiei , a tree native to Guyana in northern South America.*Colubrina arborescens , a shrub native to Florida and the Caribbean....
and Crabwood, the cathedral was described by Fr. Scoles “as a fine piece of Gothic design as one could expect to meet within Western tropics”.
On 7 March 1913 the cathedral was destroyed by fire. On the next Sunday (9 March) Catholic Mayor of Georgetown, Francis Dias, called a meeting where it was decided to raise funds for a new cathedral.
On 15 August 1915 Bishop CT Galton laid the foundation stone of the present cathedral. Construction took 10 years (1921-1931), using reinforced concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. Granite stone came from the Dalli and Wolga quarries on the Essequibo River
Essequibo River
The Esequibo River is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil-Guyana border, the Essequibo flows to the north for 1,010 km through forest and savanna into the Atlantic Ocean.-Geography:There are countless...
, and the sand came from Leguan Island
Leguan Island
Leguan Island is a small island situated in the delta of the Essequibo River on the coast of Guyana, South America. The island is shaped like a gull wing and is nine miles long and wide at its widest making it roughly twelve square miles in area....
.
The incomplete cathedral was opened by Bishop Galton on 13 March 1921.
The marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
was erected in 1930, and is a gift from Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
to Bishop Galton. The marble pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
is a memorial to the Fogarty family. A metal shrine to the Virgin Mary atop the western facade is a memento of St. Mary’s Cathedral. The shrine adorned the pinnacle of the earlier building’s steeple, and survived its fall during the 1913 fire.