St. Mary's Catholic Church, Indianapolis
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church in Indianapolis, Indiana
. It is built in the Gothic Revival style modeled after the Cologne Cathedral
in Germany
. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The church was established in 1858 as St. Marienkirche to serve the growing population of German Catholics who were making their home in Indianapolis.
, in 1856 to establish a congregation among the German Catholics
of Indianapolis. St. Mary's was their first church, completed in 1858. Priests conducted services in latin and sermons in German
and retained Old World
traditions. After the neighborhood become commercial, the congregation purchased property at New Jersey Street and Vermont Street. That is where they built the present church, which was under construction from 1910 to 1912. Architect Hermann Gaul, a native of Cologne, Germany, designed the church. The design Gaul used for St. Marienkirche was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral
.
. On the south side, another window depicts St. Henry, the “church builder.” The interior has many statues and a apse
with skylights.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. It is built in the Gothic Revival style modeled after the Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The church was established in 1858 as St. Marienkirche to serve the growing population of German Catholics who were making their home in Indianapolis.
History
The Reverend Peter Leonard Brandt arrived from Vincennes, IndianaVincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
, in 1856 to establish a congregation among the German Catholics
German Catholics
The German Catholics were a schismatic sect formed in December 1844 by German dissidents from the Roman Catholic Church, under the leadership of Johannes Ronge.-History:...
of Indianapolis. St. Mary's was their first church, completed in 1858. Priests conducted services in latin and sermons in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and retained Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
traditions. After the neighborhood become commercial, the congregation purchased property at New Jersey Street and Vermont Street. That is where they built the present church, which was under construction from 1910 to 1912. Architect Hermann Gaul, a native of Cologne, Germany, designed the church. The design Gaul used for St. Marienkirche was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site...
.
Architecture
Gargoyles decorate the façade of the church at the entry portal and towers. On the north side, a stained-glass window depicts St. Boniface, the saint who converted the Germans to ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. On the south side, another window depicts St. Henry, the “church builder.” The interior has many statues and a apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
with skylights.