Country United States Consecrated 1906 Opened 1905 Phone +1 804-359-5651 | Denomination Roman Catholic Church Groundbreaking 1903 Length 63 m | |
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Location 800 S. Cathedral Place
Richmond, Virginia Website www.richmondcathedral.org Address 800 S Cathedral Pl, Richmond, VA 23220, USA Architectural style Renaissance Revival architecture Similar St Peter's Church, Church of the Sacred Heart, Monroe Park, Jefferson Hotel, Tredegar Iron Works Profiles | ||
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond, Virginia, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond. The property is located along North Laurel Street at 800 South Cathedral Place, facing Monroe Park one block north of Main Street. Construction of the Cathedral was begun in 1903, financed by donations of Thomas Fortune Ryan and his wife; it was the only cathedral at that time known to be constructed by the exclusive patronage of a single family.
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The cathedral was completed in 1905 and consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906. The cathedral is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Background
Virginia-born Thomas Fortune Ryan converted to Roman Catholicism en route to Baltimore, Maryland in 1868. In Baltimore Ryan made his fortune in railroads and streetcar transit and married Ida Mary Barry, the daughter of a Catholic former employer. Ida contributed to various Catholic charities and causes, including in Virginia, but the Ryans' philanthropy in Richmond increased after they purchased a 5000-acre plot in Nelson County, Virginia. In 1901 Ida donated money to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart in Manchester (now part of Richmond) so that worshippers did not have to cross the James River for services. She also provided funds for the construction of a school, a new chapel convent, and churches in nearby Harrisonburg and Newport News. They also funded projects in Washington, D.C. and New York. In 1901 Ida and Ryan each donated $250,000 to build a cathedral overlooking Monroe Park near the Fan district—in today's money, equivalent to $14,394,000.
Historically, Richmond did not have a large or influential Catholic population, but it was growing at the turn of the century. Part of the plot for the church had been owned by the Diocese since 1865. The parish had planned for a $120,000 church at the location since 1882, but an effort to purchase the rest of the triangular block stalled until the Ryans' gift.
Construction
The Ryans chose Joseph Hubert McGuire as the church's architect. The church, bishop's house and pastoral home fill the entire block. The cornerstone was laid June 4, 1903, by Father Conway of St. Ignatius, New York; the stone block came from the Garden of Gethsemane. According to a diocesan official, it was the only cathedral in the world erected through the "sole munificence of one family".
The building is an example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. The exterior is constructed from Virginia granite and Indiana limestone; ceramic tiles and a copper-jacketed dome 118 feet (36 m) across complete the roof. The basilica's two front towers rise 90 feet (27 m). The portico is supported by fluted Corinthian columns; the entablature features the phrase "If Ye Love Me Keep My Commandments", while the underside of the pediment is lined with fireproof tiles designed by Rafael Guastavino.
The cathedral was consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906 in a series of ceremonies throughout the day. The church's consecration began at 6 am.
Landmark
The cathedral is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register for Historic Places.