The St. Aloysius Catholic Church[2] is a Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of New York, located at 209-217 West 132nd Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
| St. Aloysius Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
 (2014) | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | 209-217 West 132nd Street Manhattan, New York City |
| Construction started | 1902 (church);[1] 1940(school)[1] |
| Cost | $60,000 (church);[1] $60,000 (school)[1] |
| Client | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Masonry |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | William W. Renwick (1902 church);[1] Starret & Van Vleck & Purdy & Henderson (1940 school)[1] |
| Website | |
| https://staloysiuschurchny.org/ | |
It was built in 1902-04 and was designed by William W. Renwick – the nephew of James Renwick Jr. – in the Italian Gothic Revival style.[3] It has been called a "little-known treasure".[4] The church was designated a New York City Landmark on January 30, 2007.[5]
History and description
editThe St. Aloysius congregation was established in 1899 and has been staffed by the Jesuit Fathers, of which Saint Aloysius Gonzaga was himself a member.[6] The congregation was originally primarily German, Irish and Italian immigrants and their families.[3] The current congregation is primarily African American, and gospel music is utilized in the services.[4]
The brick church designed by Renwick has an "usually intricate facade, with colorful bands of red brick, celadon glazed bricks and polychrome terra cotta,"[3] creating "an evocative and delicate facade."[7] Sculpted reliefs on the depict Christ, the Holy Family and two angels.[3] The overall design compares favorably to Renwick's All Saints Church on East 129th Street,[4] and may have been inspired by Renwick's travels in Italy before joining his uncle's firm.[7]
Gallery
edit-
In 1914 -
Entrance -
Top -
Circular window detail -
Top right of facade -
Relief sculpture detail
See also
editReferences
editNotes
- ^ a b c d e f g Office for Metropolitan History, "Manhattan NB Database 1900-1986" (Accessed 25 December 2010).
- ^ This is the name of the church according to the information board attached to the building
- ^ a b c d New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; Dolkart, Andrew S.; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.). Guide to New York City Landmarks (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1. p.203
- ^ a b c Dunlap, David W. (2004). From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12543-7., p.188
- ^ Shockley, Jay."St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church Designation Report" New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (January 30, 2007)
- ^ Remigius Lafort, S.T.D., Censor, The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Volume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1: Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Buffalo and Ogdensburg Together with some Supplementary Articles on Religious Communities of Women.. (New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p.310.
- ^ a b White, Norval; Willensky, Elliot; Leadon, Fran (2010). AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19538-386-7. p.540
External links
edit
Media related to St. Aloysius Catholic Church (New York City) at Wikimedia Commons
