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| St. Augustine Cathedral St. Augustine Florida |
| The St. Augustine Cathedral/Basilica was completed in 1797 in the 2nd Spanish Period. It was dedicated on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1797. One of the original bells bears the inscription, "Sancte Joseph Ora Pro Nobis D 1682 making it one of the oldest bells in the United States. The Cathedral was originally Spanish Mission style. It represents the oldest Catholic congregation in the United States going back to 1565. The original church was 41 feet wide and 124 feet long with walls 24 feet high to accomodate 500 people. It is built out of coquina like the Castillo. A fire in 1887 gutted the Cathedral. It was rebuilt with the help of the archtect James Renwick who added the Spanish Renaissance Bell Tower out of poured concrete with coquina in the Flagler Era. (for pictures of the Bishop's House) |
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| Cathedral before fire - Picture from Library of Congress |
| Cathedral Today |
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| Cathedral after tower but before 1960s treatment. Note the Bishop's house next door. |
| Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey or Historic American Engineering Record, Reproduction Number (Ex:"HABS,ILL,16-CHIG,33-2") |
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| Cathedral Interior New York Public Library |
| Windows of the Cathedral 1. Baptism of St. Augustine by St. Ambrose 2. St. Augustine and St. Alipius 3. St. Augustine with St. Monica 4. Ordination of St. Augustine 5. Death of St. Monica 6. St. Augustine healing the sick 7. Consecration of St. Augustine 8. St. Augustine Preaching 9. St. Augustine reading rules of his order 10. St. Augustine by the seashore 11. Miracle at shrine of St. Stephen in Hippo 12. Ecstasy of St. Augustine St. Frances Bergia was general of the Society of Jesus and St. Pius V was reigning Pope when Menendez undertook his expedition. Statute on main altar. Statues of St. Augustine and St. Monica, his mother, are in the niches near the sanctuary. (from HABAS study) |
| The first building consisted of the oblong quadrangle 120 x 42 feet, which forms the Nave of the present building. Windows 16 feet from the ground, provided ventilation. The upper Gallery was for the choir and the lower one for African-Americans. The largest bell is inscribed with the words: "Sante Joseph, Ora pro Nobis 1682" from HABS study documents |
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| Cathedral Exterior Drawing Library of Congress HABAS |