Friday, July 20, 2007

CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

The Good, the Bad, and the WTF???

First, welcome to the CV Definitve Blogroll the St. John's Valdosta Blog. Robert Kumpel, the blog's owner does a considerable amount of posting on church architecture. Here's a sampling of buildings he has recently featured from Robert's own home diocese. Soon enough I could feature some from my own diocese as well. We have some really nice looking Catholic churches in Rhode Island, but we have some hideous ones as well. (RSCT to Gerald, snarky remarks mine):


This one, to me, looks like one of those little Pentecostal chapels, perhaps in the midst of a rich snooty neighborhood, an industrial park, or adjacent to a Holiday Inn somewhere (nothing negative intended towards the Holiday Inn).


This church is just drop-dead gorgeous! Definitely built in an age where church architechts knew what they were doing!


WTF??? I'd hate to imagine where in this thing they call a church the altar is located, let alone the Tabernacle!


Here, Robert rightfully comments, "This church points upward, but no further upward than Snoopy's A-framed doghouse." Yeah - maybe towards the Red Baron, wherever he may be (hehehe!)


Robert states here, "Built in the early to mid 60's, it looks Catholic, but is a bit bland." Truthfully, I don't think it's totally hideous. It's better than most structures I've seen post 1960. I give this builder credit for a fairly decent belltower for that era. I don't know what the inside is like, however. One could be disappointed.


Another WTF??? Maybe a modern convent building of sorts, perhaps combined with a greenhouse to the left and a carport to the right? Or the cafeteria to a shrine? But a church???


This one is gorgeous as well. If I remember correctly, this church, Most Holy Trinity, has a remarkable music program as well.


Finally, this church, Robert rightfully compares this church to the one below:


I'll have to try a similar series for my diocese. :)
Peace,
BMP

2 comments:

Cathy said...

Bri,
Check out these pages: this parish, Queen of all Saints Basilica in Chgo, was built in 1960.

http://tinyurl.com/2xvx5k

http://tinyurl.com/248dvw

http://tinyurl.com/yoh2fv

I know, right?

DominiSumus said...

I have been thinking about doing a series like that for my diocese.

I visited a beautiful church on the cape the other day, but was horribly dissapointed once I got inside.

I have to start taking my camera with me.