OLDEST - Cathedral in United States - OLDEST - Building in Texas
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 29° 25.472 W 098° 29.647
14R E 549070 N 3255128
The San Fernando Cathedral's original church of San Fernando was constructed between 1738 and 1749. The walls of that church still stand today making it the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States and the oldest building in Texas
Waymark Code: WM3951
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/28/2008
Views: 106
The church of Nuestra Senora de Candelaria y Guadalupe was begun in 1738
and completed in 1749. The original structure was built of rough limestone and
mortar on a cruciform plan, facing east, with a single bell tower, vaults
spanning the apse, nave, and transept;, and a cupola placed on pendentives over
the crossing. The structure, in the Spanish Baroque style, had little decoration
and an architectural character of strength and severity. By 1840 the original
structure was almost in ruins, and was renovated in that year under the
direction of Vice-Prefect Father John Odin.
The present structure, now called the San Fernando Cathedral, was built
over the colonial church, incorporating the apse and transept as the sanctuary
of the new church. Work commenced in 1868 and was completed in 1873. Designed by
Francis Giraud, the present church, constructed from cut limestone block, is
Gothic Revival style, with lancet openings, twin towers, triple portals, and
gabled roof, and elaborated with quatrefoils, pinnacles, and moldings. A
chancery designed by Leo Dielman was added to the west end of the structure in
1922. ~
Texas Historical Commission Atlas
The Cathedral, the oldest continuously operation cathedral in the United
States, has undergone extensive restoration work in the last few years to
stabilize and restore the cathedral for the future.