Church of Our Lady Immaculate National Historic Site of Canada, Guelph, Ontario
Posted by: 
colincan
N 43° 32.584 W 080° 15.085
17T E 560475 N 4821396
Founder of Guelph, John Galt, is quoted as saying a church to rival St Peter's in Rome would one day rise on this site. Not quite but getting there! Actually modelled after the Cathedral of The Three Holy Kings, Cologne, Germany, a world landmark.
Waymark Code: WM6CPR
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 05/14/2009
Views: 20
The Church of Our Lady Immaculate, Church Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception or simply Church of Our Lady stands on a high elevation overlooking the historic downtown of Guelph with City Hall, the Armouries and the station below. Construction on this Roman Catholic church began in 1877. It is considered the masterpiece of architect Joseph Connolly. The limestone building has twin towers which rise 200 feet. The rose window and statues are prominent features of the front facade. The building was not fully complete until 1926. It was designated a national historic site in 1990 but has not yet been plaqued by the federal government. A provincial plaque does nonetheless commemorate the architect. Hardly a rival to the incomparable Cologne Cathedral, the church is nonetheless a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture in Canada. Shannon Kyles in her website on architecture in Ontario sums it up by stating "It was meant as a civic and social center and a national monument as much as a place of worship."
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