St. Barbara Church - Chicago, IL
Posted by: libbykc
N 41° 50.551 W 087° 39.188
16T E 445775 N 4632497
This church was originally built to serve Polish Catholics in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.
Waymark Code: WM13FN6
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 12/02/2020
Views: 0
St. Barbara's Parish was built in 1912 to serve Polish parishioners in the immigrant-heavy Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. The existing Polish parish, several blocks away, was overflowing, and St. Barbara's was built to relieve the crowding. The church still has a stone plate on the facade which says "Kosciol Sw Barbary" or St. Barbara Parish in Polish.
"The domed, Renaissance-style church took two years and $175,000 to build. No pillars were used in the interior so sight-lines would be clear for the 1,200 worshippers that could be accommodated. A solemn dedication and consecration took place July 5, 1914. Architects Henry Worthmann and J. G. Steinbach (one born in Germany, the other in Austria) adapted the prevalent style of 16th Century Europe for many Chicago congregations. Among their well-known other works are St. Mary of the Angels, St. Hyacinth, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church. Our Lady of Tepeyac (originally known as St. Casimir) is a virtual twin to St. Barbara. While not in the Renaissance style, First Lutheran Church of the Trinity in Bridgeport is the closest neighborhood example of another Worthmann and Steinbach design." (
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