Cathedral of Saint Mary (Austin, Texas) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Mary Cathedral

Location in Texas
30°16′16″N 97°44′24″W / 30.27111°N 97.74000°W / 30.27111; -97.74000
Location	203 East 10th Street Austin, Texas
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Status	Cathedral
Consecrated	20 April 1884
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Nicholas J. Clayton
Architectural type	Gothic Revival
Style	Gothic revival
Groundbreaking	1872
Completed	1884
Specifications
Materials	Limestone
Administration
Diocese	Austin
Province	Galveston-Houston (Region X)

Saint Mary's Cathedral is a very important church in Austin, Texas. It is the main church, called a cathedral, for the Catholic community in the area. This beautiful building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's a special place recognized for its history and architecture.

History of Saint Mary's Cathedral
Architecture and Design
Cathedral School
Gallery
See also

History of Saint Mary's Cathedral

The story of this church began in the 1850s. At that time, many Irish Catholic families lived in Austin. They built a small stone church called St. Patrick's. It was made from local limestone.

As more people moved to Austin, especially German Catholics, the church community grew. By 1866, they needed a bigger church. The Irish wanted to keep the name St. Patrick's. The German families hoped for a new name that honored their heritage. They decided to compromise and named the new church in honor of Mary.

In 1872, Austin became the permanent capital of Texas. The community started building the new church. It was located one block north of the old St. Patrick's church. The new St. Mary's church was finished in 1874 and officially dedicated in 1884. The old St. Patrick's church was taken down around 1874.

In 1948, the Diocese of Austin was created. This made St. Mary's the main church, or cathedral, for the new diocese. Today, the Celtic Cultural Center of Texas holds a Christmas concert at the cathedral each year. This event celebrates the church's Irish roots with traditional Irish and Scottish music.

Architecture and Design

The new church was designed by an architect named Nicholas J. Clayton. He was born in Ireland. This was his first big project on his own. He designed the church in a Victorian style.

The church has tall towers and spires that look like old Gothic buildings. These were finished in 1907. The original pointy tops of the spires were removed in the 1950s. This might have happened after lightning struck them.

More stained glass windows were added in the 1890s. The church's design reminds people of nature. The columns inside look like tree trunks with carved leaves. The paintings on the walls have designs of vines and leaves. The pointed arches on the doors and windows, and the tall spires, look like mountains. The ceiling, which is blue with stars, represents the sky and heavens.

The cathedral has a very large bell. It was given by the family of Michael Butler. This bell is one of the biggest in Texas.

In 1948, the church was updated. Some of its older decorations were removed. New marble altars and railings were put in. A special canopy, called a baldachino, was added. It features designs of cactus and bluebonnets, which are plants found in central Texas.

The cathedral had a big restoration project in 2013. Workers cleaned the outside of the building. They replaced some stone blocks and mortar. They also restored the large rose window on the front of the church. The center of this window has a special design called a quincunx. It looks like four parts spinning out from one center. This can represent the four evangelists spreading the Word to all parts of the world.

The building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 1973.