Cathedral of Saint Vibiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Vibiana's Cathedral |
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| Location | 214 S Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
| Built | 1876 |
| Architect | Kysor & Mathews |
| Architectural style(s) | Italianate |
| Designated | May 10, 1963 |
| Reference no. | 17 |
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The Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, often called St. Vibiana's, was once a very important Catholic church in Los Angeles. It is located in Downtown Los Angeles. This building opened in 1876 and served as the main church for the Los Angeles area for more than 100 years.
It was named after Vibiana, a saint who lived a very long time ago in the 3rd century. Today, it is no longer a church but a popular place for events.
A big earthquake in 1994, called the Northridge earthquake, badly damaged the cathedral. This led to a long disagreement. The church leaders wanted to tear down the building and build a new church there. However, people who wanted to save old buildings, called preservationists, wanted it to stay because it was historically important.
In 1996, everyone agreed on a plan. The church bought land nearby for a new cathedral. In return, the St. Vibiana site was given to the City of Los Angeles. The new church, called the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, opened in 2002.
In the late 2000s, the old cathedral building became an event venue named Vibiana. The Los Angeles Public Library also has a branch, the Little Tokyo branch, on the same site. The 1876 cathedral building is one of the few remaining structures from the early days of Los Angeles.
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History of St. Vibiana's Cathedral
Plans for a cathedral started way back in 1859. A person named Amiel Cavalier donated the land for the church. The entire complex, located at Main and Second streets in downtown Los Angeles, was officially opened in 1876. It cost about US$80,000 to build.
The architects, Kysor & Mathews, also designed another famous building called the Pico House. The cathedral's design was inspired by Italianate and Baroque styles. It was a major landmark in early Los Angeles. When it first opened, it could hold one-tenth of the young town's population.
The inside of the cathedral was updated around 1895 with beautiful onyx and marble. The outside was changed between 1922 and 1924 to give it a new look, which was said to be based on a Roman design.
Naming the Cathedral
Pope Pius IX chose the cathedral's name, picking Saint Vibiana, a martyr from 3rd-century Ancient Rome. Cathedrals often have relics, which are remains of a saint. So, the remains of St. Vibiana were brought from the Catacombs of Rome. They were placed in a special gold and glass box, called a sarcophagus, above the main altar.
Later Years and Changes
During the 1940s, a rectory (a home for priests) and a school building were added. The school closed in 1969 because the church could no longer afford it. It then became a convent for a group of nuns called the Disciples of the Divine Master.
The city's population grew very quickly, and the cathedral became too small. The church leaders decided they needed a larger main building. However, people who wanted to save old buildings pushed back, wanting to protect the historic landmark.
The Earthquake and Preservation Battle
The situation became more difficult when the 1994 Northridge earthquake caused a lot of damage to the cathedral in 1994. The church leaders felt the damage was too much to fix for such a small building. In 1996, they started to tear down parts of the site without getting the proper permits.
However, when the bell tower was suddenly taken down one Saturday morning, people quickly started a campaign to save the cathedral. Preservationists got a court order to stop the demolition work. The church leaders argued they had the right to tear down their own building. But preservationists and the city wanted the church to be saved.
The building was even listed as one of the "11 Most Endangered Places" in the country by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A state court rejected the church's argument to quickly demolish the cathedral.
A New Plan for the Cathedral
Finally, everyone reached a compromise. The City of Los Angeles agreed to trade land with the church. The church received a much larger piece of land next to the 101 Freeway. The church leaders agreed, and this land was used to build the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. This new cathedral was completed and opened as the main church for the area.
Some items from St. Vibiana's Cathedral were moved to the new cathedral. The beautiful stained glass windows and the sarcophagus of St. Vibiana were placed in the new cathedral's crypt mausoleum. Pipes from the 1980 Austin pipe organ were also used in the organ at the new cathedral.
St. Vibiana's Becomes an Event Venue
The city took over the old cathedral site. In 1999, the city sold the former cathedral building to a developer named Tom Gilmore for $4.6 million. The newer 1940s Education Building, which was not historic, was torn down. This made space for the new Little Tokyo Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.
The renovated cathedral building celebrated its completion with a big party on November 12, 2005. In August 2007, a very heavy 3,500-pound (1,600 kg) cupola (a small dome) was put back on top of the 83-foot-tall (25 m) bell tower.
The former cathedral was later renamed Vibiana and turned into a space for events. It has hosted many famous parties, including post-Emmy Award parties in 2009 and 2010, charity galas, and post-Grammy Awards parties. In 2016, the venue hosted four episodes of the final season of the TV show American Idol.
In 2017, it was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation list of "Success Stories." This means it was once on the "Most Endangered" list but was successfully saved. Today, Amy Knoll Fraser and Chef Neal Fraser own and operate Redbird | Vibiana. It is a popular place for weddings, events, and performing arts in Downtown Los Angeles.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa Vibiana para niños
