Church of St. Agnes (Saint Paul, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of Saint Agnes--Catholic
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The Church of Saint Agnes from the northwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 535 Thomas Avenue West Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre |
| Built | 1901 |
| Architect | George J. Ries, John Fischer |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002125 |
| Added to NRHP | November 19, 1980 |
The Church of Saint Agnes is a beautiful Catholic church located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It's part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. This church has a long history, starting as a parish in 1887. The amazing building you see today was finished in 1912. It's so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
The Story of Saint Agnes Church
How the Church Began
The Church of Saint Agnes was started in 1887 by Archbishop John Ireland. He wanted to create a place of worship for German-speaking families. These families were moving to the Frogtown neighborhood in St. Paul. They came to find jobs, many working for the Great Northern Railway.
The very first church building was made of brick. It was designed by George Bergmann, an architect who also attended the church. This first building was completed in 1888. But after about ten years, more and more people joined the church. The building became too small for everyone. So, the church bought more land to build a bigger and better church.
Building the Grand Church
Work on the current church building began in 1897. This project was led by James Trobec, who later became an important bishop. Two architects, Hermann Kretz and George Ries, submitted their designs. George Ries's design was chosen.
Ries based his design on a famous monastery in Austria called Stift Schlägl. The style of the church is called Baroque architecture. This style was well-known to the immigrants who came from places like Austria and southern Germany. The church also shows influences from Beaux-Arts ideas, which focus on balance and perfect symmetry.
Construction and Features
Construction started in 1897 with the basement. For a while, church services were held in the basement. This allowed time to raise enough money for the rest of the building. In 1909, after about $200,000 was collected, work on the main church building continued. It was finally completed in 1912.
The church has a unique bell tower with an "onion-dome" shape. This tower is about 205 feet (62 meters) tall. It's unusual because it's placed at the back of the church, not the front. At the front of the church, there's a large staircase. It leads up to a terrace with three big entrance doors. The middle door has a fancy window. On each side of this window, there are special spaces called niches with statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Above that, there's a triangular part called a pediment with a statue of Saint Agnes. She is the patron saint of the church. Both the church and its tower are covered in a beautiful stone called Indiana limestone.
A famous architecture critic, Larry Millett, once said that the Church of Saint Agnes is "The monument in Frogtown and one of St. Paul's finest churches."
Dedication and Details
The Church of Saint Agnes was officially opened in 1912. The dedication service lasted four hours! Archbishop John Ireland led the service, joined by 32 priests. Some of the beautiful brass chandeliers inside the church came from the old Minnesota State Capitol building. This building used to be in downtown St. Paul.
Later, in 1930, colorful stained glass windows were added. A marble altar was also installed. This altar has a detailed mosaic artwork. It shows the Crucifixion of Jesus with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John nearby.
