Holy Rosary Church (Cleveland, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Holy Rosary Church
|
|
Western side and front
|
|
 Location in Cleveland
Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 12021 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architectural style | Baroque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001397 |
| Added to NRHP | June 16, 1976 |
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a really old and important church in the Little Italy area of Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States. It's a Catholic church that was started a long time ago in the early 1890s.
The church building you see today was finished around 1910. It has a special style called Baroque Revival. Because of its history and beautiful design, it's now known as a historic site.
Contents
A Church for New Beginnings
In the early 1890s, many families from Italy came to live in Cleveland. They settled along Mayfield Road, creating a lively community. Priests from nearby East Cleveland started helping these new families.
Their efforts were successful! In 1892, the Diocese of Cleveland officially created the Holy Rosary parish. By the end of that year, the first church building was built.
Growing with the Community
Even though the community had strong Italian roots, people soon started to blend into American life. As early as 1896, the church offered religious classes for children. This helped them learn about their faith in their new home.
At one point, Cleveland had about fifty "national parishes." These were churches created for specific groups of immigrants, like Italians or Germans. Holy Rosary was the very first Italian parish in the city.
The community decided to build the current church building in 1905. It took four years to finish before it was ready to be officially dedicated.
Church Design and Building
Many of the first members of Holy Rosary Church were stone cutters. However, their church is not made of stone. Its main walls are made of brick.
The bottom part of the church, called the foundation, is made of stone. Copper and stone are also used for some fancy details on the outside.
Looking at the Outside
At the front of the church, called the facade, there are steps leading up to the main double doors. Above these doors, you'll see two large arched windows.
The sides of the facade also have big arched areas. These are mostly brick, with only small arched windows and round windows, called oculi, breaking them up.
There are two decorative bands, called belt courses, near the top of the facade. Many statues stand on top of the facade at important spots. The eastern corner of the building has a dome-shaped tower, called a cupola.
A Special Historic Place
In 1976, Holy Rosary Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. It earned this honor because of its beautiful architecture and its significant role in the community's history.
It's one of several "national parishes" in Cleveland that have this special designation. Other churches on the list include St. Elizabeth's (for Hungarian immigrants) and St. Michael's (for German immigrants).
