Ithaca Presbyterian Church facts for kids
The Ithaca Presbyterian Church is a special old church in Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It's considered a heritage-listed building, which means it's important to keep and protect. People bought the land for the church in 1919. They raised £8000 to build it! A famous architecture company called Wilson Architects designed the church. Building started in 1927, and the church officially opened on February 9, 1929.
What the Church Looks Like
Like many old churches in Brisbane, the Ithaca Presbyterian Church stands on a hill. It's easy to spot from far away! The church is built in an early Gothic style. This style has cool features like pointed arches and strong supports called flying buttresses on the outside. It also has a tall, single bell tower. The church is made of red bricks. It's covered with a special plaster that makes it look like it's made of sandstone. The church also has a cross shape, which is called a cruciform plan. There are two small rooms at the back, known as vestries.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church feels warm and welcoming. It shows off the Arts and Crafts style, which was popular in Brisbane a long time ago. You'll see tall wooden arches and beautiful stained glass windows. There are also many handmade details. When you walk in, you'll see rows of simple wooden seats called pews. These create two paths that lead to the front of the church. At the front, there's a rounded area called an apsidal end. This is where the pulpit, organ, and vestries are.
The pulpit, which is where the speaker stands, sticks out into the main seating area. This design shows that the architects believed "the word" (meaning the sermon or teachings) was very important in the Presbyterian faith. Inside, you can also see a special "Roll of Honour" from World War 1. This lists the names of people from the church who served in the war. There are also leadlight windows with the letters IHS. This stands for "in his service" and remembers church members who were lost in the war.
Keeping the Church Strong
The Ithaca Presbyterian Church is still used as a church today. In 2009, the front of the church and the bell tower were repaired. They needed new plaster because water had caused damage. This repair work took four months to finish. It cost $100,000, but the Brisbane City Council helped by paying fifteen percent of the cost. The workers used old-fashioned materials and methods. This helped to make the church look like new again. It also made sure the building would stay strong against future weather damage.
Important History
The church is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register. This means it's an important historical building in Brisbane. It is protected so future generations can enjoy it.
