St. Joseph Catholic Church (San Antonio, Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Joseph Catholic Church |
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Aerial view of St. Joseph Catholic Church, surrounded by the Shops at Rivercenter
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 St. Joseph Catholic Church
Location in Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Location in the United States
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| 29°25′25″N 98°29′11″W / 29.4236°N 98.4864°W | |
| Location | 623 E. Commerce St., San Antonio, Texas, US |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Joseph |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | G. Friesleben, Theodore Giraud |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1868 |
| Completed | 1876 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | one |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | San Antonio |
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a beautiful old church in downtown San Antonio, Texas. It's a Roman Catholic church, meaning it's part of the worldwide Catholic Church. This church is special because of its unique story. It's known as a "holdout" or "nail house." This means that when a big shopping mall was being built, the church refused to sell its land. So, the mall had to be built all around it!
The church is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style uses tall arches, pointed windows, and detailed decorations. It was the fourth Catholic church built in San Antonio.
History of St. Joseph Church
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The land where St. Joseph Church stands today might have been the second home of the Missión San Antonio de Valero. This mission later became famous as the Alamo. The mission moved to its current spot in 1724.
The first stone for St. Joseph Church was placed in 1868. The church building was finished in 1871. It was built to serve the many German immigrants who were moving to San Antonio.
In the 1870s, a friar named Henry Pfefferkorn painted beautiful murals. These paintings showed scenes like the Annunciation and the Assumption. A tall steeple was added to the church in 1898. In 1902, amazing stained glass windows were put in. These windows came all the way from the Emil Frei Art Glass Factory in Munich, Germany.
The "Holdout" Story
In 1944, a large department store called Joske's wanted to buy the church's land. They planned to build a big shopping center there. However, the people who attended St. Joseph Church all said no. They did not want their church to move.
Because the church refused to sell, Joske's had to build its store around three sides of the church. This is why locals started calling it "St. Joske's." Today, that shopping area is part of the Shops at Rivercenter complex.
In 1981, the church underwent a big restoration project. This helped to fix and preserve the historic building.
St. Joseph Church Today
Today, St. Joseph Church is a lively place for many different cultures. It's also a popular spot for tourists to visit. The church holds Spanish-language masses that feature mariachi music. The San Antonio Liederkranz, a male singing choir, performs there once a month.
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