St. Mary's Seminary Chapel facts for kids
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St. Mary's Seminary Chapel
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St. Mary's Seminary Chapel, December 2011
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| Location | 600 N. Paca St., Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Area | 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) |
| Built | 1806–1808 |
| Architect | Maximilien Godefroy |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 71001046 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
The St. Mary's Seminary Chapel is a very old church located in Baltimore, Maryland. You can find it at 600 North Paca Street. This chapel is special because it's the oldest church in the United States built in the Neo-Gothic style.
It was built between 1806 and 1808. A French architect named J. Maximilian M. Godefroy designed it. He built it for the French Sulpician priests of St. Mary's Seminary. Godefroy even said his design was the first Gothic building in America!
St. Mary's Seminary started in 1791. It is the oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States. A seminary is a school where people train to become priests. The area also had a college called St. Mary's College from 1805 to 1852.
Godefroy designed other famous buildings in Baltimore too. He created the First Unitarian Church and the Battle Monument. The Battle Monument remembers those who died in the War of 1812. This war included the Battle of Baltimore in September 1814. The chapel is right next to the Mother Seton House.
Originally, the chapel was surrounded by other buildings. These were four-story brick buildings in a Georgian/Federal style. Later, in the 1870s, these were replaced by Victorian-style buildings. Sadly, these Victorian buildings were torn down in the 1970s. Now, the old Chapel and Mother Seton House are surrounded by St. Mary's Park.
About the Chapel's Design
The chapel is made of brick and is about 90 feet long and 70 feet wide. It has one and a half stories. There's a false front that rises above the main roof. This was because they had to save money during building. They couldn't add a large rose window, a tower, or stained glass in the front windows as planned.
The windows are round at the top but set in rectangular openings. The bricks used for the chapel have an interesting story. They were first made for the Baltimore Cathedral. This was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in America. But the cathedral ended up being built with stone. So, the bricks were bought for the chapel for $3,000.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton helped pay for the bricks. He was the last person to sign the United States Declaration of Independence. He was also one of the richest men in America at that time.
Inside, the chapel has a wide main area called a nave. Narrow side aisles run along the nave. Stained glass windows are on each side. The sanctuary, where the altar is, is a bit higher than the nave. It has transepts on the sides and a small round end called an apse. There's also a balcony over the entrance. The ceiling looks like a shallow arched roof, but it's made of plaster. A crypt (an underground room) is beneath the chapel.
Changes Over Time
In 1839, the chapel got a tower with a spire. A local architect named Robert Cary Long, jr. added it. He also decorated the inside. However, Long's steeple became unsafe and was taken down in 1916. Some of Godefroy's original wood and plaster work was removed then.
Later, in 1967, the chapel was renovated. The goal was to make it look more like Godefroy's first design.
A Place for Everyone
The chapel's basement was used for church services by Black Catholic refugees. These people came from Santo Domingo (now Haiti). They had fled a rebellion where Black slaves fought for freedom in the early 1790s.
Lessons for African-American children were also held there. The Oblate Sisters of Providence taught these lessons. Later, these lessons and masses led to the creation of the first Black Roman Catholic churches in Baltimore. These include St. Francis Xavier Parish and St. Peter Claver Parish. The Josephite Fathers is a religious group that works specially with the African American community in the Catholic Church.
The St. Mary's Seminary Chapel was recognized as a National Historic Landmark on November 11, 1971. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States.
See also
- St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church and Howard-Flaget House, another similar church designed by Godefroy
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Maryland
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Central Baltimore
