St Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton |
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| Cathedral of Saint Joseph | |
St Joseph's Cathedral, 2020
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| Location | Rockhampton, Queensland |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral (since 1893) Church (1863–1892) |
| Founded | 11 June 1894 |
| Consecrated | 15 October 1899 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Queensland Heritage Register |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Architect(s) | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Neo-Gothic |
| Years built | 1893–1982 |
| Groundbreaking | 1896 |
| Completed | 1982 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Brisbane |
| Diocese | Rockhampton |
| St Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton | |
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| Location | 170 William Street, Allenstown, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1893–1982 |
| Architect | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic |
| Official name: St Josephs Cathedral | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600822 |
| Significant period | 1890s, 1980s (historical) 1890s–1900s, 1980s (fabric) ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | tower, cathedral, views to, furniture/fittings, stained glass window/s |
St Joseph's Cathedral is a beautiful and historic Roman Catholic church. It is located at 170 William Street in Allenstown, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. This amazing building was designed by a well-known architect, Francis Drummond Greville Stanley. Construction started in 1893 and was mostly finished by 1899. The cathedral is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton. It is also listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
Building History
The first official Roman Catholic church service in Rockhampton happened in May 1862. Two priests from Brisbane, Father James Scully and Father Patrick Duhig, held Mass in the local Court House. About fifty Catholic people attended. While in Rockhampton, these priests started collecting money to build a church.
This first church, dedicated to St Joseph, opened on 4 January 1863. It was located on the corner of Derby and Alma Streets. Father Charles Murlay became the priest for the Rockhampton area. His parish was huge, stretching from Gladstone to Townsville and west to Blackall.
In 1876, Bishop James Quinn suggested finding a spot for a larger, more suitable cathedral. This was because the Rockhampton parish was going to become its own diocese (a church district led by a bishop). Land on William Street was bought by February 1877. By 1883, the community had raised £4000 for the new cathedral.
On 21 May 1882, Bishop John Cani became the first Bishop of Rockhampton. He was very keen to get the new cathedral built. Plans were drawn up by the Brisbane architects FDG Stanley and Son. Francis Drummond Greville Stanley designed many important churches in Queensland. These include St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Gympie and Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Fortitude Valley.
Construction of St Joseph's Cathedral began on 11 June 1894. Bishop Cani laid the foundation stone on Sunday, 17 March 1895. The sandstone used for the building came from Stanwell Quarry. This quarry was about 24 kilometres (15 miles) west of Rockhampton and was owned by Bishop Cani himself.
Bishop Cani passed away on 3 March 1898, before the cathedral was fully completed. It was a tradition to bury a bishop inside his cathedral. So, Bishop Cani was first buried temporarily in the Rockhampton Cemetery. The plan was to move him to the cathedral once it was finished.
His replacement, Bishop Joseph Higgins, arrived on 20 July 1899. The cathedral was still not fully built, but it was completed with a temporary east wall within two months of his arrival. Local architects, Eaton and Bates, helped with this final stage. On 15 October 1899, a grand opening ceremony took place. Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran from Sydney celebrated a special Mass.
On 22 July 1902, Bishop Cani's remains were moved and re-buried inside St Joseph's Cathedral. His tomb is under a special window dedicated to him by the Sisters of Mercy.
Over the years, the cathedral has been looked after and improved. In 1918, the church's flying buttresses were made stronger. In 1980, it was discovered that the temporary wall from 1899 was unsafe. A project began to finally finish the building properly. On 22 May 1982, Cardinal Sir James Darcy Freeman, the Archbishop of Sydney, dedicated the fully completed cathedral.
In 1987, the beautiful stained glass windows were sent to England. They were restored by John Hardman Studios, who had made them almost a century earlier. After restoration, they were returned to St Joseph's Cathedral.
What the Cathedral Looks Like
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Cathedral is a large building made of sandstone. It has a traditional cross shape, with a long main hall called a nave. On each side of the nave are narrower areas called aisles. It also has transepts (the arms of the cross shape) and an apsidal chancel (the curved area at the end). Two tall towers stand at the front of the building.
The cathedral is built from rough-cut sandstone blocks. Smoother sandstone is used for details like window frames and decorative patterns.
The front of the building is very grand and balanced. It has a main entrance in the middle. Above the entrance is a large window with beautiful stone patterns. The two tall towers on either side have pointed tops called broach spires. The main entrance is a pointed arch set into a deep doorway. Above the doorway, there are carved patterns in the stone.
Inside, the church is set up in a traditional way. The nave is separated from the side aisles by a series of pointed arches. Near the entrance, there is a narthex area, also separated by arches. These arches are made of smooth sandstone and have simple round columns with decorative tops.
The ceiling is shaped like a shallow pointed arch. It is covered with horizontal timber boards and has strong timber arched beams. High up, there are groups of three pointed arched windows that let in light. At the front end of the church, there is a gallery (a raised seating area) above the narthex.
The inside of St Joseph's Cathedral has many beautiful features. The floor is made of black and white Italian marble tiles, arranged in a checkerboard pattern. There are also many stunning stained glass windows. These windows show scenes from the New Testament. They were designed and made by John Hardman and Son in England.
Why the Cathedral is Important
St Joseph's Cathedral was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's recognized as a very important historical place.
- Shows Queensland's History: The cathedral shows how Rockhampton grew in the late 1800s. It was built as the first Roman Catholic Cathedral in Rockhampton. This happened after the Diocese of Rockhampton was created in 1882.
- Great Example of its Style: The building is a great example of a large Gothic Revival cathedral. It has sandstone walls, a cross-shaped layout, Gothic details, a steep roof, towers with spires, and beautiful stained glass.
- Looks Beautiful: The cathedral is a very well-designed building. It is also a famous landmark in Rockhampton, meaning it's a well-known and important sight.
- Important to the Community: The building is very special to the Roman Catholic community in central and north Queensland. It serves as their main cathedral.
- Connected to Important People: The cathedral is linked to the famous architect FDG Stanley. It is also connected to many important bishops of the Rockhampton Diocese.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San José (Rockhampton) para niños
Images for kids
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St. Joseph's Cathedral in Rockhampton, 1923
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Giovanni John Cani, Bishop of Rockhampton from 1882 to 1898
