St Patrick's Church, Fortitude Valley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Patrick's Church,Fortitude Valley |
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St Patrick's Church, 2019
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| 27°27′28″S 153°02′18″E / 27.4577°S 153.0382°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | September 1880 |
| Founder(s) | Bishop James O'Quinn |
| Dedication | Saint Patrick |
| Consecrated | 3 December 1882 by Archbishop Robert Dunne |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Andrea Giovanni Stombuco |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1880–1882 |
| Construction cost | £6,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Porphyry, dressed with sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Stephen's Cathedral Parish |
| Archdiocese | Brisbane |
St Patrick's Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Fortitude Valley, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia. It was built between 1880 and 1882 in a style called Gothic Revival. The church is famous for its beautiful stone construction and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it is protected as an important historical site.
Contents
History of the Church
Why Was a New Church Needed?
In the 1860s, many Irish Catholic families moved to Queensland. A lot of them settled in Fortitude Valley and nearby areas. They had a small church, also named St Patrick's, but by the 1870s, the community had grown so much that the old church was too small for everyone.
A new, much larger church was needed for the growing parish. The parish covered a large area, including Spring Hill, Newstead, Teneriffe, and New Farm.
Building a Grand New Church
The leader of the Catholic Church in Brisbane at the time was Bishop James O'Quinn. He believed that new churches should be grand and impressive. He wanted them built in the Gothic style, which features pointed arches and tall structures, to show the strength of the Catholic faith.
The land for the new church was bought around 1880. In September of that year, a huge crowd of about 5,000 people came to watch Bishop O'Quinn lay the first stone. The church was designed by an architect named Andrea Giovanni Stombuco. It was planned to hold 1,500 people, making it even bigger than St Stephen's Cathedral at the time.
The church was built by John Arthur Manis O'Keefe using a local purple-coloured stone called porphyry and decorated with sandstone from Murphys Creek. It was finished in 1882 and cost about £6,000, a lot of money back then. The church was officially opened on December 3, 1882, by Archbishop Robert Dunne, who had taken over from Bishop O'Quinn.
Interestingly, Archbishop Dunne did not like building such expensive churches. He felt that Bishop O'Quinn's grand projects had almost made the church go broke.
Special Features and Later Changes
The church was filled with beautiful items. It had a large pipe organ built by a local craftsman, Thomas Christmas. In 1886, a belfry (a tower for a bell) was added, with a steel bell given by a member of the church.
Inside, a beautiful main altar made of Oamaru stone from New Zealand was installed. It was designed and possibly carved by the architect, Stombuco. The church also received a large stained glass window from France, which was placed in the eastern wall.
For many years, St Patrick's was a very important church for the Irish Catholic community. After the 1950s, the area of Fortitude Valley changed, and fewer families lived there. The church is now part of the St Stephen's Cathedral parish but is still very popular for Sunday services, weddings, and baptisms.
What the Church Looks Like
The Outside
St Patrick's Church is a large, impressive stone building. It is built in a Gothic-influenced style with a simple rectangular shape. The main material is a rough, purple-grey stone called porphyry. The building has strong supports on the outside walls called buttresses, and large pointed windows and doors, which are typical of Gothic architecture.
The stone is decorated with smoother, light-brown sandstone around the windows and along the roofline. The tops of the window arches are decorated with alternating green and pink stones.
The Inside
The inside of the church is just as impressive as the outside. The main central area, called the nave, is very wide and open. It is separated from the side aisles by rows of eight-sided columns that hold up pointed arches.
The high ceiling is made of timber, with decorative wooden supports. Over the main altar area, called the chancel, there is a special wooden arch with fancy carvings. The side walls have beautiful windows with coloured glass in a diamond pattern. The most stunning window is a large stained glass one above the altar, showing the Resurrection of Jesus.
The church has many finely crafted items:
- The Main Altar: A richly carved altar made of Oamaru stone, sitting on a marble base.
- The Choir Loft: A raised area at the back for the choir and organ, supported by thin columns. It has a beautifully carved railing.
- The Pews: The benches for people to sit on are made of cedar wood and decorated with Gothic designs.
- The Bell: The original 1886 bell is still on the grounds, now held in a modern steel frame.
Why Is St Patrick's Church Important?
St Patrick's Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 because it is a special place for several reasons.
- A Link to History: The church shows how the Catholic community grew and became an important part of Queensland's history in the late 1800s.
- Great Architecture: It is a wonderful example of a large, Gothic-style stone church. Its design and construction are of very high quality.
- A Beautiful Building: People value the church for its beauty, both inside and out. The detailed carvings, stained glass, and impressive open space make it a stunning building.
- Community Connection: For over a century, it has been a spiritual home for the Catholic community in Fortitude Valley, especially for families with Irish heritage.
- Important People: The church is connected to important people in Queensland's history, like Bishop O'Quinn and the architect Andrea Stombuco.
