St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne |
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| Cathedral Church of Paul the Apostle | |
St Paul's Cathedral
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| 37°49′01″S 144°58′03″E / 37.816853°S 144.967384°E | |
| Location | Melbourne CBD |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Anglican Church of Australia |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Paul's Parish Church (1852–1885) |
| Status | Active |
| Consecrated | 22 January 1891 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | William Butterfield |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1880–91, 1926 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Melbourne |
| Province | Victoria |
St Paul's Cathedral is a famous Anglican church in Melbourne, Australia. It is the main church for the Anglican Church in Melbourne. It is also where the Archbishop of Melbourne works.
The cathedral was designed by William Butterfield, an English architect known for his Gothic Revival style. Most of the building was finished in 1891. The tall spires were added later, between 1926 and 1932. St Paul's Cathedral is one of Melbourne's most important buildings.
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Where is St Paul's Cathedral?
St Paul's Cathedral stands in a very important spot in central Melbourne. It is at the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets. Right across the street is Flinders Street Station, a major transport hub.
South of the cathedral, you'll find Federation Square, a popular public area. If you keep going south on Swanston Street, you cross Princes Bridge over the Yarra River. This means the cathedral looks very grand when you approach the city from the south.
The cathedral's location is special because it's where the first Christian service in Melbourne happened in 1835. Before the cathedral, there was a corn market and a church called St Paul's Parish Church on this site.
The Story of St Paul's Cathedral
How the Cathedral Began
St Paul's Cathedral is built on the exact spot where the first Christian service in Melbourne took place in 1835. At first, this area was a government space far from the town centre. By 1848, it was next to the first Princes Bridge. The Anglican Church was given this important site. A church made of bluestone called St Paul the Apostle was opened in 1852.
An artist named Samuel Thomas Gill drew St Paul's Church in 1854. His drawing, called 'St. Paul's Church Melbourne 1854', is now kept in the National Library of Australia.
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Lithographic print of the first St Paul's Church Melbourne 1854 by S.T. Gill
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1862 lithograph of Melbourne from Princes Bridge, showing the first St Paul's Church
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William Butterfield's original design for St Paul's Cathedral
About 30 years later, Melbourne had grown a lot. The church leaders decided to build a much grander cathedral. They chose William Butterfield, a famous English architect. The first stone was laid in 1880 by the Governor of Victoria, John, Earl of Hopetoun. On January 22, 1891, the cathedral was officially opened, but it didn't have its spires yet.
There were some disagreements between Butterfield and the church in Melbourne. Butterfield left the project in 1884. Another architect, Joseph Reed, then finished the building. He mostly followed Butterfield's plans. The cathedral faces slightly off east, which is different from the usual church direction, to fit the city's street plan.
The large pipe organ was made by T. C. Lewis in England. He was a very well-known organ builder at that time.
St Paul's in the 1900s and 2000s
For nearly 40 years, the cathedral looked quite solid without its tall spires. Building the spires started in 1926. They were designed by John Barr from Sydney and were much taller than Butterfield's first idea. The spires were finished in 1932. On April 30, 1933, a special service was held to celebrate their completion. The main spire, called the Moorhouse Spire, reached 95 meters (312 feet) high. It was the tallest building in central Melbourne for a while.
In the 1960s, a lot of work was done on the outside of the cathedral. In 1989, the organ was fixed up with help from the National Trust of Australia. More big repairs happened in 2009. This included fixing the spires and adding new coloured glass to the Moorhouse Tower.
As more tall buildings were built in Melbourne, St Paul's was no longer the tallest. However, it still stands out in its immediate area. For about 30 years, it was overshadowed by the 16-storey Gas & Fuel buildings nearby. These were pulled down in 1997 to make way for Federation Square.
By the 1990s, the constant city traffic caused worries about the cathedral's structure. A public appeal raised A$18 million to fix the spires and improve the inside. This seven-year project finished in 2009. As part of the work, stone faces of former leaders and supporters were added to the spires. New coloured glass was also put in the west doors and the Moorhouse Tower.
Besides Sunday services, the cathedral has a daily choral Evensong. This is a special tradition from England.
Cathedral Architecture
St Paul's Cathedral is shaped like a traditional Latin cross. It has a long main area (nave), side aisles, and shorter arms (transepts). There is a tower where the main parts cross.
The inside walls are made of different types of stone. There's sandstone from Barrabool Hills and limestone from Waurn Ponds. There are also dark stripes of Victorian bluestone. This gives the cathedral a warm look. The spires are a darker colour because they were built later from Sydney sandstone.
The inside of the cathedral has rich colours and strong contrasts. This is a special part of Butterfield's design. The floor is covered with patterned tiles from England. The altar area has beautiful marble, alabaster, and shiny Venetian glass mosaics. One carving on the pulpit is said to be of a former Mayor of Melbourne's baby daughter who passed away.
There are two baptismal fonts. The round one was put in when the cathedral was first built. A larger font for immersion was added in 1912.
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Inside St Paul's Cathedral
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Looking down the main aisle
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Inside from the south aisle
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The Sanctuary
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The west end and door
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Music at the Cathedral
Music is a very important part of services at St Paul's. You can hear many kinds of Anglican church music here. The music is managed by the director of music. A special foundation helps pay for the cathedral's music programs.
The Organ
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The cathedral's large pipe organ was built in England by T. C. Lewis and Co. It cost a lot of money to build and bring to Melbourne. It was first played at the cathedral's opening service in 1891. The organ has been updated and repaired many times. A big restoration finished in 1990. The organ now has 53 stops and is located in the south transept.
The Choir
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The cathedral choir started in 1888. They led the procession at the official opening in 1891. The choir sings at Evensong during the week and at two Sunday services. They also sing for special events like state funerals and carol services.
Since the early 1990s, the choir wears deep burgundy robes. Before that, they wore black and then green robes. A special role in the boys' choir is "Dean's Chorister." This person leads the choir with a ceremonial mace.
In 2016, the cathedral celebrated its 125th anniversary. Girls' Voices were added to the choir, and women were allowed to join too. Now, the Girls' and Boys' Voices sing an equal number of services.
The Bells
St Paul's has a set of 12 bells for change ringing. There's an extra bell, making 13 in total. All the bells were made in England in 1889. They were a gift from Thomas Dyer Edwardes. The bells were first rung on November 15, 1889. The St Paul's Cathedral Society of Bellringers started in 1896.
Important Events
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St Paul's Cathedral has been the site of many important events for Australia and the world. It is often chosen for state funerals of prime ministers, governors, and other important people.
Pope John Paul II's Visit
On November 28, 1986, Pope John Paul II visited St Paul's Cathedral when he arrived in Melbourne. This visit showed the good relationship between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in the city.
The cathedral choir sang as the Pope entered. He prayed for Christian unity and lit a special candle. A small chapel inside the cathedral remembers this historic moment. It was only the third time in 400 years that a Pope had officially visited an Anglican cathedral.
Christmas Carol Service
On November 28, 2007, a Christmas carol service was recorded at St Paul's Cathedral. It featured the choir and was shown across Australia on Christmas Eve.
Services at St Paul's
Sunday Services
- 8:00 am: Holy Communion
- 10:00 am: Choral Eucharist (a service with singing)
- 4:00 pm: Choral Evensong (an evening service with singing)
Weekday Services
- Monday: 12:15 pm Eucharist; 5:10 pm Evening Prayer in Simple English
- Tuesday to Friday: 12:15 pm Eucharist; 5:10 pm Choral Evensong (or Evening Prayer during school holidays)
Public Holiday Services
- 12:15 pm: Eucharist
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Pablo de Melbourne para niños
