Villa Maria Hostel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Villa Maria Hostel |
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Villa Maria Hostel, 2008
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| Location | 167–173 Saint Paul's Terrace, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1927–1968 |
| Architect | Frank Cullen, Hennessy and Hennessy, Keesing & Co, & J P Donoghue |
| Architectural style(s) | Romanesque |
| Official name: Villa Maria Hostel | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 18 September 2008 |
| Reference no. | 601929 |
| Significant period | 1920–1950 |
| Significant components | courtyard, statue, verandahs – arcaded, views to, room/unit/suite, cloister/s, views from, lead light/s, chapel, gate/s, fence/wall – perimeter |
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Villa Maria Hostel is a special old building in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It used to be a nursing home and was built between 1927 and 1968. Famous architects like Frank Cullen and Hennessy and Hennessy helped design it. This building is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
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A Look Back: The History of Villa Maria
The Villa Maria Centre is a big group of buildings. It takes up most of a city block! This place was started by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. These Sisters are a religious group who have helped people in Queensland since 1874. The part of Villa Maria we're talking about, the Hostel, includes the original convent (where the Sisters lived) and a chapel. It was built in different stages over many years, from 1927 to 1968.
How the Sisters Started
A Catholic priest named Father Julian Tenison Woods helped start the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Brisbane in 1874. Their main goal was "perpetual adoration," which means always having one Sister praying.
The first six Sisters, led by Mother Stanislaus (Catherine Gaffney), rented a house in South Brisbane. They lived very simply and earned money by doing needlework. They also helped poor and needy people in their community.
In 1881, the Sisters moved to Spring Hill. In 1900, they bought two small houses on Leichhardt Street (now St Paul's Terrace). People in Spring Hill called them the "Black Sisters" because of their long black dresses. Besides needlework, they started taking in boarders to help pay for things. By 1902, they began caring for elderly ladies. They even grew vegetables and raised chickens!
Growing with Archbishop Duhig
The Sisters' group grew a lot when Archbishop James Duhig became the head of the Catholic Church in Brisbane in 1917. He strongly supported their work. In 1920, he officially approved their group and gave them their special black and white religious clothes.
Archbishop Duhig was very interested in the Sisters' work. He encouraged them to build a new, larger facility on their land. He also had big plans for Brisbane, wanting it to be a city with grand buildings and wide streets. He saw Villa Maria as an important part of this vision.
Designing the New Building
The job of designing the new convent and hostel went to a Sydney architecture firm, Hennessy, Hennessy, Keesing and Co. and J.P. Donoghue. This firm designed many churches, schools, and hospitals for the Catholic Church.
The Villa Maria building was constructed in four main stages: 1927–1928, 1940, 1965, and 1968. The first part, including the hostel and chapel, had its foundation stone laid in 1925. The chapel opened in 1927, and the hostel opened in 1928.
By 1938, the Sisters were ready for the next stage. They hired Brisbane architects Cullen and Egan. Frank Cullen had worked for Hennessy, Hennessy and Co. and was Archbishop Duhig's nephew. They made sure the new parts matched the original design. In 1940, the second section, the convent wing, was finished. It included areas for making bread and doing laundry.
In the early 1960s, more plans were made to finish the building. In 1965, a new wing was opened, adding space for 38 more women. This wing was named the St Stanislaus wing, honoring the first Mother Superior.
The final part, St Gabriel's Wing, was built in 1968. It was named after Mother Mary Gabriel Maloney. This wing added 48 bedrooms for elderly ladies and 22 rooms for the Sisters. With this addition, the hostel could care for up to 134 people.
Even today, the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration continue their work at Villa Maria, caring for elderly women. The main building still looks much the same from the outside, even though the inside has been updated to be more modern.
What Does Villa Maria Look Like?
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The part of Villa Maria that is heritage-listed is the E-shaped building built between 1927 and 1968. It stands out on St Paul's Terrace in Fortitude Valley. Even though the inside has been changed for modern care, the outside still looks very similar to how it was built.
This building is three, four, or five stories tall. It's made of colorful bricks and designed in a style called Romanesque. This style often uses round arches and strong, solid shapes. The roofs are covered with terracotta tiles, and Celtic crosses sit on top of the gables (the triangular parts of the walls). The building looks very strong, but it also has a nice pattern of round arches and decorative brickwork. The corners have towers with gabled roofs.
The main entrance used to be on Warren Street. It has brick stairs and a white concrete porch with a vaulted (arched) ceiling. Today, the entrance is in a different spot on the Warren Street side.
From Gotha Street, you can see the ends of the corner towers and the outside of the chapel. The chapel is three stories tall and has tall, narrow arched windows. The brickwork is very detailed, with lighter bricks used to highlight the arches.
Inside the Building
The older parts of the building have strong brick walls and floors made of wood or concrete. The newer wings from the 1960s use concrete columns and slabs.
The building is designed like a cloister, with rooms arranged around central courtyards. There are also outdoor verandahs and walkways. The chapel divides the building into two courtyard areas. The layout is still mostly the same as it was in the 1920s. There are corridors with rooms for residents on both sides, and common areas for living and working.
Many of the original walls, ceilings, and floors have been changed. Bedrooms have been made larger, and bathrooms have been added. Some of the shared dining and living spaces are still there. The verandahs have been enclosed or made part of the rooms.
The old main entrance leads into a small porch and then to the chapel's entrance. These areas have beautiful wooden doors, arched windows with colored glass, and painted murals. Some original wooden features, like cupboards and doors, still exist. There's also a handsome terrazzo staircase with decorative iron railings.
The Chapel
The chapel is a magnificent three-story room with a very tall, arched ceiling. It has a rounded section at the east end and a balcony (mezzanine gallery) at the west end. It can hold over 350 people!
Light comes in through five tall, narrow, colored glass windows on each side. The inside is painted white, with gold details on the ribs and columns. The altar area has a beautiful marble altar with angels. The chapel also has many statues and painted "Stations of the Cross" on the walls. The floor in the main part of the chapel is made of parquet wood. The balcony has a lovely wooden front.
Side doors from the chapel open onto covered walkways (colonnades) that go around the courtyards.
Courtyards
The north courtyard is an open space with tables and chairs. The south courtyard has newer garden beds and a shade structure. Some newer buildings have been added to the courtyard areas, but they are not part of the heritage listing.
Lift Tower and Fence
The outside of the lift tower on Warren Street is still there, and it holds a modern elevator.
A brick fence with decorative patterns runs around the property on the three street sides. There's also a beautiful white concrete gateway at the corner of St Paul's Terrace and Warren Street with a decorative metal gate. Another similar gate is on the other St Paul's Terrace corner.
Amazing Views
From Villa Maria, you can see amazing views of Brisbane's city center, Fortitude Valley, and even the Story Bridge.
Why Villa Maria is Special
Villa Maria Hostel was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on September 18, 2008, because it's important for several reasons:
- Showing Queensland's History: Villa Maria was the first permanent home for the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Queensland. It shows how their group grew and how they helped people. It's also an example of the Catholic Church's social welfare work, especially in providing homes for the elderly and those in need. It was a key part of Archbishop James Duhig's big plans to make Brisbane a city of grand buildings in the 1920s and 1930s.
- A Great Example of Architecture: Villa Maria is a wonderful example of the work of Hennessy, Hennessy, Keesing and Co and J.P. Donoghue, who were important architects. Its strong, colorful brickwork, round arches, and decorative details make it a fine example of the Romanesque style. This style was often used for religious buildings during that time. The chapel, with its tall vaulted ceiling and colored glass windows, is a perfect example of a 20th-century Catholic church.
- Beautiful to Look At: Villa Maria is a landmark on St Paul's Terrace. Its unique shape and beautiful brickwork make it stand out. The detailed brick patterns, decorative entrances, and special corbelling (a type of brick support) are very appealing. Inside, the original wooden doors, colored glass windows, and painted murals are lovely. The chapel itself is a peaceful place with its high ceiling, narrow windows, and beautiful furniture. You can also get amazing views of Brisbane from the complex.
- Connected to Important People: Villa Maria is strongly linked to the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, who have been on this site since 1900. For over 70 years, the Sisters have used this place to care for the elderly and sick. For a time, they also provided housing for young women working in Brisbane.
