A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
Hewitt: pulpit; altar; reredos of
fine perpendicular work in Caen stone, rich in ornamentation and
sculpture, which also extends around the chancel, with two marble
pilasters having delicately carved capitals; all designed by Cram,
Goodhue and Ferguson; mosaics of the twelve apostles, in the walls of
the nave, suggest those of the Popes in the Church of St. Paul, outside
the walls, in Rome; leaded glass by Nicolo d’Ascenzo; font has a
bas-relief in white marble, angel scattering flowers, made in Florence,
Italy. ST. JAMES THE LESS, near main entrance to Laurel Hill Cemetery;
thirteenth century Gothic; brownstone; once said to be the choicest
specimen of church architecture in the United States. ST. JOHN
CHRYSOSTOM, corner Twenty-eighth Street and Susquehanna Avenue, almost
an exact copy of St. Stephen’s Church, London, designed by Sir
Christopher Wren; Renaissance, granite; architects, Bailey & Bassett;
adapted to a square lot, the interior shows form of Greek cross, with
inner octagon; rosettes and decorations of the dome are graceful and
beautiful; columns, placed on rather high pedestals, are Vermont marble,
with very beautiful veining, surmounted by Corinthian capitals: the
church is almost entirely white, with no stained glass, and gives an
impression of complete harmony. ST. MARK’S, Locust Street above
Sixteenth, built, 1849; fine specimen of fourteenth century, decorated
Gothic, brownstone; plans furnished by the Ecclesiological Society of
Cambridge, England; modified by John Notman; altar and reredos are
richly carved stone; also the pulpit and choir screen; notable features
are the rood beam, with cross and figures; carved sanctuary door; choir
and clergy stalls; the altar at head of north aisle is alabaster. Lady
chapel, erected, 1900, contains a silver altar of elaborate
magnificence, probably finest in the world, of the same style as the one
at Florence, Italy, by Pallajnoli, but richer, containing twelve scenes
from the life of the Virgin, and studded with precious stones, some four
hundred emeralds, sapphires, and opals, a monumental work, which will
remain a very splendid presentation of twentieth century English
ecclesiastical art; altar rail is silver and bronze; stained glass
windows in the church are notable; the sacred vessels and vestments
surpass any in the Anglican Communion, in their extraordinary richness;
silver processional cross is supposed to be that of the Palermo
Cathedral, in 1520; among old vestments are the coronation robes of
Louis XV from Rheims Cathedral, of light blue velvet, heavily
embroidered with twenty-two karat gold bullion. The first curate was the
Rev. Morgan Dix, ordained priest in this church, who became the famous
rector of Trinity Church, New York. ST. MARY’S, 3916 Locust Street, on
ground given by William Hamilton, of Woodlands; first Protestant
Episcopal Church in West Philadelphia, organized, 1820; frame church
erected, 1824; Bishop White laid the corner-stone; present building,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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