Field Construction Site Visit St. Patrick\'s Cathedral Restoration

St. Patrick's Cathedral: Field Trip

Patrick's Cathedral's design is not only original but also distinct. Its proportions are also evidently harmonious. With impressive twin spikes characterizing its west facade and enormous bronze doors ushering in visitors and worshipers alike, St. Patrick's Cathedral is every inch an architectural masterpiece.

At the time of my visit last Friday at around 12:30 PM, there was an ongoing restoration and renovation exercise which as I was made to understand takes a pause during Masses and continues thereafter. The three-phase undertaking will take five years to complete. It should be noted that although the scaffoldings did of course obstruct some spectacular observations of the Cathedral such as the Great Rose widow, a majority of the Cathedral's other aspects are still visible. As I gathered from yet another visitor, a number of renovation projects have been undertaken within the Cathedral during the last several decades. In my opinion, despite the need for restoration, the Cathedral still has an elegant exterior. It remains to be seen whether the cathedral will maintain the intricate details of its Gothic ecclesiastical architecture on completion of the ongoing renovations. The renovations are estimated to cost approximately $175 million.

Inside the Cathedral, calm that can only be described as exceptional prevailed. This was largely in contrast with the noisy city streets outside. Indeed, as one enters the premises, the hustle and bustle of the city characterized by busy weekly traffic seems to magically fade away. The warm and inviting interior of the Cathedral was perhaps designed to make worshipers feel relaxed and prayerful. As I took a walk inside the Cathedral, I observed a number of candles and representations of patron saints placed along the sides. For a small donation, visitors were allowed to light a candle. Although I took some photographs of the cathedral and its interior, there were some parts of the church like the gift shop where photography was not allowed. One of the areas within the Cathedral that I found most aesthetically inspiring was the baptistery. I also took some photographs of the main entrance's bronze doors. In the bronze doors' facades are figures that represent prominent people in the church's history.

Apart from the spectacular architectural design of the building (both internal and external), quite a number of other aspects of the Cathedral deserve a mention. For instance, from what I gathered, the Cathedral's great organ has more than seven thousand pipes. Further, in addition to having a total of 19 bells, the Cathedral has a spectacular and breathtaking Rose Window - which I have already mentioned in this text (although not clearly visible due to the scaffolding). The said window has a diameter of 26 feet. The other exceptional details of the Cathedral which I observed during my visit include but they are not limited to its stained glass, vaulted ceilings, interior woodwork, and narrow windows.