Calvary Presbyterian Church, Milwaukee
Calvary Presbyterian Church (Calvary Church) is a Victorian Gothic church located in the Marquette University district of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986.
The first Presbyterian congregation in Milwaukee was started in 1837, and eventually became First Presbyterian. In 1849 North Presbyterian split off. In 1869, the Presbyterians on the west side wanted their own church, and some left each of the previous congregations to form Calvary.
They built their grand church in Gothic Revival style in 1870. It sits on a foundation of ashlar limestone. The body of the structure is cream city brick, a light-colored brick kilned from local clay, with accents of Ohio sandstone. The exterior has since been painted a bright red color. The ridge of the nave is 85 feet high. On one side is a 105-foot tower with a spire clad in pressed metal. On the other side is a huge 202-foot tower with a slate-clad spire. Both towers are buttressed and topped with crosses. The main entrance stands between the towers, beneath a rose window within a larger window.
Calvary Church features an indoor prayer labyrinth laid into the floor. Its design was inspired by a 12th-century labyrinth found at the Cathedral of Chartres in Chartres, France, and has eleven circuits with a rosette center.
The Wisconsin Historical Society survey of 1986 noted that Calvary's building is "one of the best preserved Gothic churches in the city from the period immediately following the Civil War" and "one of Milwaukee's oldest [church buildings] in continuous use."
The first Presbyterian congregation in Milwaukee was started in 1837, and eventually became First Presbyterian. In 1849 North Presbyterian split off. In 1869, the Presbyterians on the west side wanted their own church, and some left each of the previous congregations to form Calvary.
They built their grand church in Gothic Revival style in 1870. It sits on a foundation of ashlar limestone. The body of the structure is cream city brick, a light-colored brick kilned from local clay, with accents of Ohio sandstone. The exterior has since been painted a bright red color. The ridge of the nave is 85 feet high. On one side is a 105-foot tower with a spire clad in pressed metal. On the other side is a huge 202-foot tower with a slate-clad spire. Both towers are buttressed and topped with crosses. The main entrance stands between the towers, beneath a rose window within a larger window.
Calvary Church features an indoor prayer labyrinth laid into the floor. Its design was inspired by a 12th-century labyrinth found at the Cathedral of Chartres in Chartres, France, and has eleven circuits with a rosette center.
The Wisconsin Historical Society survey of 1986 noted that Calvary's building is "one of the best preserved Gothic churches in the city from the period immediately following the Civil War" and "one of Milwaukee's oldest [church buildings] in continuous use."
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
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Calvary Presbyterian Church on Map
Sight Name: Calvary Presbyterian Church
Sight Location: Milwaukee, USA (See walking tours in Milwaukee)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Milwaukee, USA (See walking tours in Milwaukee)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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