The first time we viewed the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we thought it seemed unfitting because it is such an old world gothic remnant in a new, Metropolitan area. But this juxtaposition is quite interesting because we were able to see how much architecture styles have changes from the detailed, carvings of stone to the sleek edges of glass. We knew this had to be our architecture building topic because we’ve often passed by the Cathedral wondering if it was as old as it seemed and the history behind the strange church. One of the first things we noticed were the two spirals that shot up from the sides of the Cathedral, which give it an imperial appearance.
Thin marble columns outlined the Gothic doors on the side of the Cathedral. It only got better when we entered the Cathedral through the heavy, detailed doors covered with symmetrical designs of saints. Inside, the stone surface continued to cover the walls and work up to the top in a way that looked as if the arches pointed towards the heavens. The pointed arches are one aspect that characterizes Gothic architecture. The lack of bright light and the gloomy essence added more to the Gothic feel. The stained glass windows also added to the aesthetic pleasure I felt at the beautiful sight. Images of icons can be seen on the colorful windows. Another amazing aspect of the Cathedral was the small rooms created by indents into the walls. In them were marble sculptures of saints. In addition, the walls had many elaborate carvings of what seemed to be bishops and saints respected by the Catholic religion. The entire scene gave off a majestic aura and made us feel as if we were not on Fifth Avenue anymore but as if we were transported back in time. Contributing to the majesty were the large wooden doors and ceilings (which arched) very high above us. In addition, as we walked along the long nave that led up to the altar, we looked up. We noticed that the arches of the ceiling created a path to the altar as well. The light that shown in through the stained glass windows on the sides of the ceiling was soft and inviting. This also contributed to the majestic feeling. After noticing this, we turned around and looked the other way. At the other end of the path, there was a large organ. The organ looked like a symbol of something grand and it made us think about all of the services and weddings that it has probably been used for in the past. The space was very vast and the pews were many, which gave a welcoming feeling as if to make yourself comfortable. This is in fact what we did. We sat down in the aisles and were able to absorb the serenity surrounding us- from the dimly lit candles to the ominous presence of the dark organs.