- Address: Flinders Ln & Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia;
- Website : stpaulscathedral.org.au;
- Phone: +61 3 9653 4333;
- Visits: from Mon to Fri 09.00-16.00, Sat - 09.00-16.00, Sun - 07.30-19.30
St. Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne is a magnificent cult structure in an unrivaled Gothic style. It is located in the historic district: on one side is the Federation Square, and on the other - the main railway station.
History of construction
The place for the erection of the cathedral, which began in 1880, was selected not just because the building was decided where the first services were held after the foundation of the city.
Supervised construction Briton W. Butterfield, but he himself did not appear on the construction site. Through a series of conflicts and disputes, a new leader was appointed, the architect D. Reed.
It is because of the conflicts that construction was completed only eleven years after the start. And then not completely - the tower and the spire were completed only in 1926.
One of the highest
Today the cathedral, thanks to its spire, is the second tallest among all the Anglican cult buildings on the planet.
By the way, right after the completion of the construction the cathedral was the highest in Melbourne, but soon, even in the middle of the last century, it was overtaken by many skyscrapers that grew up in a thriving city.
"Warm" sandstone
For the construction was used not traditional for this region of Australia limestone, and a special sandstone, specially imported from New South Wales. What affected the color of the building, standing out against the backdrop of other buildings of the time.
In addition, a special shade of sandstone will give the cathedral a pleasant visual warmth. The tower, completed after the completion of the construction of the main walls, is constructed of another stone, and therefore differs in color.
Unique body
In St. Paul's Cathedral a huge organ is installed, with more than 6,500 pipes. It is one of the largest on the planet, among the organs made in the 19th century. A musical instrument was brought from the UK, and his "father" was the famous organ master T. Lewis.
At the end of the last century, large-scale restoration work was carried out - more than $ 700,000 was spent on restoring and renovating the body.
Gothic splendor
The cathedral looks incredibly beautiful, monumental, both outside and inside. What attracts not only believers, who come to the services and to turn to God, but also tourists.
Unfortunately, the constant vibrations arising from vehicles moving alongside the building of the cathedral, including trains, had a negative impact on the structure. In 1990, reconstruction work came here, during which the spire was repaired and the interior decoration restored.
Today it is the patronal temple of the Melbourne Archbishop and head of the Anglican Metropolitanate of Victoria.
How to get there?
The cathedral is on the streets of Flinders Ln & Swanston St. It is open daily from 8:00 to 18:00. Nearby there are public transport routes.
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