Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
If you’re in the Savannah Historic District, you’ll find it hard to miss the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. With its elegant Gothic Revival architecture and twin towers soaring to the skies, the Cathedral is one of the most visited attractions in Savannah. It is located within the equally popular Lafayette Square, and is one of the enduring testaments to Savannah’s rich culture and history.
History of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
The cathedral that you see today was the replacement for the original cathedral built in 1799 by French Catholic emigrants from Haiti. The first cathedral was torn down toward the end of the 19th century to make way for a larger edifice. The new cathedral was dedicated in 1876, and was fully completed in 1896 with the building of the two towers.
The Cathedral was nearly destroyed in a fire in 1898, from which only the two spires and the outside walls survived. Reconstruction was promptly done and was completed in 1900.
The Cathedral’s twin Gothic-styled spires are its most recognizable features. When you get closer to the church and tour the interiors, you will find even more stunning features that never fail to leave visitors awestruck.
The Great Rose Window
Typical of Gothic Revival-style churches, the Cathedral has a huge, 20-feet rose window that’s prominently visible from both the outside and the inside. The design features a central quatrefoil, a traditional Christian symbol characterized by four, equally-sized circles almost overlapping each other. Ten radiations surround the quatrefoil to achieve the rose design.
The quatrefoil’s stained glass filling features St. Cecilia, the patroness of music. The radiations depict singing angels playing musical instruments.
Stained glass windows
The Cathedral is decked with 81 brightly-colored and masterfully-created stained glass windows, depicting the story of Jesus and Mary in chronological order. Made by the Innsbruck Glassmakers in the Austrian Tyrol, they were installed only in 1904 as part of the Cathedral’s restoration after the fire.
Murals
The Cathedral boasts 34 murals, earning it the distinction, “The Sistine of the South.” Added in 1912, the murals were painted in oil on canvass by New York muralist Paul Gutsche, under the direction of Savannah artist, Christophe P.H. Murray. Two of the biggest and most prominent murals are the “Pentecost” and the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Pipe organ
The Cathedral’s Noack pipe organ was a recent addition, installed only in 1987. Nevertheless, its beautiful finish and excellent craftsmanship serve as an elegant framework for the Rose Window. Made in solid white oak with black walnut trims, the organ has 34 ranks and 2,308 pipes.
The steeple bell
The Cathedral’s steeple bell is not only majestic to look at, but also inspiring to hear. Weighing more than 4,700 pounds with a diameter of 59.5 inches, and hanging 96 feet above the ground, it can be heard for miles and easily seen from a distance. The bell was cast in Baltimore in 1900.
The main altar
The Cathedral’s beautiful, 9,000-pound main altar was made in Italy and was carved out of Carrar marble. It was donated to the Cathedral by the priests and the Bishop of the Diocese of Savannah. The front is inscribed with a Latin phrase that translates to “Blessed are they who are called to the banquet of the lamb”, which was taken from the Book of Revelations.
