Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Introduction
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This is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Denver. Construction of the cathedral started in 1902 and was completed nine years later. It is one of only a few cathedrals in the United States to host the Pope. On August 13th and August 14th of 1993, Pope John Paul II presided over mass at the cathedral during festivities affiliated with the city's selection as the host of World Youth Day.
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Backstory and Context
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The Cathedral was designed by Leon Coquard, Aaron Gove, and Thomas Walsh and was inspired by French Gothic architecture. It has a Gunnison granite foundation, Indiana limestone exterior walls and interior structural marble from Marble, Colorado. Special features such as altars, pedestals, and the pulpit, among other things, are made of Carrara marble from Italy. There is a Gothic vaulted ceiling.
There are two bell spires; the east spire has 15 bells. The front doors made of brass. The church also contains busts of Popes of the 19th century. The Cathedral features 75 stained glass windows crafted at the Royal Bavarian Art Institute in Munich, Germany by 50 artisans overseen by F.X. Zettler. The original cost of the windows was $34,000. Today they are valued at more than $500,000.
The church was built between 1902 and 1912. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November of 1974. It is referred to in a book called, “The Pinnacled Glory of the West by Father Hugh L. McMenamin.
Sources
Arndt, Helen. National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Accessed May 26, 2016. "Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception." http://npgallery.nps.gov/nrhp/AssetDetail?assetID=22ee0ed9-48ce-4390-8693-60be6eba0552.