Tile mosaic of one of the stations of the cross, seen in the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, 1140 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky. The Roman Catholic St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky, is a minor basilica in the United States. Construction of the cathedral began under the Diocese of Covington's third bishop, Camillus Paul Maes, in 1895 to replace an 1834 frame church that was inadequate for the growing congregation. Pope Pius XII elevated the cathedral to the rank of minor basilica December 8, 1953.
The sanctuary was designed by Detroit architect Leon Coquard and is inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Services were first held in 1901 with the Madison Avenue façade, designed by local architect David Davis, added between 1908 and 1910. The structure is constructed of Bedford stone and the roofs are covered with red ludovici tile. It measures 194 by 144 feet and the nave reaches a height of 81 feet. The cathedral project terminated in 1915, though it remains incomplete to this day with the planned 52 foot towers unbuilt.
The restoration of the Cathedral earned a 2002 Preservation Award from the Cincinnati Preservation Association. For the interior restoration, Conrad Schmitt Studios cleaned the stone ribs, tracery and walls. Studio artists also restored plaster and select faux stone painting.
The interior was modeled after St. Denis in France. It contains murals by Covington native Frank Duveneck with the high altar carved from Carrara marble with floors of Rosata and Breche marble. The north transept is said to contain the world's largest handmade church stained glass window, at 67 ft × 24 ft. It depicts the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431 AD that proclaimed Mary as the Mother of God.
The cathedral houses three pipe organs. The south transept gallery holds the pipe organ designed and built in 1933 for the cathedral by Henry Willis III during his tenure at the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Illinois. Originally a three-manual console with 43 ranks of pipes, Aultz-Kersting Organ renovated and enlarged this instrument in 1982 to four-manuals with 65 ranks.
The west gallery, below the rose window, is occupied by the two-manual organ originally built for St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Covington, Kentucky, in 1858 by Mathais Schwab of Cincinnati, Ohio. When the St. Joseph building was razed in 1970, the Schwab organ was moved to St Mary's. The Schwab organ was altered to fit the new location, but retains most of its original components, including its mechanical key and stop actions, ivory keyboards and faux-grained casework. It contains 21 ranks. In 2002, the cathedral purchased a one-manual, 20-rank portable organ for use in various parts of the sanctuary.
Tags: Covington Kentucky Cathedral Church Catholic Religion Jesus Christ Christianity Christian God Glory Station Cross Crucifixion
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Advertisement for Frida 602, 602 Main Street, Covington, Kentucky. They serve mezcal and tacos.
Tags: Covington Kentucky Friday Khalo 602 Main Street Mainstrasse Mezcal Comida Tequila Margaritas Art Mural
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Tile mosaic in the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, 1140 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky. The Roman Catholic St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky, is a minor basilica in the United States. Construction of the cathedral began under the Diocese of Covington's third bishop, Camillus Paul Maes, in 1895 to replace an 1834 frame church that was inadequate for the growing congregation. Pope Pius XII elevated the cathedral to the rank of minor basilica December 8, 1953.
The sanctuary was designed by Detroit architect Leon Coquard and is inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Services were first held in 1901 with the Madison Avenue façade, designed by local architect David Davis, added between 1908 and 1910. The structure is constructed of Bedford stone and the roofs are covered with red ludovici tile. It measures 194 by 144 feet and the nave reaches a height of 81 feet. The cathedral project terminated in 1915, though it remains incomplete to this day with the planned 52 foot towers unbuilt.
The restoration of the Cathedral earned a 2002 Preservation Award from the Cincinnati Preservation Association. For the interior restoration, Conrad Schmitt Studios cleaned the stone ribs, tracery and walls. Studio artists also restored plaster and select faux stone painting.
The interior was modeled after St. Denis in France. It contains murals by Covington native Frank Duveneck with the high altar carved from Carrara marble with floors of Rosata and Breche marble. The north transept is said to contain the world's largest handmade church stained glass window, at 67 ft × 24 ft. It depicts the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431 AD that proclaimed Mary as the Mother of God.
The cathedral houses three pipe organs. The south transept gallery holds the pipe organ designed and built in 1933 for the cathedral by Henry Willis III during his tenure at the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Illinois. Originally a three-manual console with 43 ranks of pipes, Aultz-Kersting Organ renovated and enlarged this instrument in 1982 to four-manuals with 65 ranks.
The west gallery, below the rose window, is occupied by the two-manual organ originally built for St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Covington, Kentucky, in 1858 by Mathais Schwab of Cincinnati, Ohio. When the St. Joseph building was razed in 1970, the Schwab organ was moved to St Mary's. The Schwab organ was altered to fit the new location, but retains most of its original components, including its mechanical key and stop actions, ivory keyboards and faux-grained casework. It contains 21 ranks. In 2002, the cathedral purchased a one-manual, 20-rank portable organ for use in various parts of the sanctuary.
Tags: Covington Kentucky Cathedral Church Catholic Religion Jesus Christ Christianity Christian God Glory Tile Mosaic Skull Feet Art
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Tiled entrance to the former John Breiner Dry Goods store in the Findlay Market, Cincinnati, Ohio. John Breiner was born in Austria-Hungary in 1880. He was a tailor by trade. With his wife Anna and their young daughter Frances, he came to the US in 1904, settling in Over-the-Rhine. By 1915, the family was living above Breiner’s Dry Goods, their store at 126 Elder St. between Race and Elm, shown here. After Frances, John and Anna had two more children: Gladys and John M. When John passed away in 1941, Anna and Gladys took over the running of the store until it closed in 1957, a year after Anna’s death. In the words of John Breiner’s grandson, “He helped thousands of immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian empire (Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and other Eastern European nations) settle in the Over the Rhine area by speaking 7 different languages fluently. Many children were named after grandpa (John or Johann) in honor of him helping them.”
Tags: Cincinnati Ohio John Breiner Dry Goods Store Storefront Tile Tiled Entry Entrance Floor Tiling
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Advertisement for Frida 602, 602 Main Street, Covington, Kentucky. They serve mezcal and tacos.
Tags: Covington Kentucky Friday Khalo 602 Main Street Mainstrasse Mezcal Comida Tequila Margaritas Art Mural
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