Historical Churches In Melbourne, Not Far From Your Melbourne Serviced Apartments
Melbourne is a place that witnessed the Gothic Revival in architecture during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Therefore the churches in the city have witnessed major confluences in the matter of architectural styles imported from different cultures. So, for any scholar interested in architectural history, or any artist interested in painting magnificent buildings from the past should be in for a major visual treat.
St. Paul’s Cathedral on Corner Swanston Street and Flinders Street, a short walk from most Melbourne serviced apartments, in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, is one of the major examples of Gothic revival architecture. This was the headquarters of the Anglican Church of Melbourne in 1892 and was constructed by William Butterfield who was a pioneer in introducing the Gothic Revival style of art in England at that time. The interiors of the cathedral are intricately designed using complicated decorative symbols. Outside the church is the statue of Matthew Flinders who was the first sailor to circumnavigate the coastline of Australia.
The Scot’s Church is another example of the Gothic Revival style and was built in 1873. This church is on Corner Collins Street and Russell Road. Down the same area lies St. Michael’s Uniting Church. Unlike the previous two, this was built in the Romanesque style in 1866. This church has beautiful stained glass windows which is the largest display of stained glass in the Southern Hemisphere. It was constructed in 1839 and was the first permanent building in the Port Phillip Settlement. It was founded by the sect of Congregationalists who are also known as the Independents. The earlier chapel was broken down in 1866 for the newest building to be erected.
Saint Peter’s Church was built in 1846 and is one of the oldest buildings in Melbourne. From the steps of Saint Peter’s Church, Melbourne was officially declared to be a city. This church is nearby the Parliament Gardens. Among the cathedrals it would be rather unfair not to mention Saint Patrick’s Cathedral at Corner Gisborne Street and Cathedral Place. This is also part of the Gothic Revival movement and work started in 1858 and took a stupendous eighty two years to complete! This is a catholic church and also shares close ties with the Irish Catholic faith in Australia. A lot of people from Ireland had immigrated to the continent especially during the famous potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century. The statue of Irish patriot, Daniel o’ Connell stands in the courtyard.
Most of these churches are usually open on certain days of the week. This also includes weekdays sometimes. For example, St. Paul’s Cathedral is open on all weekdays from 7:00 am to 6 pm. On Saturday the cathedral remains open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, while on Sundays visitors can visit from 8 am to 7:30 pm.
Visiting these churches is an experience in itself because of the eventful past that all of these have. They were built with a particular purpose in mind and have immense socio-politico-cultural significance in the entire history of the city of Melbourne.