Chippendale, St Benedicts Catholic Church
St Benedicts Catholic Church, completed in 1852, is located on the corner of Broadway and Abercrombie Street, in the inner city suburb of Chippendale. In 2005 the church and parish buildings, including the old St Benedicts Hall seen on the left behind the church, were restored and now form part of the Sydney campus of the University of Notre Dame Australia.
It's a magnificent church on a beautiful day! Please, please take us inside for a look at some of the heavenly architectural details and design!
ReplyDeleteIt has a beautiful steeple!
ReplyDeleteQué hermosa construcción, me gusta mucho!
ReplyDeleteSaludos desde Argentina, Joe
A magnificant church - almost looks like cathedral proportions. Do you know when it was built?
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Melbourne Daily Photo
Jim, I though on the left at the rear there was Blackfriars which was part of UTS with the Notre Dame building being on the right of St Benedicts actually on Broadway. Do they all join together around the back?
ReplyDelete"In 1840, Bishop Polding travelled to England and, inspired by the architecture of Augustus Pugin, envisaged a similar design for St Benedict’s".
ReplyDeleteHow extraordinary. A Pugin church here in Australia. No wonder everyone is impressed. I am too.
BlossomFlowerGirl, the church was completed in 1852, which I've added to the post now.
ReplyDeleteJulie, the building on the left is the old St Bendict's Hall and the Blackfriars is nearby, on the right. They're all on the same block.
That is a beautiful old church. They just don't build them that way any more.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim -- Your posts are always beautiful. I just showed my husband all of them back to the beautiful ones on the Maquerie (sp?) Light ones and we were both marveling over your photography and your beautiful city. (He usually seems to be somewhere else when I look at my favorite blogs and this evening I caught him in between stuff; he was happy I did!)
ReplyDeleteAs always, thanks for sharing.
A wonderful collection of buildings.Great capture witout traffic and other noise.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't seen too many skies like that for a week or two!
ReplyDeleteI'm almost used to clouds now. I'll never get used to our lack of built history though, it's nice to catch up on some older stuff at "home".
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia
hi! i used to live in sydney when i was a teenager....in the 80's that was. never had a chance to come and visit australia ever since. so visiting your blog is like coming to a long time lost friend... :-) nice shots. you are making my day! thanks. :-)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful building. It is wonderful they they restored it and kept such a wonderful place around for future generations.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at Australia for my next tour. How much is the hotel rate, transportation and entrance fees to the tourist center ?
ReplyDeletekbguy, there are lots of different types of hotels and lots of attractions in Sydney, so it's hard to quote prices and entrance fees. I suggest you have a look at the official tourism website at 'Sydney.com' which is a good start.
ReplyDeleteLove this old church, funnily another obessession of mine - old churches!!!!
ReplyDeleteI need to come back and view your "collection"
thanks 4 the earlier visit
GEna @ thinking aloud
Pretty architecture!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and love it. I live in inner Sydney - Darlington - so love these old buildings and appreciate the history you provide.
ReplyDeleteOh J Bar, you've done it again... between St Benedict's Steeple and the Hall I can see a smidgen of what was once the Primary School, to which was connected the Convent further along Abercrombie Street.
ReplyDeleteThe Good Samaritan Nuns taught at the Primary School and of course lived at the Convent during the 1950's.
Think I have my bearings right... because on this side, inbetween the Steeple and smidgen I mention, I think above the Hall was where the Marist Brothers taught the boys, once the boys and girls were separated.
At the Girl's part of the Primary School was also a Business College, upstairs to the back I think of smidgen visible.
I've recently read a little of the History, and the Pugin connection is quite fascinating.
The Organ inside is quite an Icon Historically.
St Benedict's is still quite beautiful inside from photos I found during my research.
I am neither Catholic or Christian, but still love the Sisters who taught and cared for me during my early years growing in Sydney and attending St Benedict's School and Church between 1956 and 1963.
Thanks again from Magda in Queensland Australia
I was lucky enough to attend school and worship at St Benedicts from 1965 to 1973. I remember climbing the steeple stairs which became quite narrow to where the people would take turns in ringing the bells.
ReplyDeleteThe organs and the historic pipes are still a major memory in my mind. It is a truly beautiful church I when I get to Sydney again I will beg to be able to see the school again somehow. A beautiful building and site. The photo above does great justice though.