St Mary's Painted Church BW

by Joan Carroll

Title

St Mary's Painted Church BW

Artist

Joan Carroll

Medium

Photograph - Digital Art

Description

From the outside it doesn't appear to be very exceptional, just an ordinary church. But step inside and be amazed at the decoration of the "New" St Mary's Catholic Church in Fredericksburg, TX. It is one of the "painted" churches of Texas built by Czech and German settlers in the area. Many Czech and German settlers came to Texas in the mid-1800s looking for economic opportunity and religious freedom. But they left behind much that they lovedin their home countries including their richly adorned churches. They scrimped and sacrificed and built new places of worship to the scale their communities could afford. The term "Painted" comes from the elaborate faux-finished interiors. Gold-leafed, stone and polished marble columns and ceilings are (upon closer examination) actually finely-fitted woodwork. The paint - mixed on site - is still vibrant and bright - even after all these years. The interior of St Mary's contains extensive painting and murals, including on the organ pipes and ceiling vaults, leading to its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places as a painted church. It is also part of the National Register's Fredericksburg Historic District, and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

FEATURED PHOTO, Churches ad Cemeteries group, 12/6/22

FEATURED PHOTO, Black and White Photography group, 10/25/22

FEATURED PHOTO, Images That Excite You! group, 1/5/16

FEATURED PHOTO, Black and White Photography group, 1/4/16

Uploaded

January 3rd, 2016

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