Photos &Steve Fisher 26 May 2013 04:40 am
St. Bart’s
Steve Fisher explores three churches and a synagogue. We get to view the results with him. Steve writes the rest of this post:
- As part of the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s “Sacred Sites†weekend, celebrating landmark religious structures, I visited St Bartholomew’s Church on Park Avenue and 51st street. While I had seen the imposing building many times over the years, I’d never been inside. Its Byzantine design is unlike any church interior I’ve ever seen.
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- I also visited St Matthias Church in Ridgewood, Queens as part of the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s “Sacred Sites†weekend. The weather was not conducive to traipsing around outside, and it was not especially impressive anyway. But then the surprise came when I entered the building. Wow! Yet another discovery that had been virtually in my backyard without my ever knowing it existed.
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- Behind the St Matthews Church in Woodhaven, Queens is a landmarked cemetery, the Wyckoff-Snediker Family Cemetery. The church is currently being renovated. The cemetery is overgrown and neglected and not likely to be cleaned up before the renovation is completed.
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- I also had a chance to visit the Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Corona, Queens [the oldest in the borough]. I went today since I was certain someone would be there for sabbath services, and I could find out when I might return to photograph it, not wanting to interfere with the service. The congregants were very welcoming and even allowed me to take some photos from the balcony while the service was in progress. While the exterior of the building has been completely renovated, the interior is in much need of attention. I guess they are awaiting funding to tackle the inside.
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on 26 May 2013 at 8:36 am 1.Richard O'Connor said …
St. Bart’s (with the exception of the entrance which was re-purposed from the original McKim Mead & White St. Bart’s) was built by Betram Goodhue.
Goodhue, as you probably know, was the architect who built and occupied the penthouse at 2 W 47th Street where Blechman’s Ink Tank was for 30 years.
There are some small similarities in the construction. Most notably the use of concrete instead of stone around the windows and the lead window frames themselves.
I suspect much of the original hardware would have been the same, but that was long ago looted from 47th street.
on 26 May 2013 at 9:38 am 2.steve said …
Just one clarification: When I said that I had never seen a more Byzantine church, I of course meant in New York City. Obviously, there are plenty of examples in Europe, none greater than S. Marco in Venice.
on 27 May 2013 at 9:23 am 3.Stephen Macquignon said …
Steve you may be interested in the Church of the Resurrection Episcopal Kew Gardens 118st
on 28 May 2013 at 10:26 pm 4.steve said …
Thanks. I’ll check it out.