St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Orange, New South Wales (NSW) foundation stone was laid on April 4, 1869, and the original nave opened in 1871. The Church was extensively extended in 1899.
The Church is on a hill, the street called Hill Street, most Catholic Churches were built on a hill in Australia if a hill was available. In many cities towns the land is very flat. When coming into a town or city especially inland Australia you always can see the Catholic Church because it's on a hill. When we first started travelling Australia in the year 2000 all the doors of the Churches were open and as the years went by they closed unless in use. Sad really.
The above photo of the Church is from the archives in Orange so therefore it's old.
I like to visit churches when I travel.
ReplyDeleteIt is time for me to visit some in this city as well.
I remember a time when the doors were open all day long. Unfortunately, it is no longer the case, and we all know the reasons. As you said, it is sad.
There is just something so good about churches and it does annoy me that the doors are locked.
DeleteHello Margaret,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of the churches, I also enjoy visiting a church when I am somewhere else.
I wish you a lovely new week.
All the best, Irma
Thank you Irma, and you have a good week too. There is just something nice about churches.
DeleteMargaret, from what you’re saying, it was a good decision to build the church on a hill. That way, it will surely be visible from various points in the city. Unfortunately, around here, in some churches, their doors are closed. I mean, if we want to go pray for a specific reason, what do we do?
ReplyDeleteA hug
It is a nuisance that the doors are closed. We can pray anywhere but it's doesn't feel the same than in a church.
DeleteDear Margaret, what beautiful photos. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Linda.
DeleteIt is a lovely old church and the door is a beauty also. Lovely photos, thank you Margaret and for sharing the map. Always interesting to look at those. I wish you a very happy Sunday :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Denise. Door is a bit different to others I've seen.
DeleteIt's a really beautiful church.
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie. It's rather a nice church.
DeleteIt's a beautiful church, and I like the shape. Take care, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marit. It is rather a large looking church.
DeleteIt’s a beautiful church—I love the entrance—and the old photo from back in the day is interesting. It’s a shame it was closed; that happens to me quite often these days, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing; it was interesting to see what the church in your area looks like! hugs Elke
Thanks Elke. Many churches in Australia are similar yet some are totally different on the outside.. I expect the earlier ones were built more to the gothic style and later ones more modern.
DeleteIt's a lovely looking Church.
ReplyDeleteSadly many churches leave their doors closed now . . . a sign of the times, and this is happening in many countries . . . such a shame.
Thanks as always for including the map.
Have a good week.
All the best Jan
Yes a sign of the times Jan, yet to me it's sad a I mentioned in the post. It's interesting to know the doors are closed over your way too.
DeleteLinda iglesia. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteThank you, J.P.
DeleteA sign of the times ! Vandals cause havoc in all places these days!
ReplyDeleteLovely sunny day here and my Mr. and Mrs Wood ducks have at last realised that
afternoon orange slice is at 4.00 pm! Still one sits overnight as my guard.
No one crosses the RUBICON and that includes Julius Caesar !
Maybe they could be trained at/for churches????????
Cheers
Colin
Such a shame vandals do that damage Colin, makes me rather annoyed.
DeleteGlad the ducks are ok. Nice to have a guard at your door, and if only they could help with the churches - what a great idea, if only.
Catholics always wanted the top of hills so they could look down on the Protestant churches below.
ReplyDeleteYou reckon, Andrew...lol
Deleteit is a beautiful church. I always believed they built on hills so they would be closer to heaven and God, but Andrew's reason is a good one too. I remember childhood days when our town's Catholic church was always open and though I was never a church goer, on hot days I would sit inside for a few minutes just feeling the cool and the calm, it was so pretty inside.
ReplyDeleteThey the churches are always beautiful inside and cool too.
DeleteI noticed when we came into many towns and cities in Australia that we always saw the Catholic Churches before we saw any other denomination ones, because of the hills. I must look it up if there is an answer to why they were built on a hill.
What a striking church, Margaret. I love how it stands tall on the hill, almost like a quiet guardian of the town. The old photo adds such depth to its story. Sad indeed that doors are no longer open all day -- it feels like a piece of welcome has been lost.
ReplyDeleteGood chose of words, Veronica. 'it feels like a piece of welcome has been lost.'
DeleteEasy to find when on a hill they the churches can be seen from most areas in the towns or cities.
I love churches, and where I live in Massachusetts, every town square has a big church dominating it. I don't know when they were built, but I figure it was some time ago. The church steeple is still the highest point in town, so people can see it from all over and know where the church is.
ReplyDeleteWow, that does sound very good there in Massachusetts, Ruby. Thanks for telling me that.
DeleteI'm far from religious, but I used to enjoy visiting catholic churches-- particularly in smaller towns. These days, one finds the door locked. I like this one. As I've mentioned before, I see more of England in many of the structures in Australia. Makes sense, though.
ReplyDeleteYes that's true about seeing English and Irish buildings down here, even some cottages.
DeleteEine schöne und große Kirche schade das die Türen geschlossen waren.
ReplyDeleteEs ist für mich immer schön in eine Kirche zu gehen und die Stille zu genießen.
Gruß
Noke
It is a shame the doors are locked but vandals if there are any do so much harm then it becomes so costly to repair. Always silent in a church Noke. When I went to school after grade 7 I used to go to the local Catholic Church and play the pipe organ at lunch time, everyone came running into the church to listen. The school joined the church.
DeleteBeautiful church! I hope the doors are open again though something may have changed.
ReplyDeleteI believe the doors are still closed, such a shame.
DeleteIt's my first time on your blog. Thanks for sharing this beautiful architecture
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming and commenting.
DeleteRáda čtu články tohoto druhu, protože mě hodně zajímá jak to chodí jinde a v Austrálii obzvlášť! Je mi jasné, že kostel z konce 19. století je v Austrálii "starý". V Evropě jsou kostely většinou mnohem starší, třeba ze středověku, ale je jasné, proč tomu tak je. Je to zajímavá stavba a možná její stavitel napodobil některý kostel ze země, kde měl své předky. Myslím z některé evropské země - Anglie, Nizozemí...
ReplyDeleteU nás je hodně kostelů, nejsou to jen katolické, málokdy bývají na návrších, spíše v centru obce nebo města. Kromě bohoslužeb bývají také uzamčené, ale v době sezóny, kdy je tam hodně turistů, bývá v kostele služba, která je schopna zájemce provést kostelem - s výkladem.
Děkuji za téma, Margaret, které jak vidím, hodně lidí zaujalo. ☺️
Zjistila jsem, že architekt Edward Gell se narodil v Anglii a do Austrálie přijel v době zlaté horečky. Takže je asi důvod si myslet, jakými stavbami se inspiroval.
DeleteStavba kostelů v australském vnitrozemí (the bush nebo the outback) v 19. století byla extrémně náročným procesem, který zásadně ovlivňovala izolace, drsné klima a nedostatek financí i materiálu. Zatímco velká pobřežní města stavěla honosné chrámy, vnitrozemí muselo improvizovat.
Well done on your research there. You got it all correct and most churches were built in the 1800's to 1900. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteBeautiful old church.
ReplyDeleteIt is Anne. Thank you.
DeleteThe exterior of the church is very beautiful; I like its shape and the architecture that makes it up.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Regards.
Thank you. You have a good week too.
DeleteWow, that church has been there a long time.
ReplyDeleteYes Mary, a fair time for Australia.
DeleteThat is a beautiful structure
ReplyDeleteIt is a good one, still standing which is a blessing.
DeleteMargaret so beautiful church!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteExcelente serie de imagenes, amiga.
ReplyDeleteUn saludo.
Thank you, Ildefonso.
DeleteIt truly is sad how so many church doors have closed over the years, there was always something so peaceful and welcoming about being able to step inside during a long road trip. Thanks for sharing this piece of history and reflection!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. It's sometimes hard to believe that the doors are not always open.
DeleteOld churches are so interesting. We love looking at the architecture and stained glass on the inside.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder who donated those stained glass windows, though there is often a name attached, and who made them as they are beautiful windows.
DeleteThe church is beautiful and still looking good. I like the old photo, not much change in its appearance. Some churches here are locked too but I usually try to see if they're open.
ReplyDeleteI like that old photo and was pleased I came across it when researching, Bill.
DeleteFor me it was not a good feeling when the door was locked.
Buenas tardes, Margaret. Nunca me paré a pensar como podían ser las iglesias de Australia, por lo que me ha hecho mucha ilusión tu publicación ya que es la primera que veouna, y aunque haya algunas diferencias en la arquitectura exterior de la misma con las de los países accidentales, no por ello deja de ser interesante tanto esa nave central con vidrieras, como su torre. A ver si un día tenemos suerte y pillas a alguna iglesia abierta, y nos muestras su interior con sus retablos, imágenes, etc. ya que tengo mucho interés en ver sus contenidos.
ReplyDeleteEn Sevilla suelen estar abiertas sobre todo las que están por el centro histórico de la ciudad, que es por donde se mueve el turismo, y la de los barrios y los pueblos, solo suelen abrir en las horas de culto.
Gracias por compartir y por tu buen hacer.
Un cordial saludo.
Thank you and you are welcome Manuel. I've a few other churches on my blog and photos taken inside.
DeleteHello Margaret,
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful church.
Very nice building. Good to see it in this spotlight.
Many greetings,
Marco
Thank you and it's good it's still used today, so many churches especially in small town have been abandoned over the years.
DeleteAs someone who was raised Catholic, I love visiting old churches. Nice one!
ReplyDeleteThank you. As I was too.
DeleteI like to visit old churches, I find them interesting
ReplyDeleteYes they are interesting Jo-Anne, doesn't matter what religion. It good to visit.
DeleteChe bella questa chiesa.
ReplyDeleteÈ molto particolare come struttura
It is a lovely church Stefania.
DeleteEvening greetings and thanks for every visit, Andreja!
ReplyDeleteAndreja, you are most welcome on both accounts.
DeleteThat is a beautiful church. Such a shame the doors can't be kept open any more.
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane, and it is such a pity the doors can't be left open, but such is life these days.
DeleteI really enjoy visiting churches when I travel. In smaller towns, they are often closed, but whenever the doors are open, it’s a must-visit for me.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos. The exterior architecture of this church is so beautiful and very interesting.
dear Margaret
ReplyDeletein the history we see that most temples were made on hills ,churches can't be exception because in all religions places considered house of God and it's elevation was sign of divinity and triumph of truth!
here too it makes me sad to see that doors mosques doors are kept closed mostly .it shows how we have lost faith in God and goodness and humanity unfortunately
I swear I left a comment for this post. There is something special about visiting churches. This one is no exception. Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Very informative and helpful. Thanks for sharing!
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Es bien bonita la iglesia, me gusta. Por aquí también cierran muchas iglesias y no se puede entrar a verlas. Besos.
ReplyDelete