St. Boniface Cathedral

[invisible]

(...or actually what's left of it.)

This used to be the most amazing architectural beauty in my city (Winnipeg)... until it burned down in 1968. The fire (they say) made headlines around the world.

Before the tragedy, the cathedral was:
- 312 feet in length
- 88 feet in width
- 70 feet in height at the peak of vault ceiling
- 150 feet in height to the top of the towers

1.

f/3.2 @ 28 mm, 1/5000, ISO 200


2. This one looks maybe 1/2 stop overexposed...

f/6.3 @ 11 mm, 1/1250, ISO 200


3.

f/5 @ 11 mm, 1/500, ISO 200


4.

f/5 @ 11 mm, 1/320, ISO 200


5.

f/2.8 @ 16 mm, 1/200, ISO 200


The fire was supposedly started by a cigarette a gentleman threw outside but forgot to put out.

A new church (nice and all, but can't hold a candle to the original) was built right behind the ruins.

This is not just the second but the sixth (!) version of a church at this location. Two of the churches were consumed by fire (1860 and 1968). Complete history here.


Thanks for looking.

 

[LaFoto]

I really do like your photo of the inside of the new church. Maybe if the Maria-figurine had her feet ... but I like the bows of ceiling and light and wall!

You are offering us a link so we can read the whole history of the churches in this spot. But I'm lazy tonight. Can't you tell me in just one sentence what made them leave the ruined church? Like there is one ruined church in Berlin (famous!) which a new building attached, and they left it as it was as a memorial, just so people can see forever what wars can do...

 

[Dagwood56]

I really like 2, 3, & 4 with 4 being my favorite. Heading off to read the history now.

 

[invisible]

I really do like your photo of the inside of the new church. Maybe if the Maria-figurine had her feet ...

I know... Right below the Christ and the Maria is the chair where a Pope (can't remember which) sat on when he visited. On top of the chair there's a sign marking the event. I tried from all angles, but there was no way to include Maria's feet without avoiding the sign...

Can't you tell me in just one sentence what made them leave the ruined church?

Money. The original goal was to use the remains as the building blocks for the new church, but feasibility studies showed it would be financially impossible.

EDIT: Donations started flowing from everywhere as soon as rebuilding efforts were announced. This cathedral was a key meeting place for the francophone community in Manitoba. Still, the money raised through donations wasn't enough to reach the needed amount.

Thanks LaFoto and Dagwood for taking a look.