The Cathedral of Saint Andrew is the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Architectural features
The architecture of the Cathedral is Gothic and is characterized by pointed arches and vaulted stone. Its cornerstone was laid in May 30, 1875. The foundation is of limestone from the Grand River. To support the structure, the foundation was laid 11 feet deep and 3-8 feet thick. The building originally measured 136 feet long and 59 feet wide. After the fire of 1901 the building took its characteristic cross shape with the addition of the transepts. It now measures 209 feet in length. The highest spire measures 192 feet and the gilded cross is 12 feet tall and 7 feet wide. The tower houses 10 bells, installed in 1909. They were the first complete set of church bells in the state of Michigan. The bells are made of copper and weigh between 566 and 3,050 pounds each. They wait in silence for their refurbishing. The stained glass windows, imported from Munich, Germany, were installed shortly before WWI. They were purchased though the donations of the pastor and parishioners. The window depicts the life of Christ.
Location
The Cathedral is located at [[address:=267 Sheldon Boulevard]] in the Heartside-Downtown neighborhood. Geographic coordinates are 42.958472° N, 85.667138° WLatitude: 42°57′30.499″N
Longitude: 85°40′1.697″W.
References
Portions of this post were originally written by Heather Ibrahim for the Heartside Mainstreet Program, reproduced with permission.
