Restoration of the Towers of the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul, Providence

Описание: The urgent preservation work underway on the cathedral’s towers and façade was unforeseen until 2019 when engineers discovered structural integrity issues during the planned replacement of the cathedral’s roof.

The historic church, designed in a neo-romanesque style by noted Irish-American ecclesial architect Patrick Keeley, was built largely with local Portland Brownstone—beautiful but also soft. After more than 100 years of freeze-and-thaw cycles in the harsh New England winters, the stone has been critically compromised throughout the towers.

Engineers were clear that, upon discovering these issues during the roof replacement, work to preserve the towers and the cathedral’s historic façade had to begin immediately. The estimated $9 million project had to start without the opportunity to find funding and donations. Your gift will help us complete this critical act of preserving a local icon of our faith for future generations.

The work is being carried out with the goal of preserving the unique architectural, historical, and religious heritage of the cathedral. Local stone is being sourced to match the original and large weakened stones being removed from the towers will, in some instances, be reshaped for use elsewhere on the building. Every effort is being made to retain the cathedral’s iconic aesthetic which has graced downtown since its dedication in 1872.

Learn more and sponsor the restoration of a stone at https://cathedraltowers.info/