ST PATRICK’S BASILICA
PERTH (FREMANTLE), WA CATHOLIC
PAUL SCOTT
SATELLITE VIEW
This is the view of St Patrick’s Basilica from above. It is in Fremantle, just out from the centre and near the River Swan. It is bounded by Adelaide Street and Parry Street, and has its sanctuary pointing in a geographical ESE direction.
As is our custom we shall use liturgical directions, which is not difficult here: we just assume the sanctuary lies in an Easterly direction (capital E), and the other directions accordingly. From this view we see that the nave is a long narrow rectangle with two small towers at the West (left) end, and a lower side aisle on either side. At the Eastern end, there is a Southern extension (the Lady Chapel) and a larger Northern extension(an exit with foyer, a chapel and a sacristy).
There is some Church car parking at the Eastern end, but we had no problems parking close by on the street. The Church Office is to the East of the Church.
PLAN
The Basilica provides an excellent Church plan – one of the best I have seen – which details the many points of interest as we walk around the premises. We notice the unusual labelling of the North and South transepts, used for chapels where there is no sign of a cross-bar.
On my visit, a kind lady from the Church office let me in through the Northeast sacristy, but we shall start our tour from the West foyer (at the bottom). In turn we shall explore the nave, the North foyer (on the left) and the adjacent chapel, the Northeast sacristy, the North and South transepts, the Lady Chapel on the South (right) side, and the sanctuary.
A brief history of the Basilica is given below. However, if you want to begin your tour of the Basilica immediately, tap / click on one of the following links.
HISTORY
[Wikipedia]
Years Built: 1900, 1960
Address: 47 Adelaide Street, Fremantle WA 6160
The Basilica of St Patrick is a Roman Catholic church located on Adelaide Street in Fremantle, Western Australia. It is one of five churches in Australia with minor basilica status.
The parish of St Patrick Fremantle was created around 1850. In 1894, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate arrived in Australia from Ireland and the parish was given to their care. Here, they established their first community. In 1994, they celebrated a century of ministry to the church in Australia, and commissioned the current church as an icon in Fremantle as part of their celebrations.
Designed by Michael Cavanagh in a Gothic revival style, the foundation stone was laid on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March 1898, and the nave opened on 3 June 1900. The design incorporated a nave with aisles and clerestory, transepts, a wide and spacious apse, with a tower and spire supported by flying buttresses rising from the northern side. Only the nave was initially completed. A new sanctuary of equivalent scale was opened on 24 April 1960.
The building was raised to the status of a minor basilica in 1994. It is also a heritage listed building.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Basilica,_Fremantle
