St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church
About this property
St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, referred to in Polish as Kościół Świętego Stanisława Kostki, is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. Located in the Strip District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, it is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral' style of churches. It is known also as 21st and Smallman Street Church. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The congregation was formed in 1873 when 200 Polish families banded together to form the St. Stanislaus Kostka Beneficial Society. The first pastor was Antoni Klawiter, who arrived in October 1875 and left in 1877. The availability of unskilled mill jobs in Pittsburgh in the late 19th century attracted a flood of immigrants from Eastern Europe. By 1915, more than 80% of Strip District residents were foreign-born, and 30% were Polish. St. Stanislaus Kostka Church was constructed in 1891, designed by Pittsburgh architect Frederick C. Sauer (1860–1942). In March 1936 there was a disastrous flood on Saint Patrick's Day. Water flooded the church as high as the top of the wainscoting on the walls. The pews were afloat and the Pastor was trapped in the rectory on the second floor. In December 1936, an explosion at the Pittsburgh Banana Company weakened the towers and the original baroque style bonnets were removed. Examples of the bonnet style are still found on the top of the sidewall pilasters and the ventilation cupola on the center of the roof. Three of the medallion windows over the altars were also covered over. On September 20, 1969, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, the future Pope John Paul II, visited and offered prayers at St. Stanislaus Kostka. After cordial greetings, the Cardinal is quoted as commenting on how beautiful the church was and how it reminded him of the churches in Poland. He knelt in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and then to the Side Altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary, now the location of a humble memorial to the Pope. Saint Stanislaus Kostka's architectural style is a blend of Romanesque and Baroque, with Byzantine influences. Construction of the present Saint Stanislaus Kostka church was started in April 1891, and the church was consecrated on July 31, 1892. The church is a one-story brick edifice covering an area of 8,337 square feet (774.5 m2). The church is built on the ground surface, and there is no basement. The walls are from 17 to 21 inches (430 to 530 mm) thick. The church measures 67 feet (20 m) wide and 105 feet (32 m) deep and stands 63 feet (19 m) high. In 1936, the church endured flood and explosion damage.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church listed on the National Register?
St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1972.
What type of historic resource is St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church?
St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church?
The period of significance for St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church is recorded as the industrial era.
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