THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Calvary Episcopal Church was founded in 1855 by Mathilda Dallas Wilkins, wife of Judge William Wilkins, with initial meetings being held in an East Liberty drug store. The present building on Shady Avenue is the congregation's third church, commissioned in 1905 and completed in 1907. It was designed by Ralph Adams Cram, a leading exponent of the Gothic Revival style in the United States, based on the principles of 13th century English Gothic architecture. This monumental building measures 208 feet in length and 108 feet in width, with an elegant spire reaching 220 feet into the sky. The windows feature stained glass by the firms of Heaton, Butler, and Bayne of London, C.J. Connick of Boston, the Gorham Company of New York, and William Willet of Pittsburgh. Calvary's elaborate oak rood screen and high altar reredos were carved to Cram's designs by Johannes Kirchmayer. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
An illustrated guide was published in 2008 and is available through the Calvary Bookstore or in digital format HERE. In addition, a display board focused on Cram and his architecture was produced in 2016 and can be found in Calvary's reception area or in digital format HERE. Calvary's Architectural History Committee can provide more information as well as tours of the church by request: contact, calvaryahc@gmail.com.
A VIRTUAL TOUR OF CALVARY
Experience the place you love in a whole new way. We have partnered with a local company, https://kiskerproductions.com/ to produce a 3D virtual tour of Calvary. One can virtually walk through almost the entire facility. More than 1,000 (360 degree) images were taken and “stitched” together to create a seamless tour. It includes the church, parish hall, offices, preschool, refectory, choir room, and most of the building.
Links at the bottom of the tour page allow one to move from room to room, or one can simply walk around virtually. On the bottom left, one can navigate the space using a 3D “dollhouse” view or choose among floors or the floorplan.
“Tags” with more information or photos of particular objects such as the pulpit or windows are throughout. Because of the technology, one can see things more clearly this way, a window up high for example, than one could see in person. Make sure to check out the images from high up in the church.
Please feel free to explore Calvary and share the link. In the near future, we will reveal a virtual scavenger hunt we have created using the tour.
The tour was made possible by a gift from the Robert and Barbara Baur Trust.