The word “Gothic” has a creepy connotation. But Gothic architecture, which emerged in Europe after the Dark Ages, is designed to inspire awe in viewers. The revived style became popular in Chicago around the mid-19th century, defined by pointed arches and soaring interiors.
I definitely felt something walking past old All Saints St. Anthony recently. Not awe exactly — but I took pause. It was eldritch, imposing, beautiful. That church closed in 2019, but plans for adaptive reuse are underway.
It’s one of many neo-Gothic churches still standing around the city.
The Oldest: Church of the Holy Family
Built around 1860, Church of the Holy Family in Little Italy is the second-oldest Catholic church in Chicago and the oldest local example of the Gothic style. Its impressive interior was designed by John van Osdel, Chicago's first registered architect. Less than 20 years later, the church survived the Great Chicago Fire despite sitting mere blocks from the ol’ O’Leary Farm.
Some people might call that miracle. Others, a stone exterior. Thank Gothic architecture for that!
The Largest: Holy Name Cathedral
After the Great Chicago Fire, Holy Name Cathedral became one of the largest Roman Catholic archdioceses in the country — and the largest Gothic church in Chicago. It was finished in 1875 to replace the Church of the Holy Name, which burned in what is now River North.
The structure evokes the “Tree of Life,” and the artisanship begins with the doors.
Best Stained Glass: St. Ita Parish
This church near Broadway and Catalpa, opened in 1927, is the brainchild of Chicago ecclesiologist Henry J. Schlacks. Schlacks designed several churches in and around the city, including St. Paul Catholic Church in Pilsen. But Edgewater’s St. Ita Parish stands out for its colorful, detailed stained glass scenes. The goal was to present “visual sermons.”
Honorable Mention: The
University of Chicago
It’s not a church, but the University of Chicago
campus is perhaps the city’s most immersive example of Gothic architecture. (Plus, many do worship at the altar of academia.)
The campus’ collegiate Gothic style aims to convey the university’s “sense of history, seriousness, and intellectual fortitude.” That unified aesthetic, I think, is why so many visitors remark how the campus feels straight out of a movie.
It’s also fittingly brooding for “the place where fun goes to die.”
Happy Halloween!
