B-3 St. Mary's Seminary Chapel Architectural Survey File This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse- chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation such as photographs and maps. Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment. All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust. Last Updated: 03-10-2011 fh A~\ tt O li 0 0 ():)f1. ':> o<t' THEME : , ARCHITECTURE ~ ·",, D NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS ST A T E : - F orm 10-300 UNITE D ST ATES DEPARTMEN T O F l HE INTERIOR (R ev. 6-721' NATION AL PARK SERVICE Maryl and ~-~ ~) COUN T Y · HATIOHAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Baltimore City IHVENTORY - NOMINATION FOR M FO R NPS USE ONLY ~.,. .--:- ... -.- ·.; ~(li J\ -: :r~ · ' L E NTRY O ATE L :~ :{ ~ :: .'. : ..: .' (Type all e ntrie s · comple te ;1 pplicablc sections) . I .J,11"'-n jl. NAME "~ ~ !:'ll ~ C O MMON : 1(l..W} ~ 0' - Q St . Mary ' s Seminary Chapel 5tnl l ' ANOIO R HI ST ORIC: ~ St . Mary ' s Semi nary Chapel LO~ATION 12. - STREET AN O NUM BER: 600 Nor t h Pac a Str eet C ITY O R T O WN: C ONGR ESSIONAL D IS T R IC T : Baltimore 3rd STATE I C O DE C OUNTY: I CODE Maryland I 24 Baltimore Citv I 510 ...... •.. ; : lq,. ·CLASSIFICATION -.';,' ··;:~··. ;:;--::··) : .:···::: .. CATEGORY ACCESSIBLE OWN E RSHIP STATUS ( Check One) TO TH E PUBLIC :z Public Yes; 0 District ~ Building 0 P ublic Acqvisilion: 0 Occupied 0 In Process 0 Restricted 0 Si te 0 Structure ® Private 0 ~ Unoccupied Both Being Considered 0 l,Jnrestricted 0 Object 0 0 0 P r eservation work No 1- in p r ogress ~ u PRESENT V!:E (Ch.,c k One or M ore ' "' Appropd llte) :::> 0 Agri c ultural 0 Governm ent 0 Pork 0 Transportation Q Comments 0::: 0 Commerc ial 0 Indus trial 0 Private Residence 0 Other (Specify) I- 0 Educotionol 0 Military ~ Rel igious 0 Entertainment 0 Museum 0 Scientific : ..· ' .. .. .•.·. .... :z t•'·' OWNER OF PROPERTY ··\}:if,. ·/f:{? ; ~. =' =/;:;:::}:\,.... ·:··:. :, ,=f·.·.:. .:• ;, ;,.;',:· .. OWN ER'S NAME: .. Associated ~ )> Professors of St. Mary's Seminary '1 .. w STREET AN O NUMB E R: '< ".' H ID w 5400 Roland Park ::3 C I TY O R TOWN : STATE: COOf' 0. Baltimore Maryland 24 ,•.• ·. · icS/ ·:=lOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION .·.:::-.):: :~: ,. ·· ··.········ . ' ·:' < COURTHOUSE . R EGISTRY O F DE E. O S . E T C: n~g t-'•11> c Baltimore City Courthouse l"U-'z STflEET ANO NUMB E R : -.. " .. 3t-'·~ .. St . Paul and Fayette Streets 0 '1 CITY OR TOWN : STATE CODE en Baltimore Maryland 24 l~•:.. :. ~_E~EES~~JA. :nQ_N IN EXISTING SURVEYS .. ...... .•: :; ;, ;.::: TITLE OF SURVEY: .."'z Historic American Buildings Survey lll .... < Local 0 O"TE OF SURVEY: 1~3o; l~b4 @ Federal 0 State 0 County 0 z ::0 DEPOSITORY F OR SURVE Y RECORDS: c 2 I '11 IJ .,. Library of Congress/Annex c "'lll STREET ANO NUMBER: "' "'0 Division of Prints and Photographs 2 ,__ r CITY OR TOWN: STATE: COOE -< -0 Washington D .C. 11 > ~ ~ .._... - [(l!A'!' ; '.' !:!. r, "'7 r -:·- . - : ~ ------------r;~yr:; L·;c ~• ... · I I 7. DESCRIPTION ---~- (Check One) 0 Excellent Ci(1 G ood 0 Fair 0 Deteriorated lJ Ruins l.J Une•posed CONDITION (Check O ne) (Ch.,ck One) 0 Unaltered I [l Moved [>O Ori gi no I Site DESCRIBE THE P R ESENT AN O O RIGINA L (if k nown) l'> HYSI CAL A PPEARANC E St . Mary ' s :?eminary Chapel is an "A" roof structure, three bays wide, four bays deep and one and a half stories high. It is set on a high basement with round arched windows set into rectangular insets . Constructed from 1806 to 1808 by Maximilien Godefroy, it is a small brick chapel slightly l ess than ninety feet long and seventy feet wide . It would appear that the chapel incorporates the structure 'of an earlier building and that the Neo-Gothic design of the architect was forced to fit it. This suggestion has been advanced on some convincing structural evidence. In plan, the central space of the chapel is composed of the nave , which is 50 ' 7" long by 36 ' wide including the narrow side aisles which are 4 1 9\" wide each. The nave is lit by three window bays on either side. The VI moulded brick enframements of these windows have been added and the bricks m in the nave walls are 8 1/ 2" x 4 1/811 x 2.\". as compared to 8 3/8" x 434" x 2 3/8" on the front elevation. The side aisles are divided from the nave m by narrowly spaced Neo-Gothic columns 5 ' 8" on center. The nine bays and eight columns , arranged on this module, allow the windows to be centered z on every third bay. VI The sanctuary with a semi-circular apse is s eparated from the nave by -t three steps. The sanctuary floor is 18" higher than .that of the nave . ::::0 Immediately at the top step, the change in module between the sanctuary c and the nave is marked by a pair of engaged columns on either side, 3' 7" n on center, with solid wa ll between them. The engaged columns of the sanctuary are t:Wo bays deep, 9' on center and then terminated by the semi­ -t circul ar apse which has a radius of 12 ' 5". Flanking the sanctuary are the north and south transept. They are both simple rectangular spaces 0 19 1 6" (one bay) wide and 29' (three bays) long. z VI The first three bays of the nave carry the balcony over the west entrance. The width of the nave between the side aisles is the same width as the sanctuary. Therefore, the shallow vaulted ceiling of plaster on wood lathe is carried uninterrupted on a continuous decorative wooden cornice from one end of the chapel to the other. The ceil ing has delicate false ribs in imitation of cross vaulting above the nave and the sanctuary. The change in modu le between nave and sanctuary is handled by the inser­ tion of a decorative band 3 1 7" wide where the two spaces meet above the paired engaged columns. The wooden nave columns and those of the sanctuary are of nearl y identical design. The shafts of those in the nave are 1 1 3 3/4" in diameter and are quatrefoil in plan. They have acanthus l eaf capitals somewhat c l assical in appearance. Below t he c apitals at t he top of the shafts are eight evenly spaced i~verted acorns. The balcony railing is made up of panel s of pierced Neo - Gothic decorative elements above a continuous c l assical Greek-bay band . From the exterior, the chapel has an elaborate Neo- Gothic false front on the west elevation virtually stuck onto the nave. The side elevation walls have brick buttresses between the three window bays, and basement (continued) s-3 form 10-3000 UN IT ED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE (July 1969) NA Tl ON AL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Baltimore City IHVEHTORY - NOMINATION FORM .( NATIO~!H. HI "7C:nc FOR NPS USE ONL Y LJ1.h':J;.L'l.'.~Y.S J -.----~ (Continuation Sheet) ENTRY NUMBER I OA TE I (Number alt enlrle11) 7. Description: (1) St . Mary ' s Seminary Chapel windows with flat jack arches underneath the first two nave window bays . These basement windows light the crypt. The main body of the church has a gable roof. The portion of the roof over the side aisles has a shallower pitch t han the central section. Later additions obscure the eastern e levation of the chapel. The west front of the church appears to have been built across the gable end of an earlier building. It has a three-bay cent~al section slightly wider than the nave and side aisles behind it. This section has a central entrance doorway reached by a flight of nine stone steps . On either side of the double doors are engaged columns in molded brick carrying a Gothic arch with a keystone. The transom is not gl~zed but is a wooden panel with a trefoil design. On either side of the front entrance, in positions shown occupied by windows in the Godefroy drawings, are two niches with Gothic arches . They are intended for sculpture. The cornice line of the chapel is carried around the west elevation and expressed by a more elaborate Neo-Gothic stucco cornice than that on the rest of the building. Above this cornice is a high rectangular brick parapet with a central circular window flanked by blind lancet arcades. This parapet masks the gable end of the chapel roof. To stabilize the para­ pet, brick flying buttresses from the side walls of the nave support it from the back. On either side of the main block of the west front are two l ow spur elements, nearl y square in plan.