Saint Brigid's Church
314 St-Patrick Street
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
Opened in 1890, Saint Brigid's Church was built to serve Lowertown's English-speaking and mainly Irish-Catholic population. Prior to the construction of this massive limestone church, Lowertown's Irish worshipped at the French Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica nearby.
The Church's architecture includes some interesting features, such as a pair of grand towers of differing height and detail. The original interior once featured beautiful murals, stencils and gilding – though most of this rich decor was painted over in the 1960s. Fortunately, visitors to the building today will notice three murals that were uncovered in the late 1980s, depicting the Nativity, the Descent from the Cross and the Shrouded Cross.
In 2006, amidst much controversy, the church was deconsecrated and sold. Today, it is home to the Irish Canadian Cultural Centre and features regular performances by local and international artists.
Do you have a great interior shot of Saint Brigid's?
Neighbourhood
From its very beginnings in 1826, Bytown (early Ottawa) was divided geographically, with Uppertown to the west of the Rideau Canal and Lowertown to the east. Lowertown, then ... read more
