The Hawthornes toured Biltmore Estate
Tuesday and Wednesday,
Days 3 and 4.
On Thursday, Day 5,
we left Asheville,
and headed for Martinsville, Va.,
but not before taking a self-guided tour
through Asheville.
And don't worry.
I'll be posting about the Vanderbilts
and Biltmore soon.
Just need to do a bit more research.
After an exciting breakfast
at the Early Girl Eatery,
Mr. Hawthorne and I took
a leisurely drive through Asheville's
rather lively town.
I don't remember the last time
I saw a Woolworths.
This was the original Five and Dime.
And this is a no-emission vehicle.
The Basilica of Saint Lawrence
in downtown Asheville.
This was designed by Spanish architect
Rafael Gaustavino.
Guastavino came to Asheville
to work on the Biltmore House in the mid-1890's.
He liked the area and bought land here.
In 1905, he joined forces with
fellow architect R. S. Smith,
supervising architect of Biltmore House,
and the local Catholic community
to build St. Lawrence Catholic Church.
The term "Basilica"
dates back to early Greek and Roman times
and referred to a type of public building.
It wasn't until the 4th Century that Basilicas
began to be used as places of worship.
Today, "Basilica"
is a special designation given by
the Holy Father to certain churches
because of their antiquity, dignity,
historical importance or significance
as places of worship.
When St. Lawrence was designated,
April 6, 1993,
there were 33 other Basilicas in the US.
St. Lawrence had to be consecrated
and it had to be large enough
to conform to the General Statues of
Roman missal.
St. Lawrence, with its unique dome,
is the only church designed and built
by the renowned Rafael Guastavino
and is considered the
mother church of western North Carolina.
Guastavino was responsible
for the revival of an ancient tile and mortar
building system that had been used in Spain
for centuries.
His "Tile Arch System"
was patented in the United States
in 1885.
The method uses layers of thin tile embedded
in layers of mortar to create
curved horizontal surfaces.
Floors, roofs, ceilings, and stairs
can all be formed with this system,
usually in the shape of vaults or domes.
No wood or steel beams
were used in the construction.
This particular building method
creates a strong, fireproof, attractive surface.
Saint Lawrence also houses
the crypt of Guastavino.
through Asheville
and I found this mural on an underpass.
The Asheville Mural Project
is a group of artists brought together
through the nonprofit Arts 2 People
with the cooperative objective
of revitalizing existing urban environment
and memorializing the diversity of
culture and experience that Asheville offers.
We still have a Roses up here. It's pretty much a dive and caters to the seedier part of the neighborhood, but it's still fun to go in there once in awhile. You should come up & see it sometime.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I see parking meters all the time downtown. They're everywhere in the big city.
Oh Rosie, I wish you had been able to go inside the Basilica. It is majestic, gorgeous, humbling, yet very comforting.
ReplyDeleteSage Trifle, We will return. Now I know what to see. Can you go in anytime?
ReplyDelete...we don't have Roses down here, but like Kathy said it is fun to go into. We have parking meters (the City has to make money somehow) I should have told you to go to Mast General Store, I love that place.
ReplyDeleteWow. That's a great adventure. Would also love to try it. Love the painted walls. Really nice!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Contractors in NC. We went back again and actually went in the Basilica. It's beautiful.
ReplyDelete