As you approach stop number 4, St Paul's Cathedral, Bendigo, keep an eye out to your left. You'll spot a majestic tall bell tower made of beautiful red brick with stone dressings, designed in a stunning early Gothic style. The building is crowned with a clock and pointed arches that give it a timeless and elegant appearance.
Here’s a little fun tidbit about where you’re standing: St Paul's Cathedral, Bendigo, is more than just a magnificent building. It’s the cathedral church of the Diocese of Bendigo and the seat of the Bishop of Bendigo, which makes it the heart of Anglican worship in this region.
The cathedral was designed by the architect Robert A. Love, and it was quite the construction project: the nave was dedicated in 1868, the bell tower in 1873, and the chancel and transepts came much later in 1927. Originally a parish church, St Paul's got a promotion in 1981 when it became the diocese’s cathedral.
Constructed using striking red brick and decorated with stone dressings, it follows a simple cruciform plan with a six-bay nave, transepts, and sanctuary. Inside, prepare to be wowed by stained-glass windows, wooden sculptures, and an opus sectile that speak to its high church tradition.
A fun historical nugget for you: St Paul’s peal of eight bells, cast by Mears & Stainbank of London, first rang out on Good Friday in 1873. These bells made quite the journey, arriving aboard the famous ship, the Cutty Sark. The bells, with their largest weighing 0.71 tonnes, had to be lowered due to the bell tower's instability.
Look out for the 1883 organ, whose colorful pipes were given new life in the 1950s and then again in the 1990s. For a while, structural issues put quite a dampener on things-the bell tower was unstable from as early as 1880, and the entire cathedral was closed to the public from 2009 to 2016. Thankfully, it’s now fully renewed and reopened, a gem in the heart of Bendigo.
So, take a moment to soak in the history and the architecture of St Paul’s Cathedral. It's a place that's been through a lot but stands proudly as a symbol of timeless endurance!
