The Cathedral of John the Baptist was built in 1860 - just a couple of years after the civil war. I have no idea where the money came from - everything I have read has seen has shown that all of the surrounding islands and parishes were full of people reeling in abject poverty for decades after the war and the hurricanes that followed.
In a nearby woods there is a large encampment of homeless people under a bridge that I had just left - the opulence just seemed out of place to me. But, if you like this type of architecture, this is a fine specimen.
Large murals and a huge theater organ grace the sanctuary, and there are large carved images hanging from every wall. Solid green marble pillars rise throughout the room arching gracefully into the ceiling.
There are large apses off of the main room, and the confessional has etched glass walls.
If you decide to visit, make sure you have something to drink and have used the bathroom - the church does not allow visitors to use their facilities.
One thing Savannah does have is a lot of flavor in architecture. I can only share a few photos, and these do not do justice to the wide variety of homes that are here. You can tell all of the houses built before the 1776 revolution though. The British put a tax on the number of doors a house had. So, folks only installed one door and dozens of walk-out windows, like in this first house.
Here are just a few miscellaneous shots to give a bit of the flavor of the different homes here. Again, there are hundreds, and it seems each is unique to itself.
This next house is the one that Sherman took over for his personal headquarters when he invaded Savannah.
Here are some interesting porch supports on a house built in the mid 1700's.
Henry Ford built a car dealership downtown, and the curved-glass windows are amazing. It is an antique shop today.
And now a few people from the street. This is James Massey. He makes flowers, crosses, butterflies, dragonflies and other shapes out of palm leaves.
There are also the basket weavers - those that gather the Spartina grass out of the tidal marshes and weave it into all manner of baskets. Some of these baskets they make are so intricate that they become family heirlooms.
And Bill - another of Savannah's homeless population.
And finally, another actor and actress for the Old Savannah Tours company.
Have a great Wednesday !!
David
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