One of the great things about writing for BRO is that I can call people up and ask them to show me stuff that most people don't have access to and they say, "Sure, when do you want to do it?" One such place that I have always wanted to see was up in the spectacular tower of the 1889 St. Louis Church.
I contacted church archivist Michael Reister to ask for a tour. He graciously arranged for not only a tower tour but an expanded tour of many other spaces including the basement and attic. Michael is a walking history book on the church building and congregation. As we walked through the building he told many more stories than I could ever hold in my brain.
This first part of my tour started in the tower. You get there by way of a winding stair located in one of the small side towers. The front of the church is dominated by a single main tower modeled on the twin towers of the Cologne Cathedral stlouisrc.bfn.org . It is flanked by two smaller side towers. The first stop is the organ loft.
Most people associate organs with the beautiful golden pipes which grace the sanctuary. Often, the pipes that are visible in the church are simply for decoration. In the case of St. Louis the pipes are functional but represent only a small portion of the organ's workings. Most pipes that make up a powerful wind-driven pipe organ are not so aesthetically pleasing. They come in all kinds of shapes and materials from squat, to tall, wood to tin. Some are square. Some are as small as a drinking straw, while some could hold a person.
Though the tower is mostly a symbolic element, it also functions as a massive reverberation chamber for the organ, amplifying and toning the huge instrument. In fact the church becomes the instrument. The St. Louis organ was originally displayed at the Pan American Exhibition before installation at St. Louis.
Further up into the tower, we came to the clock works and bells. The simple clockworks formed a wonderful and delicate kinetic sculpture. The bells are impressive in their massiveness. The thick bronze forms are ever so slightly intimidating as you know that your ears would not recover easily if the bells should be rung in such close proximity. There is a beauty in the very basic and raw power of these instruments. The final payoff was the spectacular city views in each direction.
Unfortunately, the stair to the very beautiful and lacy top of the tower was not in working order, so our tour descended a few levels down and into the attic. The space over the sanctuary is dark and mysterious. Like all gothic churches, the peeked roof is framed in massive wood timbers. The vaults seen by parishoners are below. The dust of many decades has built up and the finishes are original from the day they were installed, untouched by new coats of paint.
While walking through these unseen places you get a real sense of the passage of time. So few people have touched these spaces that you feel closer to the very first inhabitants.
Stay tuned for Part 2: "Down Under"
You can take a joint tour of St. Louis Church and St, Paul's Cathedral on the second saturday of each month free of charge see the church web site for more information stlouisrc.bfn.org/
For more images from my church tour go here skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=656112