Church of the Blessed Sacrament
This church with surprisingly different architecture to what you’d expect down here in the south is opposite the Council offices on Ardwick Street in Gore, Southland, New Zealand. Nigel pulled in by the church to return some books to the library and I took the opportunity to get some photos, 19 March 2020.
Click on either photo to enlarge.
Further Reading
Brief history | from Gore Heritage Trail information
Gore’s Catholic Church was established in 1882 and the building of the first Church of the Blessed Sacrament, a wooden structure in Halton St in Gordon (East Gore), was completed the following year.
The building of the second church on the present site had just begun when the 1913 flood washed away what had been started.
Declared structurally unsound in the 1970s the church was demolished to make way for the present church which was designed by Dunedin architect, Robert Turvey. Opened in 1988 one of the features is the incorporation of three historical bells in the bell tower – one is from the demolished church, another from the old Balfour Church and the largest of the three was a gift from the Redemptorist Monastery in Wellington.
Text and photos by Liz; Exploring Colour (2020)
Very unusual looking church.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m mystified how there was ever any consensus to go ahead with it as Gore’s in a conservative ‘heartland’ servicing a large rural region – it always surprises me to see this building!
LikeLike
This kind of makes me think of what eaves troughs would look like if they could take steroids.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I see what you mean hahaha LOL!!! We DO get wildly excessive rainfall at times 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Striking architecture. I’m not sure I’m in love with it, but it sure gets my attention.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I wouldn’t say I’m in love with it either but the thing is … it’s distinctive, striking, eye-catching, even brave. Unexpected in the deeply conservative southern region so it really makes me smile 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not at all what I expected to see from your title, Liz. Cool pics with those moody clouds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Couldn’t resist getting photos when I saw the moody sky, I was quite excited about how it all looked! Thanks so much Ellen 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person