Explore the Guastavino tilework of NYC's unfinished Gothic cathedral from above and below!
Join the Friends of the Cathedral and architectural historian and Cathedral educator John Simko as he introduces the work Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company and demonstrates why the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is the best setting in New York City to appreciate their genius! This custom experience will bring you down into the crypt and up above the nave on a unique architectural journey. Prepare to get your steps in!
Rafael Guastavino Sr. and his son came to the United States from Barcelona in the 1880s with an old-world way to construct fireproof, self-supporting arches and domes. He added beauty and vision, and incorporated his work into the magnificent Beaux-Arts-style buildings being designed throughout the country. Of the thousands the company constructed between 1885 and 1962, not one has ever structurally failed.
Some of the greatest work this father and son team ever did can be found at the Cathedral, including the company’s largest tile dome. The Guastavino Company worked on the Cathedral for five decades, providing beautiful structural tile arches and domes for two very distinct architectural firms and styles.
This tour includes the father’s earliest work in the east-end crypt and his almost magical spiral staircase that leads to it. It continues in the crossing with the son’s monumental dome and the company’s patented sound-absorbing vaults in the great nave. The tour concludes with a climb to the attic to view those vaults from above.
John Simko is an educator at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and has designed and led tours there for thirty years. His immersion in all things Cathedral sparked an interest in the work of the Guastavinos and he’s been hooked ever since. John has led tours of other Guastavino works throughout New York City, including the incredible City Hall Station.
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