The Church of the Immaculate Conception, referred to in Polish as ''Kościół Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny'', is a historic church of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago ( la, Archidiœcesis Chicagiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. It was established as a diocese in 1843 an ...

located at 2944 East 88th Street in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. It is a prime example of the so-called ' Polish Cathedral style' of churches in both its opulence and grand scale. Along with St. Michael's, it is one of the two monumental

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

churches dominating the

South Chicago South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois. This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown. ...

skyline.

History

Founded in 1882 as a

parish, Immaculate Conception was the first

parish in the working-class steel mill district of

, but it was divided three times to form the Polish parishes of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Bronislava and St. Mary Magdalene. The parish school operated from 1882 through 1982 when it closed because of declining enrollment. It reopened in 1998 under the direction of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate of Guadalupe.

Architecture

The church building, designed by Martin A. Carr was completed in 1899. Like many of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

's Polish Cathedrals, its

Renaissance Revival Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range o ...

style recalls the glory days of the

Polish Commonwealth Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

in the 15th and 16th centuries. The church was restored in 2002, with new altars designed by Franck & Lohsen of

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

and a new plaza was added north of the church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Immaculate Conception (Chicago), Church Of The Roman Catholic churches in Chicago Polish-American culture in Chicago Polish Cathedral style architecture

History

Architecture

See also

References