BASILICA OF ST. LAWRENCE THE DEACON & MARTYR

Asheville, NC

The Basilica was designed and built in 1905 by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino. He came to Asheville to work on the Biltmore Estate in the mid-1890’s, and decided to stay. He is credited with the reviving a dome-building technique using tile and mortar, in a way that had been done in Spain for centuries. In this Basilica, every horizontal surface is made of this combination of tile and mortar. The St. Lawrence dome has a clear span of 58 feet x 82 feet, and is reputed to be the largest unsupported elliptical dome in North America. Guastavino’s dome system was later employed in some of America’s most monumental spaces, including Grand Central Station, the Great Hall at Ellis Island, Grant’s Tomb, Carnegie Hall and the chapel at West Point. Guastavino’s crypt is located at the rear of the Chapel near the altar.

The style of the Basilica is Spanish Renaissance. There are no beams of wood or steel in the structure. The stone foundations and the brick superstructure speak to the architect’s intention to build an edifice that would endure. The walls, floors, ceilings and pillars are of tile and masonry materials. The roof is copper-clad tile. The Basilica’s many elaborate stained glass windows were made in Munich, Germany.

These two Asheville sketches were done during our September COVID virus get-way vacation. I was glad to learn that the hotels in town were all full for the weekend. Signs of much anticipate hospitality recovery.