A Controversial L.A. Cathedral & Gregory Peck

[maitaitom]

Tracy and I headed down to Cathedral Of Our Lady Of The Angels in Los Angeles last week. The building of this cathedral was steeped in controversy. After seeing so many beautiful cathedrals in Europe throughout the years, I must say this one is quite different in comparison, yet it made for a nice diversion. The link below tells the story (with photos).

travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/California_Dreaming_1/Entries/2013/6/21_Entry_1.html

[Deleted]

I think it looks quite nice, and the modern design is perfectly suitable for Los Angeles. As to whether or not that money could have been better spent on other things, that is not for me to decide...

[maitaitom]

I liked it, too. It certainly gets mixed reviews in L.A, however.

[nautiker]

As churches have always been the spearheads of the architecture of their respective eras, it would have been very disappointing had this project been handled any differently.

Yet given other kinds of buildings are ‘muscling up’ nowadays and that building these structures has become so rational and effective nowadays, imo these new edifices are slightly loosing some of their uniqueness, their appeal, there’s a lack of ambitiousness and crazyness that made the works of the past centuries so outstanding…

Thanks for the very worthwhile report!

[htmb]

Very interesting report!

[bixaorellana]

Great report, although I'm having trouble figuring out the cathedral. It looks massive and soaring outside, but doesn't seem to have the sense of vast space I'd expect on the inside. Maybe it seems stark because it needs more stained glass -- it seems very bright and shiny.

The tapestries are a different, very nice touch.

Are the bells in the last picture the ones showing through the big slots in the first picture?

It's so hard to judge a building of this size from photos, but it doesn't look like a very inspired design. I like very modern architecture a great deal, but for the moment have too many "why"s about this cathedral. However, since you say you liked it, I'm assuming the effect in person really works.

[maitaitom]

It 's layout is a bit strange. When you walk through the doors that are pictured, you walk down a fairly wide hallway that has contains alcoves with art and other church paraphernalia. At the end of the long hallway you reach the "decorative screen." When you make a right that's when you get into the actual church part of the cathedral. It's a tad disjointed to be sure, and as I said, in comparison with so many cathedrals we have seen over the years, it is a bit stark.

The bells at the bottom of the page are different from the first picture, which is of the actual bell tower. Tracy (my wife) would agree with you that it is not the most inspired design. I liked it better, but we are both very spoiled by the magnificent cathedrals we have seen on our European travels. Still, it was a worthwhile diversion.