140 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Cathedral of St. Joseph
The striking Modernist cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hartford, built after the original burned in 1956, with a dramatic limestone facade and a collection of notable contemporary stained glass.
When Hartford's original cathedral burned on the last day of 1956, the archdiocese chose to build something completely new rather than replicate what was lost. The result, completed in 1962, is one of the finest Modernist Catholic churches in the country. The exterior is a bold composition of limestone and glass — the main facade features a massive wall of stained glass flanked by two square towers, and the whole building reads as a clean geometric form against the city skyline. Inside, the effect of the glass wall is stunning. Over ten thousand pieces of faceted glass, set in concrete panels, fill the sanctuary with colored light that shifts throughout the day. The nave seats over 1,800 people and feels spacious without feeling empty. The floor plan follows the reforms that Vatican II would soon encourage: the altar is brought forward, and the congregation gathers around it rather than facing a distant sanctuary. A large marble baldacchino covers the altar. The Blessed Sacrament chapel and baptistery are set apart in quieter spaces off the main nave. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Hartford
Style: Modernist
What to See
The stained glass wall is the centerpiece — arrive in the morning when eastern light pours through the glass and fills the nave with color. The faceted glass technique, where thick chunks of glass are set in concrete rather than lead, gives the light a different quality than traditional stained glass. The marble baldacchino over the altar draws the eye forward. The Blessed Sacrament chapel is a quieter, more intimate space for prayer. The exterior is worth walking around to appreciate the massing of the limestone forms and the contrast between solid wall and glass.
Pilgrim Notes
The cathedral is on Farmington Avenue in downtown Hartford, easily accessible from Interstate 84. Parking is available in nearby lots. The cathedral is open daily and Mass is offered regularly. Hartford is about two hours from New York City and ninety minutes from Boston by car. The nearby Wadsworth Atheneum, one of the oldest public art museums in the country, is worth a side visit.