The Mother Church:
The Mother Church is located at the heart of the Christian
Science Plaza, and is almost exactly the same as it was when it was first build. The
Church was completed in 1894 after a period of 13 months. The Church is modeled
off of the Romanesque architectural style with the exterior of the building
being made out of New Hampshire granite. Inside the Church, which fits 900
people, are frescoes created by Italian artisans and freehand decorates the
upper part of the walls. There is mosaic work around the lower parts of the walls, the front
platform, and the floor, which was done in a traditional style with each individual
stone set separately. The desk, pews, and organ are made from red birch from
Canada.
The stained-glass windows in the Church depict various stories from the Bible, and were made in Boston out of opalescent glass, which is colorful
glass made with a variety of shades. The Bible is an extremely important part
of Christian Science, which is why it is incorporated into the Church architecture
in such a conspicuous way.
The Extension of the
Mother Church:
The domed extension to the Mother Church was completed in
1906 after a period of just 23 months. The exterior of the building is based
off of an Italian Renaissance to match with the architecture in Boston at the
time. The inside of the dome is solely decorative, filled with lamps that
simulate natural light, as Christian Scientists have a deep appreciation of the beauty of nature
and healing. The exterior of the dome is twice as high as the interior dome. Due
to the small plot of land the building was built upward instead of outward, so
the large sanctuary that seats over 3,000 people is on the second floor.
Christian Science
Publishing House:
