Ryan Wisniewski
Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
144 W. Johnson St.
The oldest extant Catholic church in Madison was also designed by Nader. It was completed in 1869. The stonecutter was James Livesey, who also erected Bascom Hall. It features local sandstone, a cupola and a massive tower. It displaced an earlier red brick church.
Its style is restrained Italianesque Revival. The first congregation was German. Its arched stained-glass windows were placed in 1900.
The 140-foot octagonal spire is easily recognized on the isthmus skyline. It is not original. "The Storm of 1873" damaged the first, and it was replaced around 1880. The building structure was reinforced at that time. A four-faced steeple clock was installed in 1881. Its hourly chimes are a welcome refrain to downtown residents, believers and nonbelievers alike.
According to records, Holy Redeemer's parish "had no great wealth at its command" during construction, and "a saving was effected whenever it was thought possible." The lack of funds continued into the 1960s, when other, wealthier churches modernized their decor. As a result, Holy Redeemer's interior is virtually the same as it appeared in the 1900s.
