July 5: St. Paul, Minnesota
Today, we had cerulean blue skies and a low humidity, so it was the perfect day to get a lot of outdoor and indoor sightseeing done. We had breakfast outside on Cathy’s patio, then prepared for a day of seeing St. Paul more closely. St. Paul has a cozier, smaller-town vibe to it, whereas Minneapolis has more of a glitzy, big-city feel to it. And so we were off to the Minnesota State Capitol building. On the grand path from the parking lot to the actual capitol, there were many war memorials to Minnesota soldiers who had been killed during the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the VIetnam war. Once we reached the Capitol steps and got into a group touring the Capitol with our knowledgeable guide, we learned that the exterior of the Capitol, including the walls and dome, are made of white Georgia marble. The foundation, terraces, and steps are St. Cloud granite. Daniel Chester Frenchcollaborated with Edward Potter to create a quadriga at the base of the dome, entitled “The Progress of State. This copper sculpture is covered with gold leaf. Major restoration of the Quadriga was completed in 1995, and it was re-leafed in 2016. French also created the six marble statues above the main entrance, representing Wisdom, Courage, Bounty, Truth, Integrity, and Prudence.
The great architect Cass Gilbert designed the Capitol and commissioned works of art to be created by some of the nation’s best artists. More than 20 types of stone are used in the halls, stairways and chambers. During the original construction, the building was also wired for electricity and elevators. The murals and paintings represent allegories and historical events. During the restoration in 2015, discolored varnish, dust, grime, and overpainted areas had to be removed to reveal the original intent of the artists and to enhance the overall scheme of the original capitol decoration.
It was a labor of love, but now the capitol is in splendid shape. On the first floor we saw the Rotunda and the Governor’s Reception Room; on the second floor, the chambers of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court. Of course our guide showed as much as he could in those 45 minutes, and then we were on our own to tour the rest of the building. My favorite part of the building was the Quadriga, as it reminded me of the Quadriga on the Brandenburg Gate. Led by Nike, the Goddess of Victory, its power as a now-restored sculptural focal point is undeniable.
We would like to have eaten at the Ratskeller in the basement of the Capitol, but though the restoration had been carried out and German slogans concerning the joy of great food and drink were beautifully restored, and the restaurant was not open, as neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives were in session. Once we had finished the official tour of the Capitol and our ramblings as well, we were off to downtown St. Paul.
Our intermediate stop before having lunch was the Cathedral of St. Paul. The Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in St. Paul. It is the Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and perhaps one of the most distinctive cathedrals in the US. It sits on the Cathedral Hill overlooking downtown St. Paul and features a distinctive copper leafed dome. It is the third largest completed church in the US, and the fourth tallest. It is dedicated to Paul the Apostle, who is also the namesake of the city. The current building opened in 1915 as the fourth cathedral of the archdiocese to bear this name. On March 25, 2009, it was designated as the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican. It is a stunning church with great gravitas and presence, with enormous statues of the saints (see St. John, whom I photographed) and a cast iron one of St. Paul himself.
From the Cathedral of St. Paul, our next destination was downtown St. Paul, where we parked by the main Library, then walked to a pedestrian zone where a farmer’s market was wrapping up and there were old movie theaters, shops, and the Landmark Center, which we explored later in the day. But before that we drove down Summit Avenue, 4.5 miles in length, stretching from the edge of downtown St. Paul in the east to the Mississippi River in the west. The entire length is part of one of two National Historic Districts and includes fine examples of every type of residential architecture from the past century. The parklike, divided boulevard begins at the intersection with Lexington Avenue and continues west. The stretch of Summit Avenue east of Lexington is rich with interesting historic homes, especially as the street starts to curve and climb up Crocus Hill. This neighborhood remains largely as it was in the early 1900s. At 312 Summit Avenue, the oldest extant house on the avenue and the oldest in St. Paul is the Stuart House. It, like most of the buildings, is a private residence. Other private buildings of interest include 516 Summit, where Sinclair Lewis lived for a time, and 599 Summit, where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his first published novel, “This Side of Paradise.” The governor’s residence is at 1006 Summit.
By this time, we were hungry and sat down to have lunch at Afro Deli and Grill. I had coconut shrimp and plantains, plus a lemonade. Maureen had a Vegetarian Fantastic—summer vegetables with basmati rice and a seasoned sauce. Cathy had a lamb gyro. From there we walked to Candyland, and Maureen bought us all Tiramisu truffles—scrumptious!
From there, we investigated several buildings for their Art Deco or otherwise interesting features—especially the Library (to zero in on several beautiful coffered ceiling), the St. Paul City Hall and Ramsay County Courthouse, which featured one of the tallest sculptural groups I have ever seen—a kind of Aztec god and his minions, portraying the grief of those who had lost loved ones during various wars. It was a building that reeked of Art Deco (constructed in 1932), and against the whiteness of that sculpture group, the elevator doors were golden, and the rest of the columns and walls were black onyx, which really brought out the stark whiteness of that arresting sculptural group (see pictures).
From there, we headed to the Landmark Center, the restored Old Federal Courts Building, a cultural center in downtown St. Paul. Housed within it are many of St. Paul’s arts and cultural non-profit agencies which sponsor a diverse program of performing and visual arts and civic activities. A gorgeous space, it is privileged enough to have evaded the wrecking ball—thanks be to God.
Before we returned home, we went to Mounds Bluff to watch the progress of the Mississippi River. Now, my two friends are cooking while I finish this blog. The menu will include the following: creamy Tuscan chicken with recipe from the St.Paul Pioneer Press (the St. Paul paper). Maureen created the salad, and I am treating everyone, later, to a dipped cone at DQ. This evening, we have decided to stay in and watch a film. Lovely shank of the late afternoon! Great day for sightseeing—we walked, in total, about five miles! Not bad! As ever, Sylvia
The great architect Cass Gilbert designed the Capitol and commissioned works of art to be created by some of the nation’s best artists. More than 20 types of stone are used in the halls, stairways and chambers. During the original construction, the building was also wired for electricity and elevators. The murals and paintings represent allegories and historical events. During the restoration in 2015, discolored varnish, dust, grime, and overpainted areas had to be removed to reveal the original intent of the artists and to enhance the overall scheme of the original capitol decoration.
It was a labor of love, but now the capitol is in splendid shape. On the first floor we saw the Rotunda and the Governor’s Reception Room; on the second floor, the chambers of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court. Of course our guide showed as much as he could in those 45 minutes, and then we were on our own to tour the rest of the building. My favorite part of the building was the Quadriga, as it reminded me of the Quadriga on the Brandenburg Gate. Led by Nike, the Goddess of Victory, its power as a now-restored sculptural focal point is undeniable.
We would like to have eaten at the Ratskeller in the basement of the Capitol, but though the restoration had been carried out and German slogans concerning the joy of great food and drink were beautifully restored, and the restaurant was not open, as neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives were in session. Once we had finished the official tour of the Capitol and our ramblings as well, we were off to downtown St. Paul.
Our intermediate stop before having lunch was the Cathedral of St. Paul. The Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in St. Paul. It is the Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and perhaps one of the most distinctive cathedrals in the US. It sits on the Cathedral Hill overlooking downtown St. Paul and features a distinctive copper leafed dome. It is the third largest completed church in the US, and the fourth tallest. It is dedicated to Paul the Apostle, who is also the namesake of the city. The current building opened in 1915 as the fourth cathedral of the archdiocese to bear this name. On March 25, 2009, it was designated as the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican. It is a stunning church with great gravitas and presence, with enormous statues of the saints (see St. John, whom I photographed) and a cast iron one of St. Paul himself.
From the Cathedral of St. Paul, our next destination was downtown St. Paul, where we parked by the main Library, then walked to a pedestrian zone where a farmer’s market was wrapping up and there were old movie theaters, shops, and the Landmark Center, which we explored later in the day. But before that we drove down Summit Avenue, 4.5 miles in length, stretching from the edge of downtown St. Paul in the east to the Mississippi River in the west. The entire length is part of one of two National Historic Districts and includes fine examples of every type of residential architecture from the past century. The parklike, divided boulevard begins at the intersection with Lexington Avenue and continues west. The stretch of Summit Avenue east of Lexington is rich with interesting historic homes, especially as the street starts to curve and climb up Crocus Hill. This neighborhood remains largely as it was in the early 1900s. At 312 Summit Avenue, the oldest extant house on the avenue and the oldest in St. Paul is the Stuart House. It, like most of the buildings, is a private residence. Other private buildings of interest include 516 Summit, where Sinclair Lewis lived for a time, and 599 Summit, where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his first published novel, “This Side of Paradise.” The governor’s residence is at 1006 Summit.
By this time, we were hungry and sat down to have lunch at Afro Deli and Grill. I had coconut shrimp and plantains, plus a lemonade. Maureen had a Vegetarian Fantastic—summer vegetables with basmati rice and a seasoned sauce. Cathy had a lamb gyro. From there we walked to Candyland, and Maureen bought us all Tiramisu truffles—scrumptious!
From there, we investigated several buildings for their Art Deco or otherwise interesting features—especially the Library (to zero in on several beautiful coffered ceiling), the St. Paul City Hall and Ramsay County Courthouse, which featured one of the tallest sculptural groups I have ever seen—a kind of Aztec god and his minions, portraying the grief of those who had lost loved ones during various wars. It was a building that reeked of Art Deco (constructed in 1932), and against the whiteness of that sculpture group, the elevator doors were golden, and the rest of the columns and walls were black onyx, which really brought out the stark whiteness of that arresting sculptural group (see pictures).
From there, we headed to the Landmark Center, the restored Old Federal Courts Building, a cultural center in downtown St. Paul. Housed within it are many of St. Paul’s arts and cultural non-profit agencies which sponsor a diverse program of performing and visual arts and civic activities. A gorgeous space, it is privileged enough to have evaded the wrecking ball—thanks be to God.
Before we returned home, we went to Mounds Bluff to watch the progress of the Mississippi River. Now, my two friends are cooking while I finish this blog. The menu will include the following: creamy Tuscan chicken with recipe from the St.Paul Pioneer Press (the St. Paul paper). Maureen created the salad, and I am treating everyone, later, to a dipped cone at DQ. This evening, we have decided to stay in and watch a film. Lovely shank of the late afternoon! Great day for sightseeing—we walked, in total, about five miles! Not bad! As ever, Sylvia
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