Our Lady of Dolours

This is the Chatswood Catholic Parish Church, located quite close to the Chatswood Chase Shopping Centre. I have always admired this building and love taking photos of it at night.

According to the architects who designed it in 1920:

Architecturally it is a simplified treatment of Italian Renaissance complete with coloured brick in-lays – campanile, apsidal sanctuary – semi-circular vaulted ceiling with intersecting groins giving necessary height for the lateral lighting. The completed building will* comprise a large nave 40ft (12.2m) wide and 92ft (28m) long and 50ft (15.2m) high. Transepts 40ft (12.2m) wide finished with side chapels, apsidal sanctuary, sacristies, vestry, strong room, three mural confessionals, baptistery, tower campanile and gallery…’
Messrs. Hennessy and Hennessy

Unfortunately, only half the original design was built, and due to a blowout in costs the rest of the building was completed with significant alterations. The building was extended in 1961 and the tower was added.

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