Emilio GuerraOne of the most striking buildings, all 100,000 square feet of it, on Park Avenue is this church, which harkens to Renaissance Rome. St. Ignatius Loyola’s facade is as massive as it is severe. The blocks add to its seriousness, while the balustrade gives it an air of fortification, almost castellated. Inside, the yellowish hue gives it a more peaceful tone.
A church on top of a church
On the East 86th Street side, one can observe a lower church. It is actually the remnants of St. Lawrence O’Toole, the original base of a church that was originally designed in the Gothic Revival style. The Jesuits took over the parish, and the Vatican was petitioned to have the founder of the order, St. Ignatius Loyola, as the name of the parish. Permission came from Rome when the church was finished in 1900.
