Founded in 1869, the current church is a melange of architectural styles. St. Columba’s is based on the early 18th-century Chapelle Royale of Versailles. Its facade and semi-circular porch are copied from Pietro da Cortona’s mid-17th-century church of Santa Maria della Pace in Rome, and its bell tower is a smaller version of the Renaissance campanile of St. Mark’s in Venice.<\/p>\n
A very similar\u00a0combination of styles is visible in St. Aloysius Church in Jersey City, also designed by Charles Edwards. The porch and tower of St. Aloysius are almost identical to those of St. Columba, while the body of the church may best be described as Italian Renaissance.<\/p>\n
A fire in the sanctuary area in the 1920s destroyed the original main altar and required a complete repainting of the interior. This renovation resulted in the Art Moderne design of the present altar and the Art Moderne of much of the painted decoration and stenciling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A melange of architectural styles, St. Columba’s is based on the early 18th-century Chapelle Royale of Versailles. Its facade and semi-circular porch are copied from Pietro da Cortona’s mid-17th-century church of Santa Maria della Pace in Rome, and its bell tower is a smaller version of the Renaissance campanile of St. Mark’s in Venice.<\/p>\n