BASILICA OF ST. LAWRENCE

As a visitor to Asheville, the Basilica of St. Lawrence will be on your list of sites to visit because the guidebooks will tell you it is an architectural wonder. It contains no supporting beams. The entire structure including the center dome is built using only masonry materials—bricks, stones, and tiles. Its dome is reputed to be the largest freestanding elliptical dome in North America.What the guidebooks may not tell you is that you may encounter the ghost of its architect, Rafael Guastavino, wandering its halls or encounter the spirits of his wife and child as they search for husband and father. You see, the architect and master builder of this masonry monument is buried within the walls of the Basilica.When you enter the Chapel of Our Lady within the Basilica the focal point is a white marble sculpture of the Virgin Mary being assumed into Heaven. If you turn your back to this statue, you will see a blue tiled door with a cross in the center. That door is the entrance to the tomb of our ghost, and it is never locked! Inside the decorative door is a massive cement-lined door, the entrance to crypt of Rafael Guastavino.When the new construction by Rafael Guastavino and son was completed in 1909, it was dedicated as the Church of Saint Lawrence. Only later was the term Church replaced by the designation Basilica. Basilica is a special designation given by the Holy Father to certain churches because of their antiquity, dignity, historical importance or significance as a place of worship. Those same attributes also placed the site on the National Register of historic sites. The National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places describes the Church as follows:The Spanish Renaissance Revival style Church of St. Lawrence contains no beams of wood or steel in the entire building; all walls, floors, ceilings and pillars are of tile or other masonry materials. The center dome, which has a clear span of 58 by 82 feet, is reputed to be the largest freestanding elliptical dome in North America. The roof is tile with a copper covering. Special interior features of the basilica include a Spanish woodcarving dating from the mid-17th century that represents Jesus, Mary, and St. John at the Crucifixion; a 17th-century painting of "The Visitation" by Massimo Stanzione; stained glass windows taken from the church building formerly on this site; and 10 semicircular windows made in Munich, Germany, which depict scenes from the life of Jesus.The Basilica of St. Lawrence was created in a time of wealth and prosperity for Asheville. The Basilica reflects that time and stands apart from the ordinary in both Art and Architecture. Architecturally it is a testament to the skill of the master builder and architect, Rafael Guastavino, who constructed its freestanding elliptical dome without support or scaffolding, laying the tiles in open air as if shingling an imaginary dome in space, using only cement. The entire structure of the church is built with only stone, brick, and tiles. And as for art, you will need to see it to appreciate the statues, paintings and stained glass works of art. They are breathtaking and well worth taking the time to tour this historic site. The Basilica of Saint Lawrence is located at 97 Haywood St. It is open to the public; however, you are asked to call 828-252-6042 or visit the church's website, (https://saintlawrencebasilica.org), for information on tours and services.