the metropolitan united church is large neo-Gothic church in downtown toronto and is one of the largest and most prominent churches of the United Church of Canada.
"Designed by Henry Langley, who was to draw "the ubiquitous cloak of decorous gothicism over the face of Ontario in the 1870s" the church became known as the "cathedral of Methodism...a monument to ... energy, magnetism and culture....No church in Toronto has such great advantages of position....The handsome grounds of this church form one of the finest spaces in this city....The entire building is of white brick, with abundant cut stone dressing. It is a modernized form of the French thirteenth century Gothic, with nave, transepts and choir."
It played an important role in the city that was occasionally nicknamed the "Methodist Rome".
Its immediate neighbours are St James's Cathedral (Anglican) and St Michael's Cathedral (Roman Catholic) and the trio of similarly designed churches are a striking Christian witness immediately adjacent to Canada's financial hub. The church's website describes the building in customary evangelical Protestant terms, regarding the nave rather than the altar ("communion table") area as its "sanctuary."" - wikipedia.org
Beautiful shot of the Church! Love the monotone. It was interesting to read about it & I was surprised to see it is a Methodist/Uniting Church ... here the Methodist churches don't seem to have been as grand. The Anglican & Catholic churches are much grander. My family on both sides where Methodist ... hence the interest :-)
@redpants - toronto has hundreds of old churches, i'm covering just the downtown core churches. i don't have to walk far for these churches. the problem are the wires and trees and other structures that obstruct the view. thank you, sue.
@olivetreeann - oh, yet it is! everything else in the pic is black and grey, the sign is stark white! thank you, ann.
I once contimplated getting closer to this church to have a look but the transients that populate the ground changed my mind...perhaps in winter they wont be so abundant? This is a good shot, where did you shoot from? Across Queen or on the grounds?
@eniaral - thank you, laraine. it is huge and surrounded by a large garden and parking lots.
@olivetreeann - oh, yet it is! everything else in the pic is black and grey, the sign is stark white! thank you, ann.