St. Bartholomew's Church and Community House

109 East 50th Street, New York, NY

History and architecture

Imposing in mass, striking in appearance and in form, this impressive church occupies a prominent Park Avenue site where it sits enthroned in all its splendor. One of the most striking features of St. Bartholomew's is its polychromy produced by the attractive blending of salmon colored brick with grayish limestone, marble and tiles of various hues. The inspiration for the dome is undoubtedly Byzantine and derives more particularly from adaptations of the Byzantine style in Venice.

St. Bartholomew's Church is built on a Latin cross plan and owes its basic architectural characteristics to Byzantine models. A high arched central portal is framed by two lower arched side doors. A frieze of low relief sculpture, resting on slender columns unifies these three openings.

Sources and further reading

This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.

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