Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, Paramaribo
The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul also called Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral (
.The Catholic congregation in the city originally used a church adapted in 1826 from a Dutch Jewish theatre built in 1809. As the years passed, the church became too small for the growing number of Catholics in the city. In 1882 the diocese decided to build the
History
In 1826 the Roman Catholic Church in Paramaribo adapted De Verrezene Phoenix, a former Dutch Jewish theatre built in 1809, to use as a church. In 1858 it was designated as a cathedral when a diocese was established in Paramaribo and a bishop assigned.
When the congregation outgrew the building, the diocese decided to build a new cathedral. It was designed by Frans Harmes. Construction of the cathedral began January 30, 1883, on the site of a former Dutch Jewish
A poorly done restoration was completed in 1977, but the building began to fall into disrepair, encountering problems with tilting and
In 2009 the gate to the cathedral turned 200 years old.
Structure
The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral is the largest wooden structure in the Western Hemisphere. The cathedral has two confession rooms. The Dutch-Surinamese priest Peter Donders, who had attended to lepers in Batavia, is buried in here.
Measurements
- 59.1 m (194 ft) long
- 14.6 m (48 ft) high in the main hall
- 16.5 m (54 ft) wide
- 44 m (144 ft) high in the tower up to the bronze cross
This makes the
Bells
The building has three bells in the west tower. The name of the smallest bell is Alfhonsus and it weighs 222 kg. The biggest bell is named John and it weighs 827 kg. The middle one is named Rosa, and it weighs 413 kg.
Pipe organ
The pipe organ was constructed in Germany and initially contained 1,550 pipes. Many of the pipes have been stolen over the years, leaving the organ with a value of 400 euros. After restoration, it is expected to have a value of around 10 million euros.