COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) 鈥� The last ghoulish gargoyle has been returned to its perch as part of a of a Kentucky cathedral with a facade modeled after in Paris.
The rehab project at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption was sorely needed to repair deteriorated stone, metal and glass that adorns the limestone exterior. The project included 32 recreated gargoyles along with repairs of deteriorated finials, arches and balustrades.
The 125-year-old church, in Covington just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, offers the experience of a European gothic cathedral in the Midwest, said the Very Rev. Ryan Maher, the cathedral鈥檚 rector. The cathedral has an 鈥渋ntimate connection to what is really the most popular and most well-known cathedral outside of Rome itself,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 think it’s very special and very unique,鈥� said Maher, who watched from the sidewalk as the last gargoyle, made of terra cotta, was raised to top of the facade on Monday.
The renovation price tag was nearly $8 million, and most came from donations, Maher said.
Brian Walter, CEO of Trisco Systems, the contractor, said the final gargoyle going in was 鈥渁 symbol of the accomplishment of all our facade work.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big, monumental occasion for not only people here, but for us. That kind of symbolized the last stone we鈥檙e putting in,鈥� Walter said.
Restoration plans grew out of Maher’s discovery in 2018 of a large piece of stone that fell from the exterior.
鈥淲e realized at that time that we needed to investigate not only the source of that one piece of stone that had fallen, but to take a look at the overall facade of the cathedral,鈥� Maher said.
Workers will continue with smaller tasks around the facade, including the installation of chimeras that sit on the roofline, but the heavy lifting has been completed, Walter said.
鈥淭his is kind of a once or twice in a lifetime project,鈥� Walter said.
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The story has been updated to correct that the gargoyles are made of terra cotta, not stone.
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