Model
Jewel in the crown of architect-priest’s constructions
Famed architect-priest Monsignor John Hawes fashioned this stunningly intricate model of Geraldton’s Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral to guide the design of the cathedral which graces Geraldton’s Cathedral Avenue today. Using cardboard and wood he transformed the vision in his head into a model of the building to come. Cathedral construction began in 1916 and the building was opened amid great fanfare in 1918. It was to be another eight years before it was finished. The cathedral features the book ‘Cathedrals of the World - A Magnificent Guide to the Greatest Houses of Christian Worship’, which describes its “. . . one of the finest cathedrals of the 20th century.” The cathedral remains one of Geraldton’s most treasured buildings today.
