Cathedral Church of the Redemption, Anglican cathedral in New Delhi, India
The Cathedral Church of the Redemption is a church east of Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, designed by Henry Medd and built between 1927 and 1931. Its name comes from Palladio's Church of Il Redentore in Venice. It has high curved arches and delicate domes, and stays cool inside even in extreme summer heat.
The cathedral was designed and built between 1927 and 1931 by British architect Henry Medd, during the final decades of British rule in India. Medd drew on the work of Andrea Palladio, particularly the church architecture found in northern Italy.
The church is named after Palladio's Il Redentore in Venice and is also called the Viceroy Church, since the British Viceroy worshipped here. Its 1931 organ is still in use, played over the years by organists including Arthur Mahinder, who served for thirty-two years. The cathedral keeps its records and a 1733 Cambridge Press Bible bound in red leather.
The cathedral is located in the government district of central New Delhi and is easy to reach from most parts of the city. Visitors should dress modestly, as the building is an active place of worship.
The building's dome and walls were designed to allow air to move through the interior, keeping the space cooler during the hottest months in Delhi. This approach to natural ventilation was rare for a church of this type and shows how the architect adapted the design to the local climate.
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