Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Shillong, Gothic Revival cathedral in Laitumkhrah, Shillong, India.
The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is a Gothic Revival building with high arches, towering spires, and large stained glass windows. These colored windows were imported from Grenoble, France in 1947 and shape how light enters the interior.
Construction began in 1936 after a fire destroyed the wooden church that stood before. It became the principal Catholic church for the region and has served that role since its completion.
The cathedral displays fourteen Stations of the Cross made of terracotta relief on its walls, depicting biblical scenes from an institute in Munich. These artworks shape the interior space and draw the attention of visitors as they walk through.
The cathedral sits on Don Bosco Road, roughly 2.7 kilometers from Police Bazaar. Visitors need to climb steps to reach the entrance, as the building occupies a steep plateau location.
The structure rests on sand rather than directly on rock, an innovative engineering choice for its time. This foundation design was developed to absorb seismic shocks in this earthquake-prone region.
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