Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-01-07
Sketch Of an Iowa Monastery Largest
Of It's Order in the World.
From tho Duhunua Times


From the Dubuque Times.l
We saw yesterday, at the office Ct Mr..
j. Mullaney, architect, the plans and
drawings Of the immense structure, or
rather series of structures, which are to
form the monastery at New Melleray,
the work on which is to be commenced
as soon as possible, or in the coming
spring. The site selected for The new
buildings is about two hundred feet south
of the present monastery. We cannot,
to day, give minute description of the
cloister, and therefore will give genera
one.
The main buildings will be four in
number, and will be erected in the form
of q square, surrounding a court one
hundred feet long by the same in width.
They will be of stone, each superstruc-
ture being thirty.two feet high, resting
on Easements twelve feet deep.
The southern wing of the cloister will
be the most imposing edifice, as it is to
be the church. 1t will be. with the sac
risty, two hundred and fifly-seven feet
long, and within it will be five cbapels,
each named after a saint of the Cister-
clan order. At the east end of ita tower
will rise to the hight of two hundred feet.
1t will be visible, standing, as it will, on
elevated ground, for miles in every di-
rection. In the tower a huge bell is to
hung, which will sound the hours, day
and night, and call to worship all who
may wish to attend mass in the church
proper. :,
The church proper will be one hundred
and eighty feet long, and thirty in width.
Its chapel will be 5Ox3O feet.
The main structure of the east side of
the cloister will be ninety-six feet long,
and will contain chapel rooms and lee
ture rooms. 1t will also contain the
business room of the institution. The
scriptorium will be attached to it.
The building at the north of the square
will be two hundred and fourteen feet
long. This will contain the library, re-
fectory, califactory, store room and bread
ROOM The second story will be one
great dormitory From the refectory
covered passage way will lead to a
kitchen wing, S0x33 feet. And exactly
opposite, another passage way will lead
to the in6rmary, the dimensions OF
which Will De oUXOO leeI
The west building will be a handsome
ediiince, one hundred anu twenty-eight
feet long, with two stories, sixteen and
fifteen feet in hight. This will be used
for the reception and comfort of guests.
Every appurtenance that can render its
parlors and other rooms homelike and
comfortable will be contained within its
walls
This monastery, or cloister, will cover
nearly three acres of ground. The de-
tails of its plan are copied from the order
of architecture used by the Cistercians in
the eleventh century, embracing much
of the gothic style. 1t will be noble
pile. As monastery, it will be by far
the largest of any order of monks in
America. There are few in Catholic
Europe which are of larger dimensions.
Duplicates of the plans were sent to
France to the General Chapter of the
Cistercian Order, last September, for
approval. They were adopted without
any alteration, and the head of the Order
wrote to the Abbot of New Melleray that
it would be the most perfect institution
of the Cistercian order in the world.
Excavation for the foundation was
commenced several weeks ago. Between
three and four thousand perch of stone
have been quarried, and are already on
the grounds Drains from the different
portions of the cloister to the several
ravines near by have already been dug.
The stone used will be broken sshar,
with cut stone dressing for all the open
ipgs, the string and belt courses, the
water tubes, buttresses, corners, water
tubes on chimneys, and the cap stones.
The window frames are to be of stone,
and the sash Of lead. Stained glass is
to be used.
The entire cloister is to be built by
contract. Every building is to be ready
for occupancy by the lst of June, 1870.
The cost of the cloister is estimated at
over 100000. The erection of the whole
will be under the superintendsnce of
Architect Mullauy, who has prepared
the plans.