Art and Architecture

Central’s Building

Central’s neo-gothic sanctuary is the focal point of its facilities. Completed in 1928, the sanctuary is a combination of English and French gothic designs, laid out in the shape of a cross. Its inspiring worship space has a seating capacity of 2500. The altar is solid Colfax sandstone; the pulpit and lectern are oak, carved with scriptural symbols. A wedding chapel and baptismal chapel are located on either side of the main chancel. The soaring interior, rising to more than 65 feet, is enhanced with large stained glass windows of a patterned design similar to those of Westminster Abbey. Each of the smaller main floor windows represents a country in which the Reformation was prominent, beginning with Germany at the front right. The exterior of the building is constructed of Indiana limestone, surmounted by a slender spire of copper and crowned with a brass cross. The education wing was added to the original structure in 1952, the parish house in 1957, the South Commons in 1980 and the bell tower in 2006.

LEARN MORE

• Central's Windows
• Bell Tower: A Vision Fulfilled
• Article about Central's bell tower in Architecture Minnesota
• Bell Tower Dedication Concert
• Bell Tower photos 1
• Bell Tower photos 2
• Bell Tower photos 3