Somewhere down the ages, there must have been a rule book that required churches to be built with awe-inspiring entrances, for if there is an old church, a wonderful door is also likely to be found.
In downtown Toronto is an old formidable building holding its own amid the towering skyscrapers of the financial district – St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
I’ve walked by this church countless times over the years and only recently noticed the equally interesting side doors.
I love that each door has its own unique features and I would be hard-pressed to pick a favourite.
The construction of St Andrew’s was completed in 1876, which by Toronto standards is quite old.
In true Joanne style, I failed to get a photo of the entire church so I needed to resort to Mr Google to help me provide some perspective on the whole building.
It has a tiny turret at the back on the right side. That alone makes it a delight in my opinion.
… and one last look at one of the side entrances. I like the addition of the little columns on the upper windows to match the door below.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature hosted by Norm Frampton from Norm 2.0. Go take a look and sample some of the interesting doors provided … perhaps you have your own favourite doors you’d like to share.
Really lovely architecture, Joanne. The doors are so solid looking and very beautiful. 🙂
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There is an elegance to these old churches that’s more difficult to find now!
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Hello Joanne! I’m FINALLY visiting WP Blogs today 🙂 So much to catch up on!
What a gorgeous church, and those doors are so unique and beautiful.
That first image, with the sun and shadows, is stunning
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Coming from you, that’s such a huge compliment since I’m always in awe of your photos!!
Thank you so much and hope you’re enjoying your weekend 🙂
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Churches do have amazing doors, don’t they? And that is a beautiful church as a whole. I think the big doors inspire a sense of awe and grandeur, but perhaps also to indicate that large numbers are invited to enter. Just guessing. Lovely photos, Joanne.
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Thanks Diana.
I think you’re right about the doors needing to accommodate large numbers of people.
Always the practical one, I tend to see it from a fire code perspective. When you have a building that holds a lot of people, it’s important they can actually get out quickly if needed!!
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Excellent point – I like to think that they have them because their beautiful! 🙂 I hope you’re having a wonderful day.
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Awesome door photos and you and the others are correct in that church doors are great objects to photograph as they have character and a lot of history (behind the doors). I should have posted my photos of Florence’s Duomo doors because I just visited there last year; perhaps in another future blog.
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I think that’s a great idea 🙂
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Okay, I want an explanation of the title to this post. Because all it made me think of was a trip to Europe when I was 12 and my parents dragging us into every damn church on the continent. I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I did later. And so, on a similar trip some decades later, we dragged our boys into every damn church on the continent. 😀
The doors are lovely, by the way, but I’ll take the turret every time.
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I guess it was a joke only to myself. It was my attempt at sarcasm – like, quel surprise! Who would have guessed there would be interesting doors on a church?!!
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Gotcha. 😀
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I love how the doors all look alike, yet all seem to have their own personalities. I think I like the color of the first door best. As you say, older churches seem to have been built to be awe-inspiring, probably to reflect the awe felt for the Creator.
janet
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I’ve noticed on many of the new churches being built – at least in my area – that the doors are plain glass like you’d expect going into a shopping mall.
It’s rather a disappointment. Some of these new churches are rather beautiful, but plain glass doors. 😦
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Might just be that wooden doors are more expensive, at least I imagine they are. Possibly also they like that people outside can see inside and see other people already at church, hopefully ready to welcome them.
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That’s an interesting thought! I rather like that 🙂
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I love old, grand, traditional churches. The details and craftsmanship always intrigue me. As for that little turret…precious!
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Turrets are just one thing in a long list of things I really, really like 🙂
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A good thing to have on your list. I could travel all around the world and tour nothing but old churches
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That could very easily be done!
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Those are beautiful doors! I thought I really like the first one until the 3rd one! I like the hardware, on all of them, and the archways! Wow! Each different and beautifully constructed. I like them all!
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This is a beautiful, stately church, Joanne. I loved the details, as I studied the photos and my mind liked the zig zags, which reminded me of my childhood quilted “jumper” my Mom made for me, sewing red ‘rickrack’ in the bottom and along the pockets edges. Isn’t this funny how our mind wanders backward, sometimes? The metal grill work looks so nice, hinges and curlicues, adds to the doors. The first one is stained such a lovely color like an oak stain. Churches are splendid examples for doors posts! 🙂
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I’m starting to feel that church doors are a ‘cheat’ for those weeks when I don’t have the time and/or energy to pull together something else. They’re so easy and always beautiful 😉
I remember that rickrack very well. My mother made all our clothes when we were young and it seems like I had rickrack on everything!!
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I enjoy churches and am glad several were featured for Easter week, Joanne. They are such interesting and diverse buildings with beauty and Grace.
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I agree! I would say that the architect’s desire to inspire awe is definitely achieved in the design of most churches!
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Beautiful beautiful! They must have had an excellent craftsman working on these doors – bowed!
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Unfortunately they don’t build with that kind of attention to detail anymore.
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Lovely doors/entrances! Such great details … those columns are beautiful! I love that mix … like you said, this old church stands it on amongst the high rises. I haven’t been to Toronto, but I saw a similar thing, from the bus window in Montreal. I don’t know which church it was there, I ‘ve never been there either … just going to their airport.
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The churches seem to survive when there is a grand renovation of a downtown area. I guess we can’t complain. They are magnificent.
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Such detail, even around the side entrances. Fabulous photos.
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The 1800s seem to have been a special time in architecture – at least in North America. There is so much wonderful detail we don’t see in today’s newer buildings.
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The Victorians were a very ornate bunch. 🙂
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Lovely doors. The churches in my small town really don’t have spectacular doors. I guess you have to go into a city!
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I have to admit I’ve never really paid attention to doors before Norm’s challenge. Now I see opportunities for wonderful doors everywhere 🙂
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Beautiful structure and images Joanne 🙂
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Thanks Joe 🙂
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Churches will never let you down for nice doors and these ones are wonderful. And yes, turrets rock 🙂
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When you admire the details like this it’s so clear that we’re in a very inelegant age of architecture. You’re right though – these grandiose entrances were meant to put the little people in their place- in awe of what the church stood for and the power it held at the time.
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Your words have captured it well – ‘an inelegant age of architecture’. It all seems to be glass and concrete now.
When I did this post I realized I know shockingly little about architecture and I think that might be my next new book!!
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Those are beautiful doors and I love the way they are constructed. I also love the formidable iron hinges. The entrances have a way of lifting your attention upward. Great photos!
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Those arched tops definitely make the eyes move upward. I too love any door with big in-your-face hinges. They give the impression of solidity and security.
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Incredible doors! Love!
I usually fail to get the whole thing, too. Then I say, “Meh, it’s all about the doors.” But you know, when I see the whole church from your Googled photo, I can see how you’ve overlooked them so many times. This happens to me often. Up close, they’re amazing. From a distance, not so much.
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I’m going to have to start doing what Norm suggested and making a point of walking around the entire building if I can. Maybe then I won’t forget to look at the *whole picture* 🙂
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I get that. Often times I’m on one side of the street and I tell myself to shoot the whole facade when I cross, but then I forget.
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I have passed this beautiful church a number of times. I love how it still stands in & among all of the new architecture!
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Me too! I had never noticed the side doors until one day I was at Roy Thompson Hall looking across the street at the church. It was like a little bell went off. Blogging’s like that 😉
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Lovely doors! Old churches and government buildings usually manage to have doors both imposing and inviting at the same time. Newer construction just isn’t the same.
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I agree. Perhaps we’ll live long enough to see a resurgence in traditional architecture 🙂
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I love the first two photos and the doors. They are gorgeous. As you said, if there is an older church, there are amazing doors. It’s interesting how every church is so different in its architecture and use of materials, but they all end up being such beautiful structures.
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So true … there is always something unique and inspiring in an old church 🙂
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I’m amazed at all the small details. Goes to show how little things count in the overall picture. Love these doors and the architecture overall. Thank you for sharing, Joanne. Fantastic.
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All that wonderful detail that I suspect most people never notice!!
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That sucks. How can anyone not notice it’s the small details that make the greater parts better.
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Love the hinges! Wait, are they hinges? Well, whatever the metal bits are, love ’em!
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Me too! I love that heavy formidable hardware on these doors.
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Very nice doors! I like the light on the first one.
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I wish I could say that capturing the light in this photo was intentional … but that would imply I actually know what I’m doing with my camera.
It was a happy accident … I really liked the way it looked too when I finally saw it on my computer 🙂
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Sounds like me…
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Oh, these are beauties for sure. Sometimes churches can be the most beautiful buildings.
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Yes they are. Too bad I have issues with what they stand for
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I get that!
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Oh my, these are handsome doors with striking iron work. I love the way they are similar in construction but still so different. Nice. 🙂
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That was my reaction too. There are certain details that carry through to each door but used a little differently.
I know zip about architecture, but every once in a while I encounter a building like this one that makes me wish I did.
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Isn’t it funny how sometimes we don’t see what we have been looking at forever. It’s one of the things I love about the blog and taking more photos. It’s made me more observant. Lots of history in these doors that’s for certain.
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That’s my reaction as well. I’ve become so much more aware of my surroundings and the people in it than I was before I started blogging. That can’t be a bad thing!! 🙂
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I hear some say that one doesn’t experience life as much because one is always behind the camera. I beg to differ. Seems like my life exploded in adventure, experiences and friends. 😉
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Amen to that! That was my reaction as well.
Because of the camera, I now notice details, I see little vignettes I wouldn’t have otherwise noticed … little things like the way the low sun creates shadows.
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The turret really is a nice touch. Makes it look more like a castle than a church.
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Another turret fan!! Turrets are always a welcome addition 🙂
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Very nice and I liked how each entrance was very similar while maintaining its own uniqueness,
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That’s exactly it! 🙂
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I like the pictures of the side doors, it shows the difference. One seems to be one the weather side, while the other looks almost freshly painted. Gosh I love great doors.
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Since I started following this challenge, I’ve become so much more aware of doors than I’ve ever been. It seems that old churches really have a monopoly on grandness 🙂
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