The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption ( French : Cathédrale Notre-Dame de L'Assomption ), often called Port-au-Prince Cathedral ( French : Cathédrale de Port-au-Prince ), was a cathedral in Port-au-Prince , Haiti . Built between 1884 and 1914, it was dedicated on December 13, 1928 ( 1928-12-13 ) , and became the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince . The cathedral was destroyed in during the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake .
8-491: Before its destruction, the cupola of the north tower of the cathedral served as the front lighthouse of a pair , guiding mariners into Port-au-Prince harbor. The roof and the towers flanking the main entrance collapsed in the 2010 earthquake, although the lower parts of the walls remain standing. The earthquake also destroyed the nunciature and the archdiocesan offices, killing Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot instantly and Vicar General Charles Benoit later. In March 2012,
16-517: A North American railroad train caboose that contains the second-level or "angel" seats is also called a cupola. The term cupola can also refer to the protrusions atop an armoured fighting vehicle due to their distinctive dome-like appearance. They allow crew or personnel to observe, offering very good all round vision, or even field weaponry, without being exposed to incoming fire. Later designs, however, became progressively flatter and less prominent as technology evolved to allow designers to reduce
24-508: A capacity of 1,200 faithful (capacity which can be raised to 600 additional persons thanks to the use of the covered yard). The interior of the new cathedral will be marked by the creative and abundant use of natural light, as the supply of electricity in Port-au-Prince is intermittent and expensive. "The winning design — [is] a modern interpretation of the traditional architecture of a cathedral [...]. Cardona’s other significant works include
32-465: A lookout. The word derives, via Italian , from lower Latin cupula (classical Latin cupella ), from Ancient Greek κύπελλον ( kúpellon ) 'small cup' (Latin cupa ), indicating a vault resembling an upside-down cup. The cylindrical drum underneath a larger cupola is called a tholobate . The cupola evolved during the Renaissance from the older oculus . Being weatherproof,
40-592: The Coliseum of San Juan and the Puerto Rico Pavilion built for the 1992 World Expo in Seville, Spain ." The cathedral remains in ruins as of 2021. Cupola In architecture , a cupola ( / ˈ k ( j ) uː p ə l ə / ) is a relatively small, usually dome -like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as
48-585: The Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, in collaboration with Faith & Form magazine and the Institute for the Safeguarding of National Heritage (ISPAN), a Haitian-government institution, launched an international design competition inviting the architects from all over the world to submit ideas that would inform the reconstruction of the cathedral. Puerto Rican architect Segundo Cardona , FAIA from SCF Architects won
56-431: The competition. He proposed to integrate and frame the facade of the old building, which survived the earthquake, with two new concrete towers, while the old nave , whose pillars also partially survived, will be transformed into a covered courtyard. The religious ceremonies will take place at the level of the current transept under a vast room surmounted by a dome, underneath which will be the altar. The new design allows for
64-536: The cupola was better suited to the wetter climates of northern Europe. The chhatri , seen in Indian architecture , fits the definition of a cupola when it is used atop a larger structure. Cupolas often serve as a belfry , belvedere , or roof lantern above a main roof. In other cases they may crown a spire , tower , or turret . Barns often have cupolas for ventilation. Cupolas can also appear as small buildings in their own right. The square, dome-like segment of
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