Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Chicago

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral was built in 1910 by Greek immigrants from Sparta and Laconia, Greece. Designed in a Byzantine Renaissance style and built of common brick with yellow face brick and limestone trim, the cathedral is patterned after the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Athens. Corinthian columns support the interior pendentives and dome. To accommodate the widening of LaSalle Street, the building was lifted and set further back on its foundation. The Icons of the Iconostatis, brought from Mt. Athos in 1919, contrast with traditional Byzantine style icons that adorn the dome, pendentives, and walls of the church. The 1938 stained glass windows above the entry feature a large depiction of the Annunciation. Unique designs and woodcarving are seen in other structural elements, among the many architectural details intended to enhance worship within this sacred space.

Nicholas Dokas