Some of my favorite hidden gems in CLE: these murals on the history of St. Mary Church & Cleveland Centre Gravity Place in the Flats.

Located along Columbus Rd, they help tell the story of our city’s past city-building visions, focused on religion, geometry & the sublime. (1/5)

This site is where German & Irish immigrants built St. Mary’s - CLE’s 1st Catholic church. Located along the Cuyahoga River & with the city’s maritime history, St. Mary was aptly chosen since she is the patron saint of navigation & shipping.

The church was razed in 1888. (2/5) – bei The Flats

It’s fascinating to learn about the urban planning symbolism & meaning:

“The Cleveland Centre Plan of 1833 put the city center on the Cuyahoga River. Introducing the role of sacred geometry, we are led to the St. Mary Church site following the design of the road features.” (3/5) – bei The Flats

Combining religion & natural world, early Clevelanders envisioned a distinct, geometric city:

“The sublime was explored in the early eighteenth century as religious experience producing the play of boundlessness & divinity in nature. This theme is represented in St. Mary.” (4/5) – bei The Flats

Learn more about the Cleveland Centre Plan, & why it was never fully realized: https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/767 

With such a unique European design of dense, radial streets & a central plaza, it’s interesting to think if this plan could ever be revived in some way. Very interesting! (5/5) – bei The Flats