The Work of Guastavino at the Cathedral

The work of the Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company is celebrated throughout the United States for its decorative, structural tile vaults and domes, which are integral to the design of hundreds of monumental buildings found in forty states across the country.

When Rafael Sr. and his son emigrated from Barcelona in 1881, they brought a traditional building technique they successfully applied to the architecture being produced in the United States. In New York, their work can be found in the Oyster Bar and the Whisper Gallery at Grand Central Terminal, the Registry Room at Ellis Island, the City Hall subway station, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

Join the Friends of the Cathedral and architectural historian and Cathedral Educator John Simko for a lecture and reception, as he introduces the work of this artistic father and son engineering team and demonstrates why the Cathedral is the best setting in New York City to appreciate their genius.