Description of Historic Place

St. Peter’s Cathedral is a Municipal Heritage Property situated on a partially-treed quarter section in the Rural Municipality of St. Peter No. 369, approximately one kilometer north of the Town of Muenster. The property features a large, wood-frame cathedral, with flanking 18 metre towers, constructed between 1909 and 1910.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the St. Peter’s Cathedral lies in its association with the history of St. Peter’s Colony. In 1903 a large number of German Catholics began settling in the area, establishing a community known as St. Peter’s Colony. They quickly outgrew the first church they built on the property and construction of a larger church began in 1909. In 1921, the church was selected as the Cathedral for the Abbacy of Muenster. The church remains in use for regular services and still retains its status as one of the main spiritual centres in the community.

The heritage value of St. Peter’s Cathedral also lies in its interior murals completed by Berthold Imhoff. Born in Germany, Imhoff immigrated to Canada in 1914 and settled in St. Walburg, Saskatchewan. Imhoff was already renowned for the murals and frescos he painted in many religious and public buildings throughout North America. In 1919, he volunteered to paint the murals in the Cathedral. The paintings in the sanctuary feature 80 life-sized figures. Many of the Saints are painted to resemble the community’s early Abbots and priests. The Imhoff paintings have helped establish the property as an important tourist attraction in the region.

The heritage value of St. Peter’s Cathedral also lies in its status as a local landmark because of the property’s large size and distinctive architecture. Set in a large landscaped lot, the cathedral exhibits a combination of architectural styles. The two crenellated towers displaying a medieval influence that frame the front façade are prominent features of the skyline. The entrance way exhibits a classical influence, displaying a simple Doric order with pediment. These elements combine with the round archways and central pediment to make this property identifiable as an ecclesiastical building.

Source:

Rural Municipality of St. Peter No. 369 Bylaw 1, 1984.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the St. Peter’s Cathedral resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that reflect its association with the history of the St. Peter’s Colony, including its position on its original location, and the lawns and treed areas that surround the Cathedral;
-those elements associated with Berthold Imhoff, including the wall and ceiling paintings in the sanctuary and nave;
-those elements that reflect its status as a landmark, including its large form, symmetrical composition, colonaded entryway with pediment and windows, central pediment, symmetrical flanking 18 metre towers, rounded-arch windows, battlements on top of the towers and the gable roof.