Upper Church

Upon entering the Upper Church, one is greeted by the sight of the long nave flanked on both sides by massive granite columns with richly decorated capitals and heavy moulded bases. The nave is covered by a ribbed and vaulted ceiling, which ends in a deeply recessed sanctuary where a magnificent altar stands revealed by the soft light from the stained glass windows.

The nave is 50' by 138' and 74' high; the transept is 50' by 120', while the sanctuary is 50' by 36'. The granite columns are monoliths, 18½' high and 2½' in diameter. The four columns supporting the intersection of the nave and transept are 3½' in diameter; they stand on moulded bases and are crowned with heavy capitals from which spring the arches of the clerestory wall and the ribs of the ceiling. All of the granite columns in the church, including the four in the vestibule, are the gifts of Mrs. William E. Cramer.

The ceiling of the nave is vaulted to the sills of the clerestory windows. Above the windows the ceiling is vaulted, intersecting the nave at right angles and thus producing a series of groined arches, which are heavily ribbed and ornamented at the point of intersection.

The main or center aisle is 6½' by 100'. The walls are wainscoted in the same material as the floor of the sacristy to the height of the window sills.

The choir gallery is in the rear of the church over the entrance. Including the pipe organ, the gallery is 37' deep by 50' wide.

There are five altars: the main altar in the sanctuary, and two in each transept. The side altars are set in arched recesses.

Main Altar

The main altar, with its magnificent splendor and clear-cut marble tone, has highlighted the Upper Church since 1928. The Italian marble altar was erected to perpetuate the memory of Rev. Stanislaus Lalumiere, S.J., former pastor of St. Gall's church. The cost was $35,000, paid for by a bequest from Mrs. Harriet Cramer.

Almost all of the material necessary for the erection of the altar was quarried and cut by D. H. McBride & Company. One of Italy's finest artists, Vanvini, was chosen to make the plans for the new altar a reality. Rev. Joseph Milet, S.J., pastor, celebrated the first Mass at the altar on Thursday, March 22, 1928. The altar was consecrated at a later date--scheduled to be after the new floor was installed.

The altar has been termed one of the finest French Gothic altars in the United States.

Marble high altar as it was originally installed

There is a definite emphasis on the vertical lines rather than the horizontal. The artists strove for naturalism in facial expressions and features in the carving and decoration of the statues.

The saints depicted in the main altar are St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Francis Xavier, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Aloysius, and St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, a lay brother. An angel is on each side, at the lower extremity of the altar. The center of the upper part is an almost life-size representation of our crucified Lord. An ornate tabernacle with a bronze door studded with precious stones and outlined in gold and silver was originally placed directly below the marble crucifix. The tabernacle was moved to the St. Joseph altar after Vatican II.

A. C. Eschweiler, Milwaukee architect, went to Italy to supervise the work of preparing the altar, carried on throughout a period of two years. According to Carl Eschweiler, "A major problem in the erection of the altar was the fortification of floor under it so that it would withstand the tremendous increased weight of the marble." Each quantity of the marble used in the work was especially chosen for color and beauty. The statues are particularly noted for their fine hands and faces as well as the Gothic simplicity of all the features.

Side Altars

The religious ecstasy of the Middle Ages is reflected in the Gothic lines of the side altars. The altars are a buff-colored marble set against a background of gray. Their design complements the architecture of the main altar.

The side altars of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph are surrounded by a set of bas reliefs of cut stone representing the mysteries of the rosary and the life of Christ. The original Blessed Virgin Mary altar from St. Gall's was replaced by one made of Italian marble in 1928; a gift of the Married Ladies' Sodality of Gesu Parish.

The Blessed Virgin Mary Altar

The St. Joseph Altar

The Sacred Heart Altar

The St. Ann Altar