If you've spent any time in San Francisco in the last 100 years, chances are you've had at least a cursory peek at Saint Ignatius Church, the towering behemoth that's easily visible from many corners of the city. In particular, the church features prominently in the visible skyline from the Upper Haight (especially Buena Vista Park) and Cole Valley.
Chances are, too, that you haven't actually been inside, or heard how it ended up there. So what's the story behind Saint Ignatius?
The church as we know it is just now 100 years old. But Saint Ignatius Church in San Francisco has a long history: after its initial inception (1855) but immediately before its current life at the corner of Parker and Fulton, it was actually on the current site of Davies Symphony Hall, at Van Ness and Hayes.
Records of the edifice before its obliteration by the 1906 earthquake are slim, but this is what it looked like post-quake:
(Photo via SFPL photo archive)
(Photo via SFPL photo archive)
The Hayes Valley location (seen above, with the crippled San Francisco City Hall in the second photo) was built in 1880. Since its 1855 inception, the church was associated with what eventually became the University of San Francisco (then Saint Ignatius Academy).
After that, the church moved out towards Golden Gate Park, where the new edifice at its current location was designed by Oakland architect Charles J. I. Devlin. Construction was completed some time around 1914 or 1915, depending on who you ask, which means that the church is currently celebrating its centennial.
(Photo via SFPL photo archive)
The above photo (undated) documents the naked-looking church before trees were planted.
When the church was first built it was adjacent to San Francisco's Masonic Cemetery (below), which was later moved to Colma, and some headstones from which can still be seen paving gutters in Buena Vista Park.
(Photo via SFPL photo archive)
What you might not know is that even today, as soon as you set foot in the church, the sound of traffic 40 feet away on Fulton dies to an almost inaudible murmur. The architectural detail and interior embellishments (including an impressive battery of clerestory stained glass windows, and even an art gallery) are in pristine condition.
This, of course, is what Saint Ignatius looks like today:
Saint Ignatius is open to the public and still hosts USF's annual commencement ceremonies. It's open daily from 8am to 5pm and offers regular services. So, whether you're taking your first look inside or merely glancing at the building from afar, give a little nod and wish it a very happy 100th birthday.
