Rebuilding of the Historic St Mary’s Cathedral in the Capital of Western Australia

St Mary's Cathedral in Perth, Western Australia, is the Archbishop church of the Archdiocese. This sacral building was built in neo-Gothic style during the years 1863-1865. The cathedral was officially dedicated and opened for service on 29th January, 1865. In 1973 it was proclaimed the Marian Sanctuary and now represents one of the largest religious facilities in Perth. In 2005, city authorities together with the Archdiocese, made a collective decision on the necessity of a comprehensive renovation. The renovation was critical due to the danger posed by the technical and physical condition of the structure. These pitfalls were assessed by the author of this paper in person from the years 1989 onwards. Renovation of certain architectural elements was therefore essential not only in a maintenance capacity but also for this site to function for the faithful and as a tourist attraction. Reconstruction of St Mary's Cathedral in Perth is a successful example of how to increase the wider functionality of a facility while saving the antique and historical qualities. In this paper the aforementioned issues will be more widely developed.