Location of the church
Medak Cathedral is considered one of the most visited churches in South India. Medak Cathedral was built by Charles Walker Fasnet of British Wesleyan Methodists and consecrated on 25 December 1924.
It is the single largest church in Asia and the second-largest in the world after the Vatican located in Medak town. Medak Cathedral is seated by the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India. The societies belonging to the church comprise Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational, and Anglican missionary societies.
Architecture of the church
The Architectural Marvel is spread over more than 300 acres. Medak cathedral is 100 ft (30 m) wide and 200 ft (61 m) long. The church was constructed in the Gothic Revival style. The large church can easily accommodate about 5,000 people at a time.
Medak Cathedral was built with mosaic tiles that were imported from Britain and Italian masons who were engaged in laying the decorative flooring. Massive pillars were built with fine-hewn and well-dressed grey stone to support the gallery and the whole structure.
The roof of the church is made soundproof by means of hollow sponge material. Moreover, the church has an impressive style of vaulting. The bell tower in the church is 175 ft (53 m) high and is even visible from a few miles.
One of the major attractions of the Cathedral church is the stained glass windows depicting different scenes from Christ’s life. It depicts the Ascension behind the altar, Nativity in the west transept, and Crucifixion in the east transept. The magnificent Cathedral is the symbol of impeccable craftsmanship and it attracts more than three million tourists per annum from across the country.
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History and significance of the church
The significance of the church not only relies on its magnificence but also on the bond between the poor and the church. During World War-I, in the late 1890s, the district of Medak was under famine.
Moved by the plight of people, Rev. Charles Walker Posnett, decided to build a great church in the year 1914. He implemented the ‘food for work’ program so that the poor could find gainful employment. The villagers contributed to building the church, so they could in turn earn food.
Services:
Let us look at the services offered at the church.
Sunday General Service – 9:30 am
Sunday Morning Service – 7 am
The cathedral is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm for public viewing and silent prayer.
Modes of Transportation
By Air
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad is the nearest airport. It is about 146 km far from Medak. The distance to reach Medak Cathedral Church from Medak is 1.5 Km. So, one can opt for public transport like taxis to travel from Medak to reach the destination.
By Train
As Medak does not have its own railway station, one has reached here from the nearby railway stations. Akkannapet(19.1 Km) & Kamareddy (60 km) is the nearest railheads to Medak having a number of trains to major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar, Nanded, Vizag, and Hyderabad, etc. From those railway stations, one can choose to avail of Taxis/cabs and buses to reach Medak. The distance to reach Medak Cathedral Church from Medak is 1.5 Km. So, you can use taxis to reach the Medak Cathedral.
By Road
Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) runs frequent buses to Medak connecting to Hyderabad, Warangal, Siddipet, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Sangareddy. Buses can be availed from all important towns and cities up to Medak. As the distance to reach Medak Cathedral Church from Medak is 1.5 Km, you can opt for a taxi or an auto to reach the destination.
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