Downtown in Asheville in Buncombe County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Raphael Guastavino
Guastavino's Monument
— Architect and builder, St. Lawrence Basilica —
Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, October 23, 2022
1. Raphael Guastavino Marker
A Spanish "master of the arch," Raphael Guastavino brought a soaring elegance to American architecture, artfully using layers of thin clay tiles to build vaults, domes, and roofs in more than a thousand buildings.
In 1890, he joined the architectural team at Biltmore Estate, eventually imagineering his own estate called "Rhododendron" in Black Mountain.
About the Basilica of St. Lawrence and its free-standing elliptical dome, the largest in North America, Guastavino said the construction proceeded with "the care of a father for a child."
As The Asheville Citizen reported on October 16, 1909, "Mr. Guastavino began laying these tile exactly as if he were shingling an imaginary dome in space, using only cement for nails." (Marker Number 12.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Churches & Religion.
Location. 35° 35.817′ N, 82° 33.357′ W. Marker is in Asheville, North Carolina, in Buncombe County. It is in Downtown. Marker is on Haywood Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 78 Haywood St, Asheville NC 28801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sweet Harmonies (within shouting distance of this marker); Anne Penland (about 300
this page online
Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, October 23, 2022
2. Raphael Guastavino Marker
The marker is in the right hand corner of this view, under a group of three trees.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2022, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 81 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 10, 2022, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
