Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate

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Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and parish church located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. A Gothic Revival style building designed by Joseph Connolly. It is considered Connolly's best work. To serve a Roman Catholic parish of predominantly German settlers the church was built between 1875 and 1883. The monumental church contains decorative carving and stained glass executed by skilled craftsmen.The church was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990. Pope Francis designated the church a basilica on 8 December 2014.HistoryWhen John Galt founded Guelph, Ontario on April 23, 1827, he allocated the highest point in the centre of the newly founded town to Roman Catholics as a compliment to his friend, Bishop Alexander Macdonell, who had given him advice in the formation of the Canada Company. A road was also later cleared leading up to the hill and named after the Bishop, called Macdonell Street.According to the Guelph Public Library archives, Galt wrote the following statement in the deed transferring the land on which the Church of Our Lady would one day stand: "On this hill would one day rise a church to rival St. Peter's in Rome."