The outlook of a closed cathedral 一座封閉教堂的外貌

【Ontario Yours to Discover】
《The outlook of a closed cathedral》: This "Cathedral of the Transfiguration" is a Roman Catholic cathedral built in Markham, Ontario. It is also a landmark in the Cathedraltowm community in Markham. My first impression of the cathedral was back to 1998 when I drove on Bayview Avenue near Major McKenzie Avenue, I saw the beautiful golden onion dome of the cathedral in distance. This afternoon was my first time spent to take photographs of this deserted cathedral from different perspectives.

In 1984, Stephen Boleslav Roman, a Slovak immigrant to Canada and a mines owner funded to build this Cathedral based on the structure of a church in his native Slovak village. Construction work continued for several years but the building cost has exceeded the original budget of $13 million. In 1988 Roman died of a heart attack and the construction of the building suspended. In 2006, the building construction was still incomplete and it believed that it would take another ten years to complete the whole building project. Finally the cathedral was closed by the bishop upon being "unable to arrive at a stable, sustainable working relationship with the Slovak Greek Catholic Church Foundation, which owns the property."
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Photo equipment:
Nikon D300s with GP-1 GPS
Nikon AF 17-55 mm f/2.8
Nikon AF 80-200 mm f/2.8
Bower 8 mm f/3.5 fish-eye lens
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【安省景物 由你發掘】
《一座封閉教堂的外貌》: 這座名為「基督變容大教堂」是加拿大安大略省萬錦市社區的一座羅馬天主教大教堂的地標。 1998年我沿多倫多灣景大道近麥根士少校大道駕駛，遠遠看見金色洋葱形的教堂頂，印象深刻。今天下午是我初次到訪，從不同的角度拍攝這個封閉了的教堂。 

斯蒂芬·斯拉夫羅文，是希臘斯洛伐克人，移民加拿大後成為礦場的老闆。1984年他依照家鄉斯洛伐克村一所教堂的結構資助興建這座教堂，工程持續了好幾年，但建築費用超支達1300萬美元。 1988年斯拉夫羅文因心臟病發而逝世，建築工程因此而暫停。 2006年，該建築依然未能完成，而整個工程相信需要再用十年才能完成。最後希臘主教要求加拿大天主教總教區頒下禁令，取消教堂的宗教功能。由於主教無法與擁有教堂物業的斯洛伐克希臘天主教基金會持續保持合作的關係，被迫要永遠封閉這大教堂。

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(Click photo for a larger view)

#1.  The cathedral was designed by the renowned architect Donald Buttress who was famous in overhauling Westminster Abbey
教堂由負責維修英國倫敦西敏寺教堂的著名建築師設計

#2.  A row of town houses on the left is constructed in line with the design of the cathedral.
左面一列的建築都依大教堂的設計風格而建

#3.  The Cathedral is seen through the fish-eye lens.
魚眼鏡頭中的大教堂

#4.  The reflections of the cathedral is captured on the roadside ditch.
拍下公路旁水溝中教堂的倒影

#5.  Reflection is turned upside down to get another feel of the view.
將水影倒轉，另一種看法。

#6.  The world's largest three-bell carillon, weighing 14,500 kg and 300 cm diameter.
全球最大，共重14,500公斤及直徑300毫米的三鐘在此。

#7.  The reflections of the golden onion dome.
金色「洋葱頭」水影

#8.  A panoramic view of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration.
「移形大教堂」全景照

#9.  Cathedral of the Transfiguration became one of the landmarks in Markham, Toronto.
「移形大教堂」成為多倫多萬錦市地標之一

#10.  The reflections look like an oil painting.
倒影似油畫

#11.  The real and the reflections
真的與倒影

#12.  Picture of the Christ
上主聖像

#13.  The golden onion dome
金色洋蔥圓頂

#14.  A plane in distance was captured near the golden dome.
遠處一架飛機飛過金色圓頂

#15.  My photo buddy John was taking photographs of the cathedral.
我的拍友章兄正在拍攝大教堂