The Sanctuary

World-famous American architect, Addison Mizner, designed and built the Sanctuary of Riverside Baptist Church in 1924. Mizner's reputation as an architect stems from commissions he received to design and build homes in Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Florida, during the early 1920's. These works include the famous Everglades Club at Palm Beach, the Cloister at Boca Raton, as well as residences for the Vanderbilts, Cosdens and Singers. Though Mizner was considered to be disinterested in religious matters, he had promised to build a church in honor of his mother. That promise was fulfilled with the design of Riverside Baptist Church, the only church built by Mizner and the only project by the architect in Jacksonville. Donating his talents in memory of his mother, Mizner refused any monetary compensation for his service.

Mizner was granted free license in designing the church and chose to incorporate three major types of architecture: Romanesque, Byzantine and Spanish. Many of the design ideas, building materials and furnishings found in the church reflect impressions made upon Mizner during his tours of European castles and cathedrals. The overall shape of the church is that of a Greek cross. The church walls are constructed from hollow clay tile surmounted by a roof of red Spanish tile. The outer walls are layered with stucco. The interior walls were covered with plaster and, like the exterior, marked off while still wet by Italian artisans to create the illusion of limestone block construction. After drying, the walls were rubbed with buttermilk and burnt umber to simulate centuries of age. Originally, the exterior and interior of the church were the same limestone color. Staining caused by a water-proofing process made it necessary to paint the exterior.

Worshipers enter the church through one of three pecky-cypress doors each embellished with carved Greek crosses. The larger center doorway forms the lower half of a great stone archway above which are three Romanesque windows. Above the center doorway, inside the great arch, a carved tympanum in bas-relief depicts the baptism of Christ. Symbolic scapegoats flank the center doors.

To provide a sense of spaciousness to the narrow Narthex, Mizner utilized a Gothic style groin-vaulted ceiling. Copying a Spanish motif, star-shaped lanterns representing the star of Bethlehem hang from the ceiling. An antique poor box can also be found in the Narthex.

Under the balcony is a circular painting depicting Christ sitting in judgment of the world. Other painted decorations in Fifteenth Century Italian Renaissance style adorn the ceiling, cypress beams and front of the balcony. The design for these decorations, along with the painting Christ Sitting in Judgment, Mizner copied from the Don Sitter Palace in Florence, Italy. All of the painted woodwork in the nave, originally in bright colors, was rubbed down with buttermilk to achieve an antique effect desired by Mizner. Little is known about the meaning of the thirteen heraldic shields on the front of the balcony. Perhaps, they, in keeping with the tradition of European cathedrals, are the family crests of honored members of the church who led in the building program, made great donations or served the church in some outstanding way.