St. Mary of the Lake church was designed in 1913 by Henry J. Schlacks, a Chicago native who is responsible for over a dozen church designs. Inspired by the Italian Renaissance style, Schlacks used three Roman churches as design influences: St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls impacted the design for the building, while St. Prudenziana’s campanile inspired the bell tower. The current church was dedicated on May 20, 1917 by Archbishop Mundelein. The lavish interior contains Carrara marble sculpted in Italy, stained glass from Germany and a ceiling painted in gilded gold. Paintings by Gebhard Fugel, Temistocle Lamesi and Chicago artists John Mallin and Joseph Malham are also featured.
