St. Joseph Oratory

St. Joseph Shrine , founded in 1855, is a historic German Catholic church located at 1828 Jay Street in the Eastern Market–Lafayette Park neighborhood area just outside downtown Detroit, Michigan on the city's central east side. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and deemed "of national importance" because of its stained glass. Three subsidiary buildings—the rectory, convent, and the Wermers House—were added to the listing in 1992. A parish of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and presently a shrine dedicated to the celebration of the pre-Vatican II liturgy under the care of the canons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

The Gothic structure of the church, inspired by Himpler's church St. Katharina in Wallerfangen , had its cornerstone laid in 1870 and was dedicated in 1873, making it one of the oldest extant churches in Detroit. Francis G. Himpler, an Ottweiler -born New York architect, designed the building which is considered one of the Midwest's best examples of Victorian Gothic architecture, especially so because the structure is effectively unaltered. The building is distinguished by its stained glass, notable in its intricate designs and wide usage. Also of note is the woodwork, statuary, and original high altar in the interior. St. Joseph Church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972; the buildings in the surrounding complex were added in 1992.

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