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Hand-Carving a Tracery Window at Fort Washington Collegiate Church in Manhattan

I absolutely love historic stonework, especially when it comes to churches and colleges that pre-date even the founding fathers. This last month, we were able to work on the Fort Washington Collegiate Church in Manhattan by hand-carving a tracery window. While this specific building was erected in 1907, it is actually a part of a much bigger group of churches, called the Collegiate Churches of New York. These churches date as far back as 1623. It’s All in the Details A church with that much history demands detail and attention with any addition or renovation. My time was well spent,…

3 Things You Need to Know About Stonemasonry

Driving down the east coast, it is hard for me to look away from all of the history and beautiful architecture around me. This country, and most civilizations around the world, have something in common with one another. 70% were built with stone. From their churches, their monuments, and their homes to their schools, streets, and the foundation of the civilization itself. Stonemasonry has been around for thousands of years. As I reflect back on the history of Petrillo Stone, it is very gratifying to be a part of such an important part of history. There are a lot of…

Stonework From Around the World

By now, it should be well known that I love neat facts, history, and stonemasonry. This month, I decided to combine those loves and post about some of my favorite stonework from around the world. Enjoy! English Cathedral Stonework Some of the most eye-catching pillars of architecture from the old world are the cathedrals stamped across England. One of the most noteworthy for stonemasons, such as our team at Petrillo Stone, is the Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter. Exeter is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the…

Ralph Petrillo Celebrates 40 Years in the Family Business, Continuing a 111 Year Legacy

Ralph Petrillo, the co-owner of Petrillo Stone, recently celebrated 40 years in business, while his business is celebrating year 111. Petrillo’s grandfather, Antonio T. Petrillo, founded the company in 1907 after emigrating to Mount Vernon, NY from Italy. With him, he brought knowledge of traditional masonry techniques–the type of time-honored methods that set the craft apart. Even as masonry evolves, many of its aspects remain, some withstanding for longer than a century. Ralph Petrillo describes his business as “a glue that binds three generations and their technologies, workmanship, and ideologies.” After founding the company, Antonio Petrillo passed his knowledge onto…

Another Favorite Stone Landmark: Machu Picchu

It’s impossible to study masonry without falling in love with some of the ancient stone landmarks. These breath-taking, iconic structures withstand the test of time, many are hundreds of years old. Not too long ago, I wrote about one of my favorite stone buildings, Edinburgh Castle. Another of my favorites is Machu Picchu, located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru. An Ancient Incan Artifact From Quechuan, an ancient indigenous language, Machu Picchu translates to “old peak.” Historians believe it was built between 1450 and 1460, during the rule of two Inca rulers, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui and Túpac Inca Yupanqui.  Most archaeologists agree that Pachacutec ordered…

Ralph Petrillo Visits New 9/11 Memorial in Greenwich, CT

This week is the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and is understandably an emotional time for people across our nation. This is the time of year where we stop to remember the lives lost in those tragic attacks, as well as come together in a show of patriotism. This was especially true when our very own Ralph Petrillo visited the construction site of the new September 11th Memorial in Greenwich, CT in Cos Cob Park. On September 11, 2001, 32 people with ties to Greenwich, CT were killed. The names of these individuals have been incorporated into the…

Update on the Comcast Building Project

In this post is a photo of one of the many stones ( Deer Island Granite  ) that Petrillo Stone Corporation fabricated for the Comcast Building (formerly the G E Building). We originally described this project in an earlier blog post. In addition to fabricating the stone, we also gold leafed the carved letters and logo by hand. Ralph Petrillo was the project manager on this project. He oversaw the fabrication and gold leafing of this project, as well as made sure everything ran smoothly and on time. Although the stones were completed a few months ago, the official unveiling of…

Ponte Rotto, The Broken Bridge

Have you every heard of the Ponte Rotto, originally known as the Pons Aemilius? It’s a famous broken bridge in Rome Italy and a historical landmark in stone masonry. Check out this blog post, shared from our company site PetrilloStone.com: Originally named the Pons Aemilius, it was built in 179 B.C. and is one of the only remaining examples of Roman Republican architecture. It was constructed to connect the cattle farm on the eastern bank with Trastevere on the western bank. However, no one has been able to cross it since Christmas Eve 1598, when floods carried the eastern part…

One of my Favorite Stone Landmarks: Edinburgh Castle

Probably most professionals working in stone masonry and architecture have iconic landmarks that inspire them, and Ralph Petrillo is no exception. While whittling down to a single piece of architecture is difficult, I can say with confidence that Edinburgh Castle places fairly high on my list of favorites. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Edinburgh Castle is nestled on the historic Castle Rock in Scotland and is one of the capital’s main attractions, welcoming over one million visitors each year. Castle Rock was formed over 340 million years after a volcano eruption. For centuries, the rock was used as…

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