Built between 1770 and 1794, the San Carlos Cathedral is the oldest stone building in California, still serving the Catholic community of the Monterey Peninsula today.

The sandstone and mud mortar walls, originally covered with a lime plaster very similar to our NHL 2, sustained minimal damage from past earthquakes while the lime plaster basically remained intact. Nevertheless, deemed an “unreinforced masonry building,” the cathedral needed seismic retrofitting, and the original lime plaster needed to be removed in the process. Upon completion, simple sand and NHL 2 mixes were used for repointing and replastering, vital elements that guarantee the building’s integrity for centuries to come.

This restoration was achieved with the expertise of specialized engineers and architects in collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute.

Visit the San Carlos Cathedral website for more information.