the planning phases of the building, church officials planned to remain called The First Baptist Church of Hartford while occupying the edifice called The First Cathedral. The Ministry became known as The First Cathedral as individuals within the community who were unfamiliar with these plans began confusing the two. . The Cathedral Edifice is considered a radical departure from the Greek Revival and Georgian Architectural Styles used in the construction of most New England Churches. The First Cathedral is half of the complex of what is intended to be the final location of The First Baptist Church, The First Cathedral is full of symbolism. Church officials worked with architects and engineers to create an environment that is full of theological and biblical symbolism. Overall structure The First Cathedral edifice is built in the shape of a dove, a reference to the Baptism of Jesus which is recorded in every canonized Gospel. External symbolism The Foundation The Doves' Feet are represented by the foundation of the Cathedral. The foundation of the Cathedral, being quite large and being located on former swampland, is a network of grade beams that equally disburse the weight of the building. The structure The structure of The Cathedral is divided into 3 levels: • The First Level is the two commercial floors, the primary representing earth, the second representing Heaven • The Second Level is located within the second of the commercial floors, The Two Balconies representing Heaven. • The Third Level is Represented in the Cupola, 8 sided, ordained with stained glass windows, symbolic of the throne room of Heaven where God is Exterior walls The immediate external wall of the Cathedral are covers with Dryvit, the dryvit wall installed in stages reminiscent of the extensive project, undertaken by Nehemiah, in the rebuilding of the city walls of Israel. Additionally the Sandstone Color of the building is a reminder of the Wilderness Experience of the Ancient Israelites before reaching their promised land. Interior elements Within the Dove shaped edifice, are three major components, The Grand Lobby, The Grand Concourse and The Sanctuary, modeled after Solomon's Temple. The Grand Lobby The Grand Lobby is the 'facade' of The First Cathedral; the lobby contains several symbolic elements: •The entrance way is a set of double doors, creating an energy saving lock. The double set of double doors are reminiscent of the main entry way into an ancient city,