Assumption was founded in 1856 by Bishop Joseph Crétin and served newly arrived immigrants from Germany. Ground was broken for the first church in 1856 on the Feast of the Assumption, just north of the present site. By 1871, the parish had outgrown the building, and work began on the new church. Its Romanesque architecture—the towering twin spires, massive stone presence, rounded arches and apse over the altar—were modeled after the Ludwigkirche in Munich. The east tower holds four bells which can be heard in every corner of downtown St. Paul. Much of the church’s interior design and decor remains unchanged from the construction in the late 19th century. The statue of Mary in the center of the high altar comes from the first church. Tucked in the heart of downtown St. Paul, Assumption sits close to Catholic Charities, which offers care for the poor. It was at Assumption that Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis (now called Catholic Charities Twin Cities) was born when the parish established an orphanage, which became known as St. Joseph’s Home for Children.