Description

Essentials about St. Patrick’s Cathedral in brief

If you’re thirsting for a little religious contemplation in the secular hustle and bustle of Manhattan, you should make your way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Although the cathedral, located right next to Rockefeller Center, is now far dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers (in the truest sense of the word), it is still an impressive sight. Its 101-meter towers were the tallest building in New York City until the first skyscrapers were built. With a length of 123 meters, a width of 53 meters and a capacity of about 2,500 people, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest cathedral built in the neo-Gothic style in the United States and one of the largest churches in the world. Dedicated to the patron saint of the Irish, the cathedral is the official residence of the bishop of the Archdiocese of New York.

The history of St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Pope Pius IX elevated the New York diocese, founded in 1808, to an archdiocese in 1850. Archbishop John Joseph Hughes subsequently announced his intention to build a new cathedral to replace St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. The cornerstone of the new cathedral was laid in 1858; the structure was designed by James Renwick, Jr. Due to the American Civil War, work was interrupted for many years and was not completed until 1878. The towers on the west front were added only in the 1885 to 1888.

The architecture of St. Patrick’s Cathedral

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is a real beauty both from the outside and the inside. It was built of white marble and is most famous for its beautiful stained glass windows. Inside the cathedral, especially worth seeing are a Pietà, which is three times larger than Michelangelo’s world-famous sculpture, and the altar.

Website

saintpatrickscathedral.org

Opening hours

Opening hours cathedral:

Admission fees

Free.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Subway lines E and M: Stop 5 Av/53 St

Bus lines M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and Q32: Stop 5 Av/W 53 St

Bus lines BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9 and BxM10: Stop 5 Av/W 51 St

By car:

Next parking garage is Icon Parking 666 5th Av.