St. Paul Cathedral--Catholic - St. Paul, MN - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

This, the fourth Cathedral of Saint Paul, was the dream of Archbishop John Ireland, who secured the site in 1904. The Archdiocese was growing and Ireland saw the need for a "great Cathedral" to replace the third Cathedral, which was 46 years old at the time and too small for the growing congregation.

The Cathedral dominates the Saint Paul skyline and is situated on the highest point in downtown St. Paul. An example of classical Renaissance architecture, the Cathedral was designed by Emmanuel Louis Masqueray. The building, inspired by the churches and cathedrals of France, is characterized by rounded domes and arches, a symmetrical cross floor plan and clean, straight lines.

The building's most prominent feature is a 120-foot-wide dome made of curved steel beams, covered with a clay tile surface and overlaid with copper. A copper-clad lantern, approximately 30 feet tall, sits on top of the dome. From the base to the very top of the lantern, the Cathedral stands 306 feet tall.

The interior was designed with unobstructed views of the altar and pulpit. Twenty four large windows in the dome and rose windows in the transepts flood the interior with natural light. Electric lighting, installed in the late 1940s, enhances the Cathedral's interior.

The cornerstone was laid on June 2, 1907 and the first liturgy was held on Palm Sunday, March 28, 1915. Work continued on the interior for decades and on October 14, 1958, it was consecrated by Archbishop William O'Brady, securing its place among the premier houses of worship in the United States.

I took the exterior shots specifically for this listing; the interior shots are from a tour I took of the building in October 2006.

Source: Modified from Church website...it's well worth a visit, the history there is detailed and quite extensive! (visit link)

Street address: 239 Selby Ave. St. Paul, MN USA 55102 County / Borough / Parish: Ramsey Year listed: 1974 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1900-1924 Historic function: Religion, Religious Structure Current function: Religion, Religious Structure Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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