Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

On a recent visit to St. Louis, we stopped at my aunt’s house for a short visit. She recommended a place that I had not heard of before. I was convinced that if she recommended it, it was worth seeing. My husband wasn’t convinced but agreed to go along with me the next day. We aren’t Catholics and I’ve only seen the inside of a few Catholic churches in my lifetime and I didn’t find them very impressive. Those had definitely not been worth going out of my way to see. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, though out of our way, was an astonishing sight. My aunt had explained it, but until you walk through the doors, there is no way for you to imagine the beauty that is everywhere inside.

The exterior of the Cathedral is also impressive. It has a Romanesque style of architecture on the outside, with Byzantine style on the interior. It sits on the corner of Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue in downtown Saint Louis. The Cathedral is a hidden gem in a city with many popular tourist attractions. There are many architectural features that make this building remarkable. It is a large building with three domes, half domes, arches, and barrel-vaulted ceilings.

The beauty inside

Upon entering the Narthex of the Cathedral, you will notice the barrel-vaulted ceiling and the walls. Before you become too overwhelmed with the beauty, take a Visitor’s Guide from the holder on the wall to your right. This guide will give you an amazing amount of details about the different areas of the building and the different art creations covering the walls and ceilings.

The building would remain beautiful without the mosaics covering the walls and ceilings. But the mosaics are what keep you in awe of the building. Even the floors are covered with marble designs as seen in the photo on the left. To the right is a portion of one of the walls. Note the different shades of green, red, and gold in the picture.

The photo below shows one of the fantastic designs in a ceiling area. This photo includes two of the domes. You can see the windows that are part of the domes. On the left are windows on the outside wall.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is a historical landmark. The Archbishop John Gennon started the building in 1907. It is viewed as an expression of faith that provides an uplifting place for Catholic worship and a truly inspiring place for prayer. Each section of the building is covered with mosaic tiles. There are 41.5 million pieces of glass tile used inside the Cathedral. This includes an amazing 7,000 plus, colors. 20 different artists began working in 1912 to cover 83,000 square feet of walls and ceilings. The project was completed in 1988 by the Ravenna Mosaic Company. It is not surprising that it has become one of the largest collections of mosaics in the world. Two of the rooms, The Blessed Virgin’s Chapel and the All Saints Chapel were created by the famous Tiffany Company of New York. The photo to the right includes a portion of the Blessed Virgin’s Chapel.

Additional places to visit inside

In addition to the Cathedral, there is a Mosaics Museum downstairs. The museum contains additional information about the construction of the building and the installation of the mosaic tile. There is a Cathedral Shop located west of the vestibule, that carries books and postcards full of information on the history of the church. Donations received in the museum and shop are used to support and preserve the Cathedral. The hours at the time of this writing are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Cathedral visiting hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but viewing inside the Cathedral must be worked around the daily scheduled Masses. There are guided tours available, but not at this time due to Covid-19. Call (314) 373-8242 to find out the days and times of tours.

As a fully operating Catholic Cathedral, there are times set for daily mass and confessions. If you are interested you can call the same number as above, (314) 373-8242, for more information.

Full of History

Not all Catholic Cathedrals are given the distinction of being a Basilica. In 1997, the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Pope John Paul II gave the Cathedral of St. Louis the Basilica designation.

Each section of the Cathedral has different representations of church history displayed in colorful mosaics. Examples include images of Jesus’ baptism and His Ascension to Heaven. There are also depictions of John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary, Pentecost, The Last Supper, angels, and other Biblical stories. Additionally, there are mosaics depicting Saints and other important histories of the Catholic Church.

The picture to the left is a depiction of Saint Louis IX. This mosaic is found in the narthex and contains a large amount of gold-colored mosaic tiles. The picture does not capture the true beauty of the various shades of gold tile used to create this piece of history.

A great destination for all

I believe that the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is extremely beautiful, both inside and out. I’m sure it would be of great interest to Catholics. Protestants will be impressed by the colorful mosaics. Even non-religious people will find this collection of mosaics to be overwhelming. The detail is breathtaking. The different colors, the way that everything fits into a special spot, covering nearly every wall and ceiling in the building is amazing.

I’ve included a few pictures, but they don’t even represent a tenth of what is on display. And seeing them in person is much more stunning than in pictures. Take the advice of a local, my aunt Sue, and add this to your must-see list of historic treasures to see in St. Louis. If you live in St Louis and haven’t yet visited this Cathedral, be sure to add it to your list of places to see some afternoon or morning.

Have you ever visited the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis? What did you think of it? If you haven’t been there, have I piqued your curiosity? Please leave a comment below.