Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

We came to the Basilica to see the Tallis Scholars perform. Wow, what an amazing experience!!! The staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the church.
I just loved the idea of hearing a choir sing without microphones in such an old cathedral. The voices resonate from every corner of the cathedral which makes the cathedral almost seem as a instrument in itself.
The cathedral was built between 1846 and 1864 which is pretty mind blowing when you think about how many people have sat in the pews through the years. The beautiful thing is that all time seems to stand still in the moments of silence during the performance.
I cant recommend seeing a performance here enough! Enjoy!!!

I don’t even know why I’m reviewing this, I never went in. It looks nice from the outside. The Sheraton behind it kind of kills the view.

such a gorgeous cathedral! I went there this morning for a mass and an award. Walking around looking at everything is just amazing.

Stunning and a surprise! I thought I was in Italy upon entering. The architecture is amazing. They will be celebrating 150^th anniversary in two weeks. It should me good to come back for that.

Beautiful and unexpected church we wandered into! My mom was visiting from out of town and we were hitting up the museums downtown when we wandered into this cathedral. Much to her delight it’s FREE to the public and they have a short audio tour you can play as you walk around.
And it’s gorgeous. This cathedral has an enormous pipe organ at one end and a Roman Corinthian style dome above the altar at the opposing end. Surrounding the pews are sculptures, mini altars carved of marble, paintings, mosaics — really quite a bit to see.
You don’t need to be religious to appreciate the beauty and architecture of this building.

In the past, I can never fathom how anything or anyone can take someone’s breath away until the moment I saw the Cathedral Basilica through the side chapel. As I was walking into the basilica, I was so in awe of the sight in front of me that I forgot to breathe for a few seconds.
At that point, I finally understood the true meaning behind the word «breathtaking»
Located in Philadelphia’s museum district, Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul assumes a rather seemingly simple exterior. However, once you entered through either the front gate that is guarded by the statues of St. Peter and St. Paul on the sides or the side chapel, you will witness the hidden majesty concealed within.
Nothing from the walls and the columns to the ceiling is blank as nearly the entire interior is filled with beautiful detailed artworks of Christian faith and Catholic elements. Take in the overall beauty of the basilica or appreciate the details of each and every artwork, which few were created by the same artist who drew the Apotheosis of George Washington on the US Capitol dome. I cannot find any other words to describe this church interior without marring true beauty. Cathedral Basilica is simply something that you has to see for yourself.
Use your phone to take an audio tour to get a full experience! The tour is only 20 minutes long and will provide you with interesting explanations of the main elements in the church.

I work for the Archdiocese of Newark so I am not a stranger to beautiful basilicas. However this cathedral basilica was so peaceful because it was open for people to sit and silence for prayer, etc.
I’ve always been a fan of Peter’s Keys and Paul’s swords so coming here was an exciting experience. It’s a gorgeous place that feels like home.

This is a beautiful church reminiscent of the great churches in Europe. I was pleasntly surprised by the beauty as from the outside, it does not appear that impressive (except in sheer size).
One of the most impressive features is the pipe organ. It is stunning. Every detail of the church is beautiful. Make sure you give yourself time to take in all of the details. Also, if you are visiting, remember that this is a house of worship and that there are likley going to be people there praying. Please be respectful of not disturbing them/

One of the most beautifull Churchs I have even seen in the USA. I actualy felt as if I was in rome. The Bishop and all the smoke as they make there way to the alter. They have the most beatufulist bible i ever saw. The Bishop sprinkles holy water over everyone. It is turely a very beautiful and spiritual church. It kinda maid me think of how beautiful heaven will look like.

Such a beautiful and spiritual experience. I was astonished by all of the detail and beauty. This is a definite must see for all believers if you are in the city. Everything took my breath away and I felt the need to connect more to my spiritual side from just being in here. I hung around a few hours and waited for mass and it was a beautiful service, the archbishop did a beautiful sermon. You gotta see it.

One of the more beautiful buildings in the city of Philadelphia. When you have a chance, stop by to enjoy the beautiful artwork, gorgeous architecture, and the sheer enormity of the space. Of course — feel free to take a knee and offer up a prayer for the blight which is the rest of Philadelphia’s architecture.

Beautiful! Went for an Easter Sunday mass. Great experience!

Absolutely gorgeous! I went for Sunday mass and the Cathedral seriously took my breath away! I had always walked past and admired the stained glass window on the outside and the inside is even more spectacular! The service ran a little long for me, but I am used to mass being 1 hour tops. Definitely check it out – whether you are religious or not, if only to appreciate the beautiful architecture and detail!

This is a review for the cathedral itself and not the mass. It seems a bit sacrilegious to post a Unilocal review for a religious service: «The priest was nice but I didn’t feel like he cared about my salvation.» Just doesn’t cut it. lol
It’s a stunning building that goes beyond architecture. Between the stained glass the ornate sculpture, and the vibe, it’s an experience just to visit. I didn’t have the opportunity to take a tour as others have mentioned but if you are here on a Sunday or holy day, take the time to visit. You won’t forget it.

This is a one of a kind church in North America, and well worth a visit. It’s free which is always a plus, and there’s a free audio tour you can download on your phone and basically tells you about everything in the cathedral. I’m not a religious guy, but the architecture is worth seeing.

This church is free to visit and literally looks like it was picked up from Europe and dropped in Philadelphia. If that doesn’t make you want to visit, you’re crazy.
You can also download a free 20 minute MP3 audio tour.

If you have ever been to Rome, you must stop here. This is as close as it gets to that immaculate Italian/​Euro gorgeous architecture.
I am not Catholic, but I appreciate a gorgeous and FREE building open to the public. The father was so nice too and offered us a free tour, just as we were stopping through.
Defilitely worth one of your afternoons in Philly if you want to see something different and beautiful.

The architecture alone should get your attention. The free entrance to one and all should make it a must see. The docents are helpful, the acoustics are astounding.
Grand in the traditional Catholic manner if you are interested in churches or classic architecture you need to visit.

Beautiful. Free. Open to the public. That’s a pretty excellent way to start, huh?
A docent was available for a free guided tour that proved very informative but also largely free of Catholic guilt (in our case, that would be for not being Catholic). We were lucky that the crypt was open so we got to see that too. The art and architecture are definitely worth checking out. And if you’re lucky enough to come during mass or another ceremony, you’ll be impressed by the acoustics, too.
TRIVIA: The difference between a shrine and an altar is that an altar contains a tabernacle, a space that has been consecrated (and often marked by a gold door) while a shrine does not.

This review is for the building/​architecture…
I’m a huge fan of architecture in any city — I think it’s what makes a city amazing or boring. What was really surprising about Philadelphia is that it has some incredible architecture — the buildings include neo-​classical, art deco and baroque styles, which are pretty awesome. Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul does not disappoint — it commands your attention as soon as you see it. The exterior of the building is grand and slightly intimidating; the interior is magnificent and includes fine detail of varieties of artwork including paintings, frescos and stained-​glass windows.
If you enjoy architecture, you’ll love this spot… to top it all off, it’s free to the public!