Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

Magnificent. A must see in St Louis.

I love going to church here. The inside is beautiful, and mass is very reverent. Every time I attend mass, I would gaze at all the details within the walls and ceiling. It is especially beautiful during Christmas with a manger nativity scene on the inside. I love the «love seat» aisles and different sizing for families.

Beautiful Cathedral and well worth visiting. I intend to come back with family and show them around here too. I loved the Naves, and took home some great brochures to read up on the history of the Cathedral.

Absolutely beautiful! If you’re a fan of architecture and of mosaics, this place is definitely worth seeing! The entire ceiling is completely covered hundreds of thousands os small tiles that make up ornate designs and beautiful pictures. My husband and I attended a mass there this past Sunday. We had no problem finding parking on the street, which is amazing! The mass was pretty full and we sat near the back and off to the side. I couldn’t believe the beautiful art that completely surrounded us on all sides!

The exterior of the building is very impressive but the interior is absolutely stunning. Whether you are visiting Saint Louis or live here and have never been, you must go to the Basilica. They give tours throughout the day and I highly recommend joining one so you can learn more about the different mosaic styles and history of the scenes depicted throughout the cathedral. Plan to spend at least an hour taking in all of the intricate detail.
There is usually open parking on Newstead, Maryland, or West Pine if you cannot find a space on Lindell.

Stunning architecture of course. It is the finest piece of Byzantine Romanesque architecture in the Western Hemisphere.
Subsequently, the Mass itself was well executed, very reverent, and the priest had a deep sense of gravitas. They did not ignore the space in which they were situated but used every facet of the sanctuary rather than this silly attempt at «intimacy» in a cavernous church as so many churches are seemingly wont to do.
One of the finest gems in the Crown Of the City of St. Louis, whether one is Catholic or not.

The beautiful Cathedral Basilica of St Louis and St Louis, MO itself were both named after the only French monarch to be declared a saint: King Louis IX. He was known to have frequently served hundreds of poor people in his home, often serving these guests himself. A worthy mission, in my opinion. At the very least it was worthy of the mosaic you’ll find at the entrance of this basilica which shows «St Louis relieving the needy.» The mosaics throughout, along with the architectural design, are breathtaking. However, whether or not the church has maintained St Louis’ original mission is not as evident.
The basilica claims the largest mosaic collection in the world. Highly impressive by human standards when you consider the amount of labor that went into creating these works of art.
Given the number of people visiting from around the world and number of tours provided, I was disappointed to find a gift shop with books solely in English. There was not a single bilingual book to be found. There were brochures with tour information about the basilica in a few different languages but that was all. Apparently, they have enough visitors from around the world to create not only guided tours but a gift shop, yet they do not offer books in any other language besides English. Not even in St Louis’ mother tongue, French.
The architecture is outstanding and definitely worth checking out. However, it’s unclear if St Louis is still reaching out to the needy through the basilica that bears his name, or if his original mission has been sacrificed on it’s breathtaking altar.

A European style Cathedral in the middle of the United States. Combining Italian and Byzantine style architecture this is one of the must sees if you are in St. Louis. Yes St. Louis has the Arch but really the world should see this church. The Mosaics that adorn most of the ceiling and some of the walls are a gigantic undertaking. When started it was thought it would take almost 100 years to complete. It was closer to 80 years to finish them.
It matters not what religion, faith, or lack of either the work of art in this Basilica is absolutely stunning and not replaceable.

Please read all the reviews below and get far more details than I could give you here. However, I will tell you that if you have never visited this Basilica, regardless of whether you are a Catholic or not, you must visit.
Several years ago, my sister and I took a tour of Italy and high on the list for Catholics were all the churches, big and small that had incredible art. No matter how small a church was, or how plain looking from the outside, they usually had some amazing art on this inside.
We decided to visit the 4^th of July weekend and went to mass that Sunday, July 5^th. Oh. My. God. This church absolutely blew my mind and it could definitely hold its own in Rome or any part of Italy. It is that beautiful. Every mosaic picture tells a story, and if you are fortunate enough to be there when the free tour is going on, take it. For my husband who is a history buff, this place was a crash course in the history of St. Louis for him. For me, the Catholic, this church was, okay, I’ll say it, magical.
When mass started, the organist started playing a song that I know is some kind of operatic monster, but all I could think of was Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Chills went up and down my body and I started crying, it was that beautiful.
Okay, so, park on the street, there’s lots of parking, or you can use their lot. There are restrooms inside, but I don’t believe they are handicapped accessible unless I just missed it. There is a small but well-​stocked gift shop and everyone we spoke to was very kind and friendly. Our tour guide must have been a history professor at a college or university, because he knew everything, anyone asked about the church.
Any tip you might want to give him goes directly into the church donation box for the maintenance of the building I believe. Anyway, an absolutely incredible place to spend a couple of cool hours, out of the sun and in prayer or meditation. And you don’t even have to be a Catholic!

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, also known as the Saint Louis Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located in the Central West End area of St. Louis, Missouri. It is about a half mile from the nearest metro station. I walked from the metro.
The cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is a spectacular must see cathedral, which was completed in 1914. On April 4, 1997, Pope John Paul II honored the Cathedral of Saint Louis by making it a Basilica, a place of worship of special distinction. As a Basilica, the Cathedral displays two special symbols-​the tintinnabulum or bell and the ombrellino or umbrella.
I prayed for my fellow Unilocalers!

I have been in churches all over the world, and even a few basilicas. This ranks at the top of any human work I’ve ever seen. The artwork from the narthax (where King St. Louis is featured prominently), and for whom the city was named by the early French Catholic settlers, to the sacristy shares the theology of the faith one step at a time. Individual mosaics tell the stories of saints and martyrs. The building itself reflects the love and sacrifice of the countless laborers, artists and donors who made it possible. You need merely look at the pictures here and online to see how extraordinary this building is.
And yet, you can see the influences of the modernists here as well. The original construction ran out of financing, and the artwork on the domes of the «wings» of the church was not completed at first. Later, another artist was hired and his work is cartoonish and embarrassing in comparison to what you will find everywhere else. A great visual representation of how the modernists stain the Church through their work. (A picture of this work is here on Unilocal).
We were fortunate to have a private mass offered here. In the sacristy there is a relic of the true cross. Make sure when you get the tour, you spend as much time looking up as you do around, and don’t forget the museum below.

An absolute stunning place. I was in complete awe and felt humbled. Everything about is inspiring. Hope to catch a mass on my next visit. There’s even a museum in the basement.

I wish I would have visited this cathedral sooner. It is absolutely an amazing work of art inside and out! Outside, you get to marvel at the Romanesque style of architecture but once you are inside, you are immediately greeted by mesmerizing mosaics covering the walls, ceilings, and arches. The mosaics’ collection of glass pieces in a variety of different colors are simply gorgeous! I daresay, I could get lost staring at them for hours! If you like art at all, this is a great place to visit and if you’re into the religious aspect of things, it’s wonderful as well.
The Cathedral Basilica also houses a large organ. You can see the pipes to the front of the altar and I believe I saw some on each side as well (visible through the chapel wings). We did not, however, attend a mass so we were unable to witness its use. If you would like to attend a mass though, their website has an updated information about their masses, confessions, etc.
Once you are done being astonished by the wonderful work of art, there is also a staircase to the right which will led you to the basement. This part of the building serves as the home to some of the mosaic exhibit as well as some artificats. When you exit the museum, there is another staircase leading up to the cathedral shop where you may purchase religious paraphernalia or other items pertaining to the Cathedral Basilica or the Catholic Church.
If you have not been here, I highly recommend that you take some time to visit. I definitely will take some visiting friends here in the future!

Going inside the Cathedral Basilica has always been on my STL bucket list, but I’ve never made time for it. Well, I got off my butt and did it. And it was phenomenal.
The Cathedral Basilica has a Romanesque exterior with a Byzantine interior. To make things even more confusing, the mosaics are of Byzantine and Italian styles. Built from 1907 to 1912, the mosaics were added after the building were built, starting in 1912. They weren’t finished until decades later as the church had to pay for each mosaic in full before work was started. It’s withstood earthquakes. And to clean one of the small chapels costs about $ 35,000! Can you imagine the upkeep of 40 million glass pieces?
Call ahead at 314.373.8241 to reserve for a free guided tour. It’s excellent. They’re given daily at different times between 10 AM to 4 PM, and there is a tour after Sunday Mass at 1 PM. If you don’t want a guided tour, check the schedule to make sure that they are not conducting Mass. There is a self-​guided brochure available in the vestibule and online. But the wealth of information you get on the tour is astounding. It’s more on the mosaics and the history rather than the architecture, however. They’ll talk about the two main domes, the altar, the hidden stained glass window, and the four other small chapels on the sides of the church. It’s amazing to discuss the difference in mosaic styles and why one gold section is shinier than the other. And they’ll let you in on a couple of secrets of the Basilica, including what mistakes were made while they were creating this beauty.
I’ve been to many a cathedral in Europe… and this is just as breathtaking and amazing as any of them. It’s humbling and amazing to just take it all in.
There is a Mosaic Museum downstairs with a $ 2 suggested admission. If you don’t take the guided tour, it’s worth your time; otherwise it’s just a recap of the tour (unless you really love mosaic technique… then this is for you.). Downstairs is also where the Cardinals are interred.
There is a gift shop also on the main floor. There is a free parking lot off of Newstead. Don’t try to access the parking lot from the alley off of Taylor.
Go and prepare to be amazed.

It’s a Cathedral. It’s Big. It’s pretty. And you should visit if you haven’t.
That’s basically the gist of Cathedral Basilica. I mean, what more do you need to know? Just look at the photos on Unilocal!It’s a magnificent peace of architecture smack dab in the middle of STL.
If you’ve ever been to Europe and seen any cathedrals there, it’s very similar. Obviously it’s not quite that old, but it’s a beauty.
If you’re scheduling a visit you should make sure they don’t have Mass. I’m pretty sure they have tours but you can self-​tour no problemo! If you’re in the area or new to town, it’s a must see. You can see it all in 30 minutes easily.

There’s a reason this place has 5 stars, and it isn’t because a bunch of Catholic nuns rated it.
This place is absolutely gorgeous! I’ve visited several cathedrals throughout the United States and I have yet to visit one as beautiful as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. I make it a point to always bring out-​of-​town guests here, even if they’re not religious. You can get lost in this place. The ceilings are sparkling, the altar is magnificent, and the building itself is breathtaking. They offer tours daily as well. I haven’t taken advantage of the tours so I can’t say much about it. Whether you’re interested in a self-​guided or scheduled tour, I would call ahead of time. Otherwise, you may come during a scheduled mass and will be unable to explore the Cathedral.
In terms of masses, they have several offered throughout the week, particularly on Saturday and Sunday. If you do come here for mass, I would recommend sitting close to the front so that you can understand the priest. Otherwise, it will be hard to understand him over the echoes. If you’re into organ music, then this is definitely the place to come. The whole room just fills with sound. It is quite magnificent. In addition to frequent masses, they also offer confessions on a daily basis as well.
In sum, a great place to come regardless of whether or not you are religious.

For the first time in my seventeen year marriage, I suggested to my wife that we go to church. This was after visiting the cathedral on a Saturday afternoon. I told her I’d really like to come back for mass either that evening or Sunday morning. Well we missed tonight’s and I bet we won’t make it tomorrow morning but it’s the thought that matters right?
The place is just unreal and should be seen.

Seriously. Just go. I was caught off guard when I went inside, expecting it to be like any other typical cathedral. But when I entered, I was astounded by the art and colors. Any of my friends will tell you that I am the LAST person they’d expect to appreciate art. And I was blown away. Pictures simply don’t do this place justice.
If you’re local to St. Louis and have never visited, DRAG YOURSELF TO VISIT ASAP! There is a reason why the average rating for this cathedral is at 5 stars (not 4-​and-​a-​half, but actually 5) and the moment you look inside, you’ll realize why… and deeply regret that you hadn’t visited sooner.

First off, add this place to your next St. Louis itinerary. And, if you’re a local, stop dragging your feet and pay a visit. It’s free and almost always open so no excuses.
I originally found Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Atlas Obscura as it is second to the Basilica in Rome for number of mosaic tiles. Seriously, you guys, this beauty is covered from head to toe. From modern mural scenes to columns that shine beautifully in the light, you won’t regret setting aside a half an hour to an hour to check it out. Tours are available as well as plenty of signs to explain what you’re looking at and the history of the building.

A beautiful and inspiring sight. While I am not particularly religious I wanted to see this cathedral for the architecture and am so glad I did. Definitely worth seeing if you are in the St. Louis area.
I stayed for mass and thought it was a great service. The music was amazing and seeing the cathedral full of life made me appreciate the surroundings even more. There were gorgeous statues surrounding the cathedral which were great. They had a cute little walkway that was a nice intimate place for someone who wants to have a little alone time. Inside was beautiful. The art is amazing and the stories told through picture are detailed which I love about mosaics. If you’re in St. Louis you should definitely check it out.