Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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St. Patrick’s Cathedral New York, Neo-Gothic Landmark

St. Patrick’s Cathedral stands on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets in Midtown Manhattan, directly across from Rockefeller Center. Known as “America’s Parish Church,” it is the seat of the Archbishop of New York and the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America. Designed by architect James Renwick Jr., the Neo-Gothic structure is clad in marble and occupies an entire city block. The cornerstone was laid in 1858 under Archbishop John Hughes.

Construction paused during the Civil War and resumed afterward; the cathedral opened its doors in 1879 (with the twin spires completed later in 1888). At the time, the site was considered so far uptown that critics called the project “Hughes’ Folly.” It was funded largely by donations from Irish immigrant parishioners and a group of prominent citizens. Key features include:

Twin spires rising approximately 330 feet
Massive bronze entrance doors, each weighing over 9,000 pounds
Capacity of about 2,400 people
Extensive stained-glass windows (including a large rose window)
Two pipe organs (the larger Kilgen organ has nearly 8,000 pipes)

The cathedral welcomes more than 5 million visitors each year. Entry is free (suggested donation welcomed). A New York City landmark and National Historic Landmark, St. Patrick’s remains an active place of worship and one of the city’s most visited sites.