Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
| Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis | |
|---|---|
_-_exterior,_quarter_view.jpg) |
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 Location in Missouri
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| 38°38′33″N 90°15′17″W / 38.64250°N 90.25472°WCoordinates: 38°38′33″N 90°15′17″W / 38.64250°N 90.25472°W | |
| Location | 4431 Lindell Boulevard St. Louis, Missouri |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Website | www.cathedralstl.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Consecrated | June 29, 1926 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Barnett, Haynes & Barnett |
| Style |
Neo-Byzantine Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1907 |
| Completed | 1914 |
| Construction cost | $3,000,000 (1914 dollars) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,500 (floor seating) 5,000 (including galleries) |
| Length | 365 feet (111 m) |
| Width | 204 feet (62 m) |
| Number of domes | One |
| Dome height (outer) | 227 feet (69 m) |
| Number of spires | Two |
| Materials |
Granite (exterior) Brick, marble, mosaic tiles (interior) |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of St. Louis |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Most Rev. Robert Carlson |
| Rector |
Msgr. Joseph D. Pins |
| Reference no. | 57 |
Msgr. Joseph D. Pins
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. Completed in 1914, it is the mother church of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the seat of its archbishop, currently Robert James Carlson. The cathedral is named for Saint Louis and was designated a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.
The cathedral was built as a replacement for the previous Cathedral of St. Louis located along the Mississippi River. Although workers began clearing ground for the building on May 1, 1907, dedication of the Cathedral and its first mass did not take place until October 18, 1914, when the superstructure was complete. Consecration of the church took place more than a decade later on June 29, 1926. The church is known for its large mosaic installation (which is one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere), burial crypts, and the addition of an outdoor sculpture to promote racial harmony.
Planning for the cathedral began under the authority of Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick in the 1870s and 1880s, and a fund was created for the construction of the building by Archbishop John Joseph Kain. A formal organization promoting the new cathedral was created on April 28, 1871, and among the members of the St. Louis Cathedral Building Association were Archbishop Kenrick, Bishop Patrick John Ryan, and a variety of local businessmen. Initial site selection indicated that the new cathedral would be built on a city block bounded by 22nd and 23rd streets, and by Pine and Chestnut streets, at a location east of the actual construction site.
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