Cathedral of Saint Paul
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Completed in 1915, The Cathedral of St. Paul was the creation of Archbishop John Ireland, architect Emmanuel Masqueray, and the mostly anonymous artists, craftsmen, masons, stonecutters, laborers, and citizen contributors. It is 306 feet high with a recently restored copper dome in the Beaux Arts style.
The severe exterior of Minnesota Rockville granite, belies a glorious interior of soaring spaces, statuary and metalwork, stained glass, and a display of rare marbles from around the world. The interior dome is 175 feet high and 96 feet in diameter.
One of the Cathedral's signature features is the Shrine of Nations, forming a semicircle behind the altar. Each of the six chapels represents an ethnic group whose members contributed to the construction of the building; a statue of the patron saint is paired with a marble floor medallion representing the home country. For Ireland, for example, St. Patrick is represented in stone and a medallion of Connemara Green.
For the history-minded, a mural high on a east-facing wall on the buiding's north side shows the arrival of St. Paul's first bishop, Joseph Cretin, in a canoe, greeted by the first priest, Father Lucien Galtier, the man who gave St. Paul its name. In the background you see St. Paul's first church and cathedral, the log cabin Chapel of St. Paul.
By all means enter and see for yourself. The Cathedral is open long hours daily; you can take a self-guided tour anytime and free guided tours on Monday through Friday at 1:00 PM
Files
Cathedral of St. Paul
Date: 1918 Photographer: Charles P. Gibson Image Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
View of St. Paul from Cathedral Hill
Date: 1885 Photographer: T.W. Ingersoll Image Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul Cathedral
Postcard of St. Paul Cathedral with Selby Tunnel in the foreground. Date: 1910
Cathedral of Saint Paul
East facade Date: April, 2013 Photo By: Kimmy Tanaka
Cathedral of St. Paul
East entrance Date: April, 2013 Photo By: Kimmy Tanaka
Interior of Cathedral of St. Paul
Photographer: Eugene Debs Becker Date: 1964 Image Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Interior of dome, Cathedral of St. Paul
Date: 1950 Photographer: Riehle Studio Image Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Interior of Cathedral of St. Paul
Date: 3/17/1956 Photographer: St. Paul Dispatch & Pioneer Press Image Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
View of downtown St. Paul
From the steps of the Cathedral of St. Paul Date: May, 2013 Photo by: Kimmy Tanaka
View of the State Capitol
From the steps of the Cathedral of St. Paul Date: May, 2013 Photo by: Kimmy Tanaka
Cathedral of Saint Paul
Photo by: Tony Andrea, East End Productions, 2013