Cathedral of Saint Paul
Cathedral of St. Paul, Selby Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Varies during Covid. Please check their website before visiting.
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indoor-activities
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For fans of beautiful architecture, seeing The Cathedral of Saint Paul is awe-inspiring!
The city of St. Paul is no stranger to beautiful, historic architecture, so it's really no surprise that this glorious building can be found here. And I'm so glad I was able to take the girls to see it, as it had been some time since I had visited there myself. You don't need to be religious to enjoy this beautiful building. It's a famous landmark here in our capital city, and if you enjoy incredible architecture, or you'd like to show your kids a bit of St. Paul's history, this is a great stop on our itinerary.
The Cathedral is built upon a hill, overlooking the city of St. Paul, and shares the same namesake as the city...Paul the Apostle. The building opened back in 1915. It is the third-largest Catholic church in the United States and the sixth-largest church in the country. It's famous for its beautiful copper-laden dome, among its other architectural marvels. The Cathedral was designed by famous French Beaux-Arts Architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray and was designed to look similar to French churches of the time. The Cathedral features gorgeous stained glass windows, and I particularly like that both the interior and exterior walls are constructed of local Minnesota granite and travertine.
The Cathedral is normally open from 7 am to 6 pm, every day, though this is not the case during the pandemic. Regularly scheduled tours are all suspended. Please check their website before visiting, due to variation in hours during this time. Public tours are normally offered Tuesdays through Fridays, at 1 pm and are free of charge, though they do recommend a $2 donation if you're able. Tours are approximately one hour long, and The Cathedral welcomes over 200,000 visitors per year. Virtual tours are available on their website during this time.
I really think this is a beautiful piece of architecture and Minnesota history to show your family while visiting St. Paul.