St. Patrick's Cathedral

St. Patrick's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located on the east side of Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets in Manhattan, New York City. It is decorated with Gothic style and built with white marble.

Fast Facts

1. Architect: James Renwick, Jr
2. Construction began: 1858
3. Construction finished: 1878
4. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976
5. Can accommodate 2,200 people
6. The roof is made from slate
7. Built with white marble
8. The Spires rise 330 feet from ground level
9. One alter designed by Tiffany and Co.
10. A bust of Pope John Paul II is located in the rear of the cathedral

History

On March 6, 1810, the land that the cathedral is built on was purchased for $11,000. A school operated by the Jesuits was built, but soon failed. In 1850, Archbishop John Hughes announced that he wanted to build a new cathedral to replace the Old St. Patrick's Cathedral that was destroyed by a fire.

On August 15, 1858, the cornerstone was laid and work on building the cathedral started. The cathedral was completed in 1878 and dedicated on May 25, 1879.

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