Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

Built between 1908 and 1914, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is a Roman Catholic church located in the Central West End. It contains one of the most extensive collections of mosaics in the western hemisphere. The cathedral includes a museum, shop, and archives. The Mosaic Museum is located on the cathedral's lower level, with exhibits that detail the design and installation of the tiled artwork throughout the building. A Kilgen organ from 1915 is also on display, along with a needlepoint prie-dieu sampler and other historic objects. The archives contain vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates), as well as documents related to the church's history. In the basement of the cathedral, there is a burial crypt. For small admission fee, the museum is open to the public, and visitors can call ahead to schedule a tour of the cathedral in order to learn more about its history and construction.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is a Roman Catholic church constructed in the style of European cathedrals. It features Romanesque and Byzantine architecture, with two towers and three large domes. Planning began in 1905, and the cornerstone was placed on October 18, 1908. Exactly six years later, the cathedral held its first High Mass, although construction was still not complete. Two days later, the first wedding was held on site. In 1915, a new Kilgen organ was installed. This musical instrument has since been retired and is now part of the museum.

The cathedral was consecrated on June 29, 1926, in a ceremony that drew 100,000 people to witness the occasion along Lindell Boulevard. Even after the ceremony, the cathedral was not finished until the last mosaic was completed in 1988. The building also includes a Blessed Sacrament Chapel, featuring bronze gates that were part of the Austrian exhibit at the 1904 World's Fair held in Forest Park. In addition to the elaborate mosaics throughout the building, the vaulted ceiling and dome are intended to draw the visitor's eye upward. The German firm of August Wagner was commissioned to design and install the mosaics. Upon being hired, the firm opened a shop in St. Louis and began operating as the Ravenna Mosaic Company. For a two-dollar admission fee, visitors can view the museum and learn more about the art inside the building.

In 1930, new mosaics were added to the interior, and the older mosaics underwent a restoration. The new mosaics added in the 1930s depict the life of Saint Louis, also known as King Louis IX of France, a Roman Catholic monarch who reigned in Europe from 1226 to 1270. The cathedral's last mosaic was finally completed in 1988, having taken 76 years to complete. It is one of the largest mosaics in the world, comprised of over 41 million individual pieces of tile. Due to the level of detail involved, from a distance the mosaic appears as if it is a cohesive painting. Inside the cathedral, there is also a small shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a mosaic that was created at the Vatican.

Following the World War II period, a sacristy was built on the north side of the building, and the Kilgen organ was replaced. Then, in the late 1990s, the cathedral received a special designation from Pope John Paul II during a historic visit to the city. Thereafter, it became known as a cathedral basilica (the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis). This change in status was accompanied by the incorporation of two new symbols within the interior: a tintinnabulum, or bell, and an ombrellino, or umbrella. These objects were both placed near the High Altar at the front of the church to signify the cathedral's new status.

In 1999, a fourteen-foot tall statue, "The Angel of Harmony," was installed on the grounds outside the cathedral. The statue commemorates Daniel Schlafly, a Catholic layman who committed his life to the cause of racial justice and peace. The statue depicts an African American winged angel, standing with a group of children of Asian, Latinx, and European descent. The children are playing a song of peace on their musical instruments. The granite base of the statue is inscribed with biblical quotations, as well as with words from Pope John Paul II and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The statue was intended to symbolize the coming together of people around the world.

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Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, YouTube / World Site Guides. Accessed November 29th, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg4Uuoag3Gc.

Cathedral Basilica Saint Louis, YouTube / CBE Travels. Accessed November 29th, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAI_FXr3GE.