Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, Saint Louis

This is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever visited, particularly in the United States. I rank it much above St. Patrick’s in NYC. The mosaics are breathtaking, containing over 41 million pieces of glass that were installed over 76 years by generations of the same family. I cannot recommend a visit to this great Catholic church highly enough, especially if you love art and architecture.

Absolutely gorgeous, a must visit in St. Louis. Parking to visit the Basilica is plentiful along the street. And then when you approach from the outside you marvel at the presence of something so powerful and beautiful outside of Europe. Then as you open the massive and intricately carved entrance doors you are confronted by cacophony of color from the Byzantine style mosaic awash a sea of gold that can only be described as awe inspiring. The sheer scale and quality of the tile work could take a full day to appreciate. The high altar at the front of the army of pews gives you a sense of a building within a building, and is a prize for the eyes in itself. And then you turn and see the full Stained glass window blazing with color and understand you are in a special place no matter your religion. In the basement there is a small museum describing the creation of these mosaics along with other pieces of the basilica’s history. The silence pervading this place is not proscriptive, but natural feeling. A perfect place for reflection and quiet enjoyment.