St. Patrick's Cathedral

This incredible Gothic white-marble-and-stone structure is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States, as well as the seat of the Archdiocese of New York. Designed by James Renwick, begun in 1859, and consecrated in 1879, St. Patrick’s wasn’t completed until 1906. Strangely, Irish Catholics picked one of the city’s WASPiest neighborhoods for St. Patrick’s. Timothy Dolan was named archbishop of New York by Pope Benedict XVI in early 2009, upon the retirement of Cardinal Edward Egan. The vast cathedral seats a congregation of 2,200; if you don’t want to come for Mass, you can pop in between services to get a look at the impressive interior. The St. Michael and St. Louis altar came from Tiffany & Co. (also located here on Fifth Ave.), while the St. Elizabeth altar—honoring Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint—was designed by Paolo Medici of Rome.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.