Cathedral of St. John the Divine - New York City

Address:1047 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York
Tel: (212) 316-7490

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City stands majestically on the corner of Amsterdam and 112th street. The building represents a spectacular triumph of Gothic architecture, even in such a new and modern background such as New York City. The plans for the building can be traced back to 1828, when the first proposal was written. Construction did not actually start, however, until the cornerstone was finally laid in 1892.

Even once construction began, the building was intended to be of a Romanesque and Byzantine design. In 1911, when the base and choir section had already been built, the designers again changed their plans and started building in the Gothic tradition, enabling the building to be built with much more stained glass. You can still see the changes to this day in the differences in style of different sections of the building. The Cathedral was not open to the public until 1941, only one day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

In 1979, Under Rev. James P. Morton, plans for expansion were drawn up and construction again commenced. Still under construction today, the Cathedral will eventually be the second largest religious edifice in the world. Enjoy this fascinating display of ancient architecture in a modern setting!

The Cathedral is open from 7:00 AM to 6:00pm Monday to Saturday, and until 7:00 Sundays. Public tours are available once a day Tuesdays to Saturdays at 11:00am, and Sundays at 1:00pm. Cost is about $5.00 a person, with a discount for students and seniors. The "Vertical Tour" is given Saturdays at 12:00pm and 2:00pm. Don't forget to check out the family friendly Medieval Arts Workshop, where children and families can take part in Middle Age arts including stonecarving, weaving, and sculpting on Saturdays from 10:00am to 12:00pm.