Cathedral of Saint Paul

First important hint: the doors may look Like they are closed, just go ahead and push it. It may be due to the weather. That said, visiting the Cathedral of Saint Paul is rewarding experience, it warms your soul. Regardless of your religious point of view, just go and feel it, you won’t regret. It is a peaceful place full of art and details. Stained glasses, sculpture, history…and it is indescribable what you feel when someone is playing the pipe organ. It is powerful! Make sure you reserve enough time, if you like details like I do. It is also a great idea to bundle this with other places around like the Minnesota Capitol and WWII memorial. It is a pleasant walk between buildings, specially during the fall with its astonishing colors.

I only visited the Cathedral of Saint Paul once, but it left a big impression. The architecture is stunning — massive, detailed, and beautiful inside and out. Walking in, you immediately feel the history and sense of peace. Even if you’re not religious, it’s worth stopping by just to take in the design and the atmosphere. Definitely one of the most breathtaking landmarks in Saint Paul!

The weekend guard made an already awesome visit both informative and welcoming. Many thanks for keeping this wonderful treasure open most of the time -- its cousin St. Paul's in London charges 35 pounds sterling to visit! (and it's not that much bigger than ours, the third largest US cathedral and sixth largest church in the nation)

The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the most magnificent cathedral that I have visited to date!! It is beyond breathtaking. We attended 7:30 AM Mass on a Monday morning, and we were in awe… We did not take advantage of the guided tour, but we did return to purchase items from the gift shop. If you’re hoping to join the guided tour, I encourage you to call or fill out the tour availability form online. Visiting Cathedral of Saint Paul is highly recommended for all!!

Such a beautifuland breathtaking Cathedral filled with details and history everywhere. There is a small shop inside, there was a big mass the day of so it was full. And there's a timeline on the bottom.

Beautiful Cathedral!! This was my first time here and it was magnificent!!

A stunning Cathedral. There is so much beauty in this church. The rotunda is very nice.

Beautiful church! The service was beautifully done, partial Latin. Which helped me brush up a bit. The Homily was well said and a week before Christmas was perfect. I would become a member here. The sense of community was overwhelmingly positive. Beautiful church!

Miracles do happen... sometimes. This is an amazing cathedral with interesting history and magnificent architecture!! A must see for out-of-town visitors as this is the cathedral from which the city got its name; it's also the third largest Catholic cathedral in the nation. If you're an out of town tourist staying in the downtown area, the 21 bus will take you right to it. It is open to the public and the inside is beautiful and pristine. I was there late morning on May 8, 2025 and around 11:10am, ALL the church bells started chiming! It was a wonderful feeling inside listening to the beautiful bells! I later learned that it was the moment the new pope was elected. A small miracle, and a wonderful blessing, I would say. May all your wishes and prayers come true.

So much beauty in this place Classical renaissance style The sanctuary is awe inspiring Behind the sanctuary are the patron saints of the different peoples (St Patrick, St John the Baptist, St Boniface, St Cyril and Methodious, St Therese). Across from the sanctuary corners were the statues of the Gospel Writers

We stopped at the Cathedral of St Paul after being in the area exploring. The cathedral was absolutely breathtaking and beautiful inside and out. The architecture was stunning on the outside just as it was inside. The attention to detail and decor and stained glass windows were beautiful. I highly recommend stopping in and checking out this cathedral regardless of your religious stance it is an absolute sight to enjoy.

I have been here for mass, special events, just to visit, and, most recently, to sketch with the MetroSketchers. It's such a beautifully architected building. The domes, stained glass, statues, organ, paintings, ... there are so many breath taking things to see. It's a holy place, so while there are people enjoying the splendor of the area, there are also people praying and practicing their faith. Always be respectful that it is a place of worship.

I love visiting old churches when I'm in a new area. The Twin Cities certainly have plenty of beautiful churches to offer. I visited on a Thursday afternoon and it was not crowded at all. It was a great time to visit, as the organist was practicing and the cathedral was filled with beautiful music. I lit some candles, walked around, and made a small donation. It was a nice visit.

This is a must see on your list for Minneapolis/ St. Paul. Beautiful inside and out! I happened to come here during a wedding service, building is beautiful and so much to see. Also, there's monuments around you can check out as well. Great place to walk around and see other buildings.

Beautiful architecture and glass window work. I'm not a practicing Catholic, but I can't deny the beauty that this space holds. It's never crowded during the week, and everyone is polite and keep to themselves. It's worth a trip!

The entrance is not marked clearly. I visited on Sunday, and there was a service. The staff was incredibly helpful. I was able to walk around the back and downstairs. You will find additional restrooms downstairs. Well maintained cathedral with a lot of history.

I have never been inside of a European cathedral, but I can't imagine that it can be any more stunning than the Cathedral of St. Paul. Just a few block from the beautiful and immense state capitol; the cathedral is just as breathtaking and even more so when inside. One of my top 10 architectural visits for sheer "awe". Pull off the highway and visit.

I had booked a reservation for dinner at a restaurant on Selby Avenue. My plan was to drive over there after an afternoon Minnesota Wild game. The drive would take roughly ten minutes. As I was making my way over there, I passed by this cathedral. I was early for my dinner reservation, so I cycled around the block, parked along the side of this cathedral, and did an external tour. Whenever I am walking across the RiverCentre skywalk heading from its parking lot to the Xcel Energy Center, I have always looked at the skyline. It occurred to me that I have been looking at this cathedral for years and didn't know its name until now. This Catholic cathedral sits on the highest point in downtown Saint Paul. The parish hosts a regular organ concert series showcasing the cathedral's two pipe organs. Perhaps Wild games need to borrow them. The Minnesota Orchestra and Vocal Essence are some of the groups that have performed here. I came by on a Sunday. Guided tours are available, but from Tuesdays through Fridays at 1 pm. I need to return. Reservations are required for both individual and group reservations. Although there isn't a tour fee, donations are encouraged. The cathedral was built between 1906 and 1915. Its architecture is classical revival. Most materials were brought in front various parts of Minnesota. The exterior walls of the cathedral are rockville granite from St. Cloud. The interior walls are American travertine from Mankato. I like that they went local for materials. The dome looked impressive looking at it from the outside. I'd love to go in and check out what it looks like inside the cathedral. The dome was renovated in 2002. I saw a few bells. I learned that the cathedral acquired the five bells from France. I guess that Minnesota isn't known to be a bell state. Taking a front-facing photo of the cathedral was quite the challenge. The steps were not plowed. I managed to find a safe step to take a photo. Trying to get out of it was a challenge, though... haha! I'm glad that I stopped by to admire how beautiful this cathedral is. It's nice that I finally know its name after staring at it before and after Wild hockey games for a few years. Mystery solved! (58)

Amazing architecture and work and even better AMAZING clergyman. I went to 730am mass the message was about joy and suffering and that God gives you so much focus on gratitude for all those things VS a narrow vision on the 1 or 2 bad things, dont give in to the devil. Joy and gratitude are a choice like love.

Beautiful. The neighborhood is also walkable and gratifying to do on a beautiful day. I didn't know exactly what to expect going into the Cathedral - but it was more than I anticipated. There's a lot of detail here, not just in the architecture, craftsmanship, & decor, but the layout, spacing & design. There's doors & entryways & alcoves all over the place. Give yourself about an hour. If you want to soak up more history & information, I'd say 2hours for sure. If you're local, split up your visits & go a few times for a shorter experience and include a tour - which I THINK they offer - on one of those trips. #AdultingFun

A MUST when visiting the Twin Cities! It is beyond stunning. From beautifully sculpted sculptures to rich history, it is truly a sight to see. Whether you go to worship or learn about the history, you will leave in awe. They have weekday tours (Tuesday-Friday) at 1pm for those wanting to learn more! Fun fact: it is the third biggest cathedral in the US!

Church architecture at its finest for Saint Paul. The Cathedral is open to the public. It's hard to grasp the sheer size while inside and see elaborate stained glass windows. Inside, it's relatively contained a restricted floor plan. Externally, the facades evoke a larger than life sense due it the rigid corner and geometric patterns.

Absolutely breathtaking architecture. The view of the city from the parking lot, in front of the Cathedral, is incredible. The road to the building was closed due to construction; However, there is a free parking lot when you arrive. The bells rang on the hour and personally made the whole experience.

Absolutely beautiful cathedral. The architecture and design is breathtaking. There was someone playing the organ while I was there and it took my breath away.

This is really a massive cathedral. I mean, it's huge! You have to sort of walk up a hill and then you see it. Peaceful surroundings. It's very quiet in the area. You can enjoy the artwork inside.

Everyone here is weighing in on the Cathedral of St. Paul, in Minnesota's capital, with 5 stars and that's what I was thinking. Yelp has changed its explanations for their ratings, making them more realistic and less childlike. A 5 used to imply "as good as it gets" and is now denominated as "great." This is indeed a great church, in both its craftsmanship and its uplifting character. I managed to go in here for a short while, with some people waiting to go to confession and others simply worshiping. I had the camera on my phone in ready mode and stayed toward the sides. It was difficult to capture the cathedral's grandeur from either the interior or the exterior and frame the photos correctly. Something very cool happened here. One of the employees acknowledged me and quietly and diplomatically answered some of my questions and addressed my comments. First, I would have never thought that the same architect who designed this cathedral also designed Minneapolis's basilica. I learned that that day. When you scrutinize them in greater detail, some similarities do become apparent. However, Minneapolis's main church is more rectilinear while the cathedral in St. Paul has a more evident cupola, as well as more domed and vaulted areas, making it very evocative. With St. Paul being the relative underdog of the Twin Cities, it was seemingly dealt a slightly better hand in terms of an incredible main Roman Catholic church building. I wanted to make some other comments of the type I would typically make and don't feel I need to apologize for. I made a quick study of the people in the church and the demographic was both urban(e) and diverse. When you walk into an important church and it is anything but provincial, that usually also says something positive about the congregation and the experience as a whole. In short, I trust my gut. It's called "live and learn." That said, I'm sure they cast a broad net in terms of their relief and assistance efforts, outreach within the archdiocese, and many other types of involvement that benefits the Twin Cities area. The most interesting juxtaposition, in my mind, is how the Cathedral of St. Paul, albeit massive, is both very peaceful and very imposing. Sitting atop a big flight of steps in the city's Cathedral Hill neighborhood, the view over downtown St. Paul, the state capitol, and toward the riverfront is awe inspiring.

If you're a lover of churches, this one is worth stopping off at. It has all the old world charm of a European cathedral. Go! Do it!

January 2021: Why would I give the Cathedral less than 5 stars? LOL I had the honor of visiting this beautiful Cathedral in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Visiting from California.) Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, Tours of the Cathedral are canceled, but I was so happy I was able to take my photos and videos right before mass on my own. The outside of the Cathedral is already beautiful, but covered in snow, was the cherry on top. :) You could also see the Cathedral from the freeway.

The outside of the church is a masterpiece in itself (especially the hand carving piece above the main doors). When you go inside, it's another level. The gorgeous ceilings, stain glass, statues and details behind the design choices are astounding. We took the tour ($2 donation per person and it's an hour long), where we got more details and history on the cathedral. It's worth visiting and taking the tour.

There are churches and there cathedrals then there's THE cathedral of St PAUL. Look at this place. See pics - it's Massive!! Having said that pictures won't be able to capture the immensity of this place of worship. This rating is for the architecture. I am just catching mass here as a tourist so I will and cannot comment on the parish.

Although St. Paul is a sleepy sort of town compared to its Twin City the Cathedral of Saint Paul stands out as a place for worshipers and admirers of architecture, a place high on the hill offering panoramic views plus free parking less than ten minutes from Xcel Energy Center and other local highlights.

While a very spiritual place of worship, the Cathedral is truly a work of art. The marble, the stained glass, the beautiful altars, and it is steeped in history. You can even find a plaque commemorating the pew where JFK sat for mass. And if you're lucky enough when you are there the Shrine of the Nations will be open. It is something to behold, again with beautiful altars for a number of countries and native things like the marble to that country. This is a great place to experience a Catholic mass as well as to go on a guided tour, if you have the time. I've experienced the guided tour once and all other times have been when we have brought family here while in anticipation of a tour at the James J. Hill House (just across the church parking lot on Summit-another gem)! There is so much to to learn about the history of the Cathedral. Don't have time for the detailed tour? Well near the entrance of the church there are stairs. Down in the basement, there you will find a pictorial guide that walks you through the years of progress of building it as well as other memorabilia. We even walked around and toured once while a wedding was taking place, signs were noted about the event and to be respectful. The church is so massive, I doubt the bride/groom were any the wiser, and of course we were tipping around like church mice. ;)

I'm not a religious kind of person at all but this place was on my list for things that I wanted to visit when I was in town and I also am a big person into architecture. I appreciate all the hours, work, dedication and that is put into this building. It's such a beautiful place that's awe inspiring. We even came here during mass so we didn't want to be disrespectful tourists taking pictures. I definitely reccomend this place with the highest reccomendation.

We visited the cathedral this morning and it's *gorgeous*, both inside and outside. In particular, it has several beautiful and huge stained-glass windows.

Such a magnificent piece of architecture and such a beautiful landmark in St. Paul. I'm trying to understand the allure of Red Bull having their event there, but whatever. I guess the draw is the big hill that goes down to the bottom. Once in awhile we will go sledding down that hill. Beware of the light posts, they will mess a sled and a back up! I'm fortunate to live a stones throw from the cathedral, but sometimes the proximity can be a pain when my mother questions whether or not I have gone to church and why I haven't being so close and all. The interior is beautiful, and there is a certain peace when there. The many times I have attended mass back in the day have been enjoyable. The organ, music, choir, presentation of it all is sometimes overwhelming and so traditional. I always have the best intentions of attending midnight mass, but never seem to stay awake for it. I do enjoy walking around and taking in the history, lighting a candle for people and sitting in silence every once in awhile. Even if you're not Catholic, religious or what have you, it it still a beautiful place to experience at least once. The interior and exterior are beautiful! I almost feel like heading down there now. I should call my mom to let her know.

HUGE cathedral! The architecture is incredible, so intricate and detailed. The place is very visitor friendly. You can walk in whenever the cathedral is open and meander throughout the church. I would recommend the tour which occurs daily and even more important it is FREE! I feel this is one landmark that you have to do in MN, whether you are into architecture or not. It's pretty crazy how such a building can be made so long ago.

I'm an ELCA Lutheran. I'm not a member of this church -- just a frequent drop-in. I sometimes attend mass, but more often I come seeking religious solitude. The are many alcoves to light a candle, pray, and soak in the sense of something bigger. It's a GRAND place of worship in every sense: an immense work of art, architecture, and religious wonder. It's been been designated as a national shrine to the Apostle Paul. Daily Mass at 7:30am and 5:15pm in addition to four Sunday masses. Day-to-day attendance is visually sparse in the Cathedral, but the space is so huge there are often hundreds. It just doesn't seem like it. I hope to attend on a religious holiday to see what the space looks like when filled to capacity. I'm also anxious to see the huge, recently restored pipe organs are put to use. Worth noting that the Cathedral of Saint Paul is host to the Red Bull Crushed Ice downhill speed skating competition, "...with a huge crowd of more than 100,000 people converging on the Cathedral of Saint Paul to witness the high-speed action that features skaters competing in four-man heats in a race to the bottom of a 400-metre-long track full of obstacles."

This is the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. I was in town for the week and kept staring at this beautiful place. I just HAD to go see it. It's breathtaking. It's hard to believe this place is built by human hands. I was in awe of the architecture.

Stunning! Beautiful on the outside, breathtakingly gorgeous on the inside! Beautiful architecture, artwork, and some antique artifacts to see and enjoy - no matter your beliefs, we can all agree that stained glass is GORGEOUS! Make a time to come see it for yourself, even if you don't have a ton of time - worth it!

When I think about "giant, gorgeous cathedrals" I don't necessarily picture something in the USA, let alone Minnesota. Perhaps I should have though, because the Cathedral of Saint Paul is stunning. As we drove up, I was just shocked. Perched on (I believe) the highest point in the city of St. Paul, the Cathedral looks out over the city. There is a parking lot on the south side of the church, to the left if you're looking at the front. We parked and went inside. Visitors can roam around, with respect of course, if there are no services. Especially be sure to take a look at the pipe organ, and near the front pews there is a path that takes you to six shrines of patron saints if European countries. Definitely worth a stop to explore this beautiful building, inside and out.

We attended mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul for my niece's confirmation. This is the most beautiful church I have ever been to in the U.S. Seeing it from the outside is impressive, but you need to go inside to be truly amazed. The architecture and the stained glasswork is stunning. I would highly recommend a visit here if you are in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Stunning. The beauty and size took my breath away. It's been said that this cathedral is comparable to the gorgeous cathedrals in Europe...and having been and lived in Europe, I have to agree. Beautiful artwork, sculptures and architecture. I did not do the free docent led tour (heard it's fascinating..need to come back!), I enjoyed walking around and touring on my own. My visit coincided with the youth choir concert, with their accompanying harp (see photos). Make sure to include this visit on your St Paul History tour of Summit Avenue, the James J. Hill House http://www.yelp.com/biz/james-j-hill-house-st-paul#hrid:B-Na5Cm-hM8vh5tVF6n8pg...oh and the State Capitol http://www.yelp.com/biz/minnesota-state-capitol-st-paul#hrid:JYfaM8PpbzZrDL32vkAMmw. Take a break at Nina's Coffee Cafe http://www.yelp.com/biz/ninas-coffee-caf%C3%A9-st-paul-2#hrid:0R7lmxRMCUUx9pnRGyTgPg in between sites :)

The Cathedral of Saint Paul is freaking huge!!! Once you get passed that initial reaction, then you can actually focus on the finer details, that this is an architectural masterpiece. Without any prompting, when you see it from a distance, you move towards it, curious. Such fine detail to its structure, and that's admiring it from the outside. (Hop to the lawn across the street for a great view.) From the inside, it's that much more impressive. The tall ceilings and vast amount of space: grandiose. This is a sanctuary and it's very easy to be in solitude here. Sit in the pews for a few minutes, for whatever reason it may be. To admire, pray, relax, contemplate. Perhaps all of the above. You'll find your neck sore as you stare up and note the incredible detail to the dome, the organ, sculptures, paintings, and especially the stained glass pieces. If you read about the history of the cathedral, it turns out this is the fourth version, each successive version one bigger and better. This one will be here to stay; how could you ever top this one? Still, it's HUGE!!!

A stunning cathedral overlooking the city of St. Paul. The building itself is a sight to behold up close - it is massive. When I walked inside, I felt like I was at St. Peter's in Rome. The central aisle is looooong and the baldacchino on the altar is reminiscent of the one carved by Bernini. The cathedral also boasts a copy of Michaelangelo's Pieta, created from the same mold as the original. Absolutely breathtaking. If you can, stay for Mass just to hear the organ. It is impressive!

This is absolutely breathtaking and one of the most besutiful churches I have ever been too. Me and my husband are catholic and we always try and visit churches and cathedrals. I definitely want to attend mass here one day. I just wish some of the tourists will treat this place with respect instead of some random attraction. When we went today a bunch of tourists and their kids were being extremely loud and disruptive. It was making me angry.

Totally worth visiting. Beautiful and breath taking. Make sure you have a good camera.

What a blessing it is for us to have this architectural gem in the Twin Cities. Modeled after St. Peter's in Rome, you can spend a good deal of time here in prayer, and touring the Cathedral and admiring the architecture, the grandeur, the niches, and the artwork. It's stunning. If you go, make certain that you don't forget to explore the niches behind and around the main altar and baldacchino, and the museum downstairs. You can obtain a booklet and take a self-guided tour. It's well worth it. Also, take time to see the side chapels and admire the beauty of the stained-glass. Acoustically, it can be a difficult place to hear, but setting that aside, it's a spectacular place to praise and worship Jesus Christ. Even if you're not Catholic, it's a great site worth seeing if you're a visitor to St. Paul. Spend some time here. You'll be impressed.

What a beautiful cathedral! The architecture and lighting are stunning. They have many statues of patron saints and gorgeous paintings spread around. Downstairs has a small exhibit of the history of the cathedral and a small gift shop area.

Breathtaking. Overwhelming and incredibly peaceful at the same time. Just go. You won't regret it. We did the self-guided tour (go to the lower level and buy the booklet for $2). I really liked doing the self-guided tour so we could take our time and go at our own pace.

The most impressive church I've ever been to! It's beautiful inside and out. Great place to go to Mass

My mom and dad were married here - before it was completed - 1946. Whether you've visited the great cathedrals of Europe or not, you should not miss this one. Beautiful and historic.

Absolutely beautiful. I come here to pray when I am feeling low. The wanderers respect you and for once, you'll feel at ease. This place is probably one of the best monuments in Minnesota in the heart of such a beautiful city that holds a bright past. This year (2015) is the cathedral's 100th year anniversery and it's still holding strong. 100 years! The architecture will stun you right down to your feet and you wouldn't be able to move as you stare at it. It's breathtaking and worth going to regardless if you've been to other places in the world.... This place is still worth seeing. I lived in France when I was younger, and it holds its similarities with material, design, and spiritualness. I also reccomend stopping by the James J. Hill house that isn't even a 3 minute walk away.

It's an engineering marvel and construction is breath taking. It's sheer magnificence speaks volumes. This is one of the best architectural places I have visited so far. A must see just to see what the hype is all about but it sure leaves an impression.

I don't think you'd be doing justice to yourself if you did not visit this gem in the heart of Saint Paul. Regardless of having faith or not, its an amazing piece of architecture which has hidden niches, artwork, and history in. Its important to take in both the outside and inside of the cathedral as there is beautiful stained-glass in the front and sides. A friend of mind and I were exploring the cathedral during night mass and the acoustics of the building were amazing. A phenomenal place just to find some peace, solitude, and self-reflect.

Its open to visitors and it is really cool to tour. The first time that I went there I came out fearfull of just about everything because it was sunday. Theey have every statue looking right at you and it is a little like a horror movie, really dark, but still really cool I would say that it is a must if you are a fan of architecture.

I am not catholic but I love this place. It is beautiful but very special in a spiritual sense and an art sense.

This place is lovely and amazing. The saints are worth visiting, and the have a replica of the Pietta (sp?). This church reminds me of St. Patrick's in NYC. Just lovely.