Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (San Francisco) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption |
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Cathedral from the DePaul Campus of Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory
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 Location in California
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| 37°47′03″N 122°25′32″W / 37.7842°N 122.4255°W | |
| Location | 1111 Gough St. San Francisco, California, 94109 |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | www.smcsf.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Dedication | October 5, 1996 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Pier Luigi Nervi, Pietro Belluschi, John Michael Lee, Paul A. Ryan and Angus McSweeney |
| Style | Structural Expressionist Modern |
| Groundbreaking | 1967 |
| Completed | 1971 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,400 seats |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption is a very important church in San Francisco, California. People often call it Saint Mary's Cathedral. It's the main church for Catholics in San Francisco and nearby areas like Marin and San Mateo.
You can find this cathedral in the Cathedral Hill part of San Francisco. The church you see today is actually the third one with a similar name. The first one, built in 1853, is now called Old Saint Mary's Cathedral. The second cathedral stood from 1891 to 1962.
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A Look at the Second Cathedral
In 1883, Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan bought land for a new, larger cathedral. Construction began in 1885, and the cornerstone was placed in 1887. The church was officially opened on January 11, 1891.
This second cathedral served the people of San Francisco for 71 years. Many important events happened there. For example, Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII, held a Mass there in 1936. Sadly, on September 7, 1962, this beautiful building was destroyed by a fire.
Building the New Cathedral in 1971
After the fire, a new cathedral was needed. The current building was planned around the same time as a big meeting for the Catholic Church called Vatican II in Rome. The first leader of the new cathedral was Monsignor Thomas J. Bowe.
The first stone for the new building was laid on December 13, 1967. The construction finished three years later. The cathedral was blessed on May 5, 1971, and officially dedicated on October 5, 1996, to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1987, Pope John Paul II celebrated the first Papal Mass in this new cathedral.
The cathedral also has strong connections to local schools. It used to have its own all-girls high school. That school later joined with an all-boys school to form Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. This school still uses the cathedral for special events like Masses and graduations. Another school, Junipero Serra High School, also holds its graduation ceremonies here.
Unique Design of the Cathedral
The 1971 cathedral was designed by several architects. Local architects John Michael Lee, Paul A. Ryan, and Angus McSweeney worked with famous international architects Pier Luigi Nervi and Pietro Belluschi. The top part of the building, made of precast concrete, was built by Terracon and the DiRegolo Family.
The cathedral is a large square, measuring about 255 feet (78 meters) on each side. It stands very tall, reaching 190 feet (58 meters) high, and has a 55-foot (17-meter) golden cross on top. Its special roof looks like a saddle and is made of eight curved sections. If you look at the roof from the bottom, it's a square, but from the top, it looks like a cross.
The design was quite unusual and caused some discussion when it was first planned. Some people thought it looked strange. Others said it looked similar to the St. Mary's Cathedral in Tokyo, which was built earlier. Many Catholics in San Francisco were used to older, more traditional church designs, so this modern look was a big change. Some people even jokingly called it "Our Lady of Maytag" because its roof reminded them of a washing machine part!
Despite the early debates, the building has received praise for its unique architecture. In 2007, it was chosen by a group of architects as one of San Francisco's top 25 buildings. In 2017, Architecture Digest magazine named it one of the 10 most beautiful churches in the United States.
Images for kids
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Inside the cathedral, showing the unique roof structure.
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A view of the altar and the large cross.
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Looking up at the impressive ceiling.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa María de la Asunción (San Francisco) para niños
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- Roman Catholic Marian churches
