St. Mary's Cathedral

Among the most fascinating buildings in Austin is Saint Mary's Cathedral, located on E 10th St in downtown Austin. The Catholic Church dates back to the 1850s, and endured several location changes until the cornerstone for the current building was laid in 1872. The church was designed by Victorian architect Nicholas J. Clayton, who later went on to design ecclesiastical structures in Texas and Florida, as well as the Main Building at St. Edward’s University in South Austin.

Saint Mary’s unique design contains elements that represent divine encounters in the natural world. From the columns topped with carved foliage, to the vine and floral motifs, mountain-like arches, and the celestial paintings on the overhead dome, visitors are reminded that the Earth is a wondrous and divine place.

Visitors will find beauty in the cathedral’s stained glass windows and peace in its church bell, which sits in the tall bell tower that overlooks Austin’s skyline. It is said that the sanctuary was created to resemble a boat, a common element in church design. In the late 1950s, the church was remodeled. At that time, many of its neo-gothic decorations were removed and replaced with 20th century marble and Central Texas cactus and bluebonnets were added to the baldachin.

St. Mary’s Cathedral in downtown Austin is a great place to visit for those interested in Austin history and architecture. Similar Austin attractions within a few minutes of St. Mary’s are the Texas State Capitol and Driskill Hotel. In addition to being close to great attractions and entertainment, Downtown Austin is a great place to live and work. To learn more about downtown living, check out our newest downtown Austin home listings.

More things to do in Austin: Austin Attractions Austin City Limits Festival Austin Arboretum Austin Bike Tours Austin Country Club Austin Duck Tours Austin Zoo Barking Springs Dog Park Barton Creek Country Club Barton Creek Greenbelt Barton Creek Square Mall Barton Springs Pool Bob Bullock Museum Cabela's in Buda Cimarron Hills Golf Course Congress Bridge Deep Eddy Pool Dell Diamond Discovery Well Cave Reserve Domain Downtown Austin Driskill Hotel East Austin Studio Tour East Side of Austin The French Legation Hamilton Pool Inner Space Caverns Lady Bird Lake Lake Austin Lake Austin Spa Resort LBJ Library Lockhart Barbeque McKinney Falls State Park Mt. Bonnell New Braunfels Kayaking Norwood Estate Dog Park Pecan Street Festival Pflugerville Wine Tours Rainey Street Red Bud Isle Sixth Street South Congress State Capitol St. Edwards University St. Mary's Cathedral SXSW Texas Memorial Stadium University of Texas The Village at Westlake Volente Beach Waterpark Waterloo Records West Campus West Sixth Street Westlake High School Zilker Park Zilker Botanical Gardens