Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

Introduction

Standing at the south end of Logan Circle, the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, completed in 1864 to designs by Napoleon LeBrun after the basilica form of St. Peter's in Rome. Its Corinthian portico and copper dome, about 24 m across, anchor the city skyline. Inside, the main dome is painted by Italian artists, and stained glass and marble carving are sumptuous, seating about 2,000. In 1982 Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass here, making it one of the few American churches to host a pope. Whatever one's faith, the interior conveys the devotion and architectural ambition of 19th-century American Catholic communities.

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