Saint Mary's Cathedral
Saint Mary's Cathedral is a grand architectural achievement
Saint Mary's Cathedral has evolved into a grandiose Sydney landmark over a a period of over 130 years. Situated along the east side of Hyde Park in the Central Business District it is visible from many different vantage points. It is also Australia's largest church.
Featuring Gothic Revival architecture along the lines of the smaller and older St Andrew's Cathedral, the first stone for this beautiful Sydney landmark was laid back in 1868 after a succession of Catholic Churches, some of which were destroyed by fire. The Cathedral was finally dedicated in 1882, but it was only a portion of what it is today. The nave was not completed until 1928 followed by the crypt in 1961. And last, but not least the large spires on to of the two towers were not added until the year 2000 in order to improve the aesthetics of the previously square topped towers.
While the design of St. Mary's Cathedral is original it certainly inherits many features typical of far more medival churches from Europe. Due to the size of the project and the available location the Cathedral is oriented north-south breaking the tradition of east-west orientation.
Forty pictorial stained glass windows and striking mosaic floors along with a myriad of other fine details complete this elegant and grand Cathedral.
Nearby attractions: Hyde Park, Hyde Park Barracks Museum and the Australian Museum.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoSaint Mary's Cathedral Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Tuesday: 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Wednesday: 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Thursday: 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Friday: 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM
- Sunday: 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Address: St Marys Rd, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: (02) 9220 0400
Official Website: Saint Mary's Cathedral
Saint Mary's Cathedral Reviews
Rated out of 5
The St Mary's Cathedral has a Solemn High Mass every 10.30am Sunday. Whether you are a Catholic or not, everyone is welcomed to join the Mass.
They have an amazing choir and its a beautiful experience 🎶
Aside from it, the cathedral have a very captivating interior 🌟 donation will help the cathedral maintenance 👍
Moreover, checkout the crypt. Sometimes they are closed for the public (so check the internet for information).
The crypt has amazing details: mozaic floor, old musical instrument and many more. It is also the resting place of Australian Catholic leaders.
Please keep quiet when visiting the church and the crypt 😃
God bless ✝️
Angelique C. D - 2 weeks ago
Saint Mary’s Cathedral is absolutely amazing! The Gregorian Chant music was amazing! The interior was Heavenly gorgeous! The priest had a great homily! Without any doubt I strongly recommend going! Know our Savior Jesus Christ loves you and have a great day!❤️✝️🙏😃⚓️
Jack Carello - a month ago
St Marys Cathedral is the main Catholic church and is located in the centre of Sydney. It is a very large, grand and ornate building, both on the inside and out.
I came to do a guided tour. Every Sunday afternoon, volunteers with extensive knowledge of the church give free guided tours. Bookings are required beforehand by emailing the office by 12 pm on the Thursday just prior to going. I enjoyed the tour and had the chance to go down into the crypt and see other parts of the cathedral that I had never seen before. On a closer look, there are so many intricate stained glass windows and artworks.
I had been wanting to do a tour of St Mary's for a while now and was really glad I did.
Map Roy - 3 weeks ago
Magical! Ethereal!
I was blown away by their sheer majesty of the architecture and artwork.
We went during the Christmas season so the displays were of the nativity inside and outside the cathedral. The animated projection on the surface of the cathedral was playing A Christmas Carol cartoon.
There was also a statement for peace which offered much comfort during these times.
The cathedral is a beautiful reverent space to visit, to pray, to attend a service and of course for joyous occasions like weddings.
There are paid parking garages in the vicinity. We caught a cab in as we aren’t far.
During the Christmas season there are food stalls outside the cathedral and Christmas lights.
Highly recommend a visit!
Dee Sydney creator - 3 months ago
Directions
| Train Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| T2, T3 or T8 | St. James Station | 1 minute |
How to get to Saint Mary's Cathedral by Train
By Train: St. James Station exits at Hyde Park just west of the Cathedral. Simply walk through the park to get to St. Mary's.
By Bus: Bus 333 runs up and down Elizabeth Street through the CBD. You can disembark at St. James Station and proceed as above.
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Accommodations near Saint Mary's Cathedral:
Photo Gallery
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Interior of St. Mary's Cathedral cc licensed photo by Rob Young -
Photo Credit: Rmonty119 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Jorge Lascar - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Sidneiensis - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Sydney Heritage - cc license via Flickr
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