Cathedral of Saint Mary in Austin, Austin (must see)

Saint Mary's serves as the main cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin. Its history dates back to the 1850s, when the Catholic community in Austin constructed a small stone church called Saint Patrick's at the intersection of 9th and Brazos streets. In 1866, the church was renamed Saint Mary's, and the parish decided to build a new church using masonry construction. In 1872, after Austin was designated as the permanent capital of Texas, the parish laid the cornerstone for a new church one block north of the original location.

The parish had already established the foundation in the shape of a basilica and had started erecting the walls, which were 5 feet (1.5 meters) high when architect Nicholas J. Clayton began designing their new church.

In 1948, when the Diocese of Austin was established, this church became the cathedral for the newly formed diocese. During that time, the church underwent renovations, including the removal of many neo-Gothic decorations. The neo-Gothic altars and altar rail were replaced with marble fixtures from the 20th century, and the baldachino was adorned with cactus and bluebonnet motifs, reminiscent of central Texas.

Why You Should Visit:
If you're an architecture buff, this comfortably welcoming and beautiful classic Cathedral boasts a great deal of historic artwork to observe in detail: gorgeous stained glass windows dedicated to saints from old Europe, and woodwork.
And if you're a devoted Catholic, they do Latin Rite masses here, too.

Tip:
If you attend a Sunday mass, you'll feel like you are at a prayerful and inspiring concert.